Publicis, Havas & BETC social media profiles go dark in sympathy with Paris terror victims
Leading French advertising agencies are expressing their solidarity with the victims of last weekend’s terror attacks in Paris by blacking out their social media profile pictures.
The coordinated move comes after the city’s creative community came together in grief following the deaths of several employees of Publicis and Havas in the attacks, with several employees of BETC also thought to have been at the Bataclan concert hall on Friday night.
That association prompted BETC to take down its regular image in a mark of respect with others quickly following suit as the idea took hold, with some opting to incorporate a black diagonal bar across their profiles as a mark of respect as individuals.
Explaining the move to Ad Week Ellen Broomé, head of international communications for BETC Paris, said: “The black boxes are a symbol for our grief. We didn't talk to any other agencies about it."
DDB Paris, TBWA \ France, Marcel, Proximity BBDO Paris, BEING and Rosapark have also now incorporated the black theme on their Facebook and Twitter outlets.