BETC
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Advertising |
| Founded | 1995 |
| Founder | Rémi Babinet, Eric Tong Cuong, Mercedes Erra |
| Headquarters | Paris , France |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Rémi Babinet (Creative Director), Stéphane Xiberras (President and Chief Creative Officer) |
| Products | Advertising campaigns, brand identity, sound production, digital marketing, retail marketing, startup lab, content creation |
Number of employees | Approximately 900 |
| Parent | Havas Worldwide |
BETC is a Paris-based French advertising firm established in 1995. Its name derives from the initials of its founders: Babinet, Erra, and Tong Cuong.
The agency has developed campaigns for prominent clients including Air France, Evian, Lacoste, and Canal+, earning the distinction of being the most creative agency for eight years running.
History
In 1994, Rémi Babinet and Eric Tong Cuong launched Babinet Tong Cuong. The agency operates under the Havas Worldwide umbrella (previously known as Euro RSCG Worldwide). Mercedes Erra joined the team in 1995, prompting a rebranding to Babinet Erra Tong Cuong Euro RSCG. Eric Tong Cuong departed in 2002. By 2005, Babinet and Erra were appointed managing directors at Havas while retaining leadership roles at BETC. Stéphane Xiberras, who joined BETC as creative director in 1999, was promoted to president and Chief Creative Officer in 2007.
Approximately 900 employees work primarily from BETC’s Paris headquarters, housed in a repurposed department store on Faubourg Saint Martin.
The agency handles over 70 clients, with global accounts constituting about 70% of its portfolio. These include Peugeot, Air France, Evian, Canal+, Lacoste, L'Oreal, Petit Bateau, Disneyland Paris, McDonald's, and Mondelez. In November 2012, BETC was named the worldwide communications agency for luxury label Louis Vuitton.
BETC encompasses multiple specialized divisions: BETC Luxe focusing on luxury brands; BETC Design dedicated to brand identity; BETC Pop handling sound production; BETC Digital launched in 2010; BETC Shopper initiated in 2007 with a retail emphasis; BETC Start Up Lab established in 2011; and BETC Content also introduced in 2011.
In May 2011, with backing from parent company Havas, BETC began expanding into an international network starting with an office in London. This was followed by openings in Brazil, the United States, and Asia. BETC London debuted in June 2011 under CEO Matthew Charlton and Creative Director Neil Dawson, servicing clients such as Bacardi, Cow & Gate, Samsung, Ibis, and Diet Coke. Charlton and Dawson left in January 2014, succeeded by CEO Andrew Stirk and Executive Creative Director Rosie Bardales.
February 2014 saw the inauguration of BETC’s São Paulo branch led by co-CEOs Erh Ray and Gal Barradas. Plans for further U.S. expansion include cities like Austin, Chicago, Miami, Portland, and New York.
In July 2016, BETC moved to Les Magasins généraux in Pantin—a creative and innovation center—where Rémi Babinet actively contributes to cultural and social projects throughout Greater Paris.
In May 2016, Forbes recognized Rémi Babinet as one of the top ten Best Creative Directors globally.
Campaigns of note
The Canal+ advertisement "The Bear" earned acclaim in 2013 as the most awarded television commercial ever recorded by the Gunn Report, which tracks leading print and TV campaigns worldwide. Additionally that year, Evian’s "Baby and me" campaign became the most viewed online advertising campaign internationally.
Air France
BETC has held the global Air France account since 1998. Among its noteworthy projects is the 1999 campaign "Flight," directed by Michel Gondry with a soundtrack by the Chemical Brothers. In 2011, the agency produced a commercial featuring dancer Benjamin Millepied, choreographed by Angelin Preljocaj to a Mozart concerto performed by Les Siècles orchestra with pianist Vanessa Wagner under conductor François-Xavier Roth. Rémi Babinet remains the creative director overseeing all Air France advertising efforts.
Canal+
In 2011, BETC developed "The Bear" for Canal+, a comedic commercial showcasing a bearskin rug portrayed as a renowned film director. Under the guidance of creative director Stéphane Xiberras, this campaign earned one Silver Lion and three Gold Lions, including the Film Craft award, at the 2012 Cannes Lions festival. By February 2013, the Gunn Report recognized "The Bear" as the most decorated advertisement in history.
Evian
With Rémi Babinet as creative director, BETC's work for Evian features notable campaigns such as the 1998 Waterbabies television commercial and the 2009 Rollerbabies spot, which achieved a Guinness World Record for becoming the most viewed online advertisement, amassing over 45 million views by November 2009. In April 2013, BETC introduced the worldwide Baby and me campaign, incorporating a remix by French DJ Yuksek of Ini Kamoze's track "Here Comes the Hotstepper."
Awards
- 2012: Film Craft Grand Prix Lion awarded to Canal+ for "The Bear"
- 2012: Named Agency of the Year by New York Art Directors' Club
- 2019: Honored as International Agency of the Year by Adweek
- 2020: Film Grand Prix Lion received for Lacoste's "Crocodile Inside" campaign