What Josiane does

Josiane is a 100% independent, non-conformist advertising agency founded in Paris in 2014 by Laurent (an Ecole Centrale graduate who also chairs the AACC's Independent Agencies Club). The firm operates as a boutique creative services provider with an approximate 20-person core team distributed across seven cities (Paris HQ, Amsterdam, Los Angeles, London, Geneva, Montreal, Berlin), branded as a 'micro network' since 2022. Its core services span four pillars: brand platform development, 360° ON/OFF campaigns across TV, digital, outdoor and print, experiential activations, and social media/influence marketing — including one documented AI-generated influencer activation for Franui. The agency's technology is largely craft-based (creative production, multi-channel media planning, strategic positioning), with AI tooling used at the feature layer rather than as core infrastructure.

The business model is professional services revenue, generated through creative pitches, project-based engagements, and ongoing retainer relationships. Go-to-market is enterprise field sales via direct relationships with brand marketers and communication directors, supported by a heavy awards and PR strategy (Cannes Lions Gold in Film 2025; multiple Effie, TOPCOM, Epica, Cristal Festival, Deauville, Grand Prix Stratégies wins). Client mix is diversified across at least 14 verticals including hospitality (Novotel, Mercure, Adagio), food/CPG (Bonux, Croustipate, Franui, Les Fermiers de Loué, Entremont), automotive (VinFast, Motul), healthcare (Servier Monde, AFSEP), non-profit/social (Les Petits Frères des Pauvres, Association Valentin Haüy, La Cimade), retail (Carrefour Livraison Express, Cabaia), construction (Saint-Gobain Glass, Tarkett), and government/education (INRAE, L'Eure). Notable quantified outcomes include +75% sales and +400,000 buyers for Bonux, +23% volume and +12% awareness for Croustipate, and a French anti-spanking law passed four months after a Fondation Pour l'Enfance campaign.

The firm remains privately held with no disclosed institutional investors, parents, or subsidiaries, and is part of 'The Nonconformist Network' alongside affiliated independents (kids for social media, ctrl for media, jforbrands for branding) that extend service breadth without compromising independence.

Name

Josiane

Legal name

Josiane

Website

https://josiane.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Josiane is a 100% independent, non-conformist French advertising agency founded in 2014, operating across 7 cities, that delivers brand platforms, 360° ON/OFF campaigns, activations, and social media/influence services to enterprise brands and non-profits across 14+ verticals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Advertising Services

NAICS

Advertising Agencies (54181), Other Services Related to Advertising (541890), Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (5418)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Advertising (7310)

akta.pro primary industry

Direct Marketing, CRM & Lifecycle (Email, SMS, Loyalty) (BPAFAAAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Live Commerce & Shoppable Creator Campaigns (BPAFAHAL), Paid Social Advertising Management (MPAAACAC)

Keywords

• Advertising services
• Brand campaigns
• Creative agency
• Media planning
• Digital marketing

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Advertising and Creative Services: Full-service advertising agency generating revenue through creative strategy, campaign development, and production across multiple channels including TV, digital, outdoor, social media, and brand platforms. Revenue is project-based and retainer-driven for ongoing client relationships.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Josiane is a 100% independent, non-conformist advertising agency that delivers 360-degree brand communication services across TV, digital, outdoor, social media, and experiential channels. The agency provides four core offerings: Brand Platforms (strategic positioning and identity), 360° ON/OFF Campaigns (integrated online/offline advertising), Activations (experiential marketing), and Social Media/Influence (content and influencer campaigns). It serves enterprise brands and NGOs across hospitality, food, automotive, healthcare, fashion, and non-profit sectors from seven global offices.

Product overview

Josiane is an independent, non-conformist advertising agency founded in 2014, offering a unified portfolio of creative and marketing services. The agency provides brand platform development, 360° omnichannel campaigns (combining online and offline media), experiential activations, and social media/influence services. Operating from Paris with international offices in Amsterdam, Los Angeles, London, Geneva, Montreal, and Berlin, Josiane serves clients across diverse sectors including hospitality, food and beverage, automotive, healthcare, and non-profit organizations. The agency has developed AI-generated content capabilities as demonstrated by their Franui campaign featuring AI-generated personalities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Nonconformist Network: A network of independent agencies that Josiane is part of, including kids (social media), ctrl (media), and jforbrands (branding).

Products and services

• Brand Platforms
• 360° ON/OFF Campaigns
• Activations
• Social Media / Influence

Quantifiable outcome

• +75% increase in sales for Bonux after TV campaign launch
• +9 more outcomes

Named customers50 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• IronmanminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Ironman 2023 partnership supporting VinFast's European market entry. Josiane created campaigns connecting VinFast with the Ironman triathlon brand for experiential marketing activation.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Marcel: Paris-based independent advertising agency of similar vintage and size. Directly comparable as a French indie agency competing for the same brand clients (Josiane's MD Virginie previously worked at Marcel on SK-II, Groupama, Belvedere).
• Rosapark: Paris-based independent creative agency. Direct peer as French indie with comparable client roster and creative positioning; Josiane's MD Virginie held account director role at Rosapark on Perrier, Lapeyre, Marionnaud.
• BETC Paris: Major Paris-headquartered creative agency (Havas-owned but operating with boutique autonomy). Competes directly with Josiane for French brand briefs and shares talent overlap - several Josiane creatives came from BETC.
• Buzzman: Paris-based independent advertising agency known for creative effectiveness awards. Directly comparable as a French indie with similar Cannes Lions ambitions and mid-large brand client base.
• Rosa Paris: Paris-based independent creative agency. Direct competitor for French brand creative pitches; several Josiane team members previously worked at Rosa Paris (Lilou, Vinie).

Broad incumbents

• TBWA Paris: Network-affiliated Paris creative agency (TBWA\\Worldwide). Broad incumbent competing for the same large French brand accounts as Josiane, with deeper resources and global network reach.
• Publicis Conseil: Largest French-headquartered advertising agency and Publicis Groupe flagship. Broad incumbent competing for major French and European brand briefs with substantially larger creative and media resources.
• DDB Paris: Paris office of DDB Worldwide (Omnicom network). Direct creative competitor for French brand accounts; Josiane has hired multiple creatives from DDB (Lilou, Guillaume, Jérôme).
• Havas Paris: Flagship Havas creative agency in Paris. Broad incumbent competing for major French and European accounts; Josiane account director Eva previously led LVMH, EDF, and Accor Hôtels accounts there.
• Wunderman Thompson Paris: Paris office of global creative/data agency (WPP network). Broad incumbent for digital-first brand briefs; Josiane copywriter Ian previously worked at Wunderman Thompson on London, New York, Amsterdam accounts.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/FollowJosiane
• Facebookfacebook.com/agencejosiane
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/josiane

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Josiane