What Association Communication publique does

Association Communication publique is a French non-profit association (association loi 1901) founded in 1990 and headquartered at 9 rue du Colonel Driant in central Paris, dedicated to serving public communication professionals ("Dircoms") across French ministries, public agencies, state enterprises, universities, healthcare bodies, and local authorities. With 9 employees and 200+ member organizations, the association operates as a member-funded professional community — revenue is generated through recurring institutional membership fees supplemented by partner contributions from the Club des partenaires. Its core product portfolio combines editorial output (the journal Parole publique, currently at Issue #34 in 2026; the video series Parole publique, la série; the curated Conseils de lecture) with a recurring event program (Le Chaud et le Froid briefings, Matinales webinars, Les Entretiens annual conference, exclusive Visites de terrain to crisis-management facilities, and Partie de jardin gatherings). Underlying technology is minimal: the association runs an eco-designed website built on the open-source Osuny CMS, with no public API, SDK, or proprietary platform; content is distributed via the website, a YouTube channel, LinkedIn, and email newsletters.

The business model is a classic membership-association structure with three revenue mechanics: recurring institutional membership dues as the primary stream; partnership/sponsorship contributions from agencies and consultancies in the Club des partenaires; and ancillary revenue from events and publications. Membership pricing is not publicly disclosed; prospects must contact the secretariat directly. Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, with no formal sales motion — the association recruits members through peer referrals, visibility at its own events, and earned media. The association is governed by co-presidents Marie Yanowitz-Durand and Laurent Riéra, with Pascale Barillot as Déléguée générale and Gwenaëlle Solignac (Université Paris Cité) as Vice-présidente; no parent company or external ownership structure exists.

The association underwent a notable restructuring in 2024–2025, transitioning to a co-presidency model and launching a full rebrand (new identity, logo, and promise) timed to its 35th anniversary in February 2025. Strategic priorities signaled through 2025–2026 programming include AI literacy for public communicators, disinformation response, and crisis communication — themes that align with rising demand among French public institutions. Strategic partnerships include La Netscouade (digital agency, July 2024) for joint research, Occurrence (research institute) for AI/public-communication studies, and Osuny (open-source CMS provider) for the website platform.

Name

Association Communication publique

Legal name

Association Communication publique

Website

https://communication-publique.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association Services for Public Communication

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Other Similar Organizations (except Business, Professional, Labor, and Political Organizations) (81399)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Scholarly Societies & Conference Proceedings Publishing (MPAJABAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Association & Society Conference Management (Nonprofit, Professional Bodies) (THAHACAA), Government & Public Sector Conferences (MPAGAGAH)

Keywords

• Public communication association
• Professional development events
• Government communication network
• Membership association services
• Public sector publications

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: Association generates revenue through membership fees from public organizations, government agencies, and institutions that join the association. Members gain access to events, publications, networking opportunities, and professional resources.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Association Communication publique operates as a professional membership association serving public communication professionals across French government, public institutions, and universities. It delivers publications (the "Parole publique" review and "Parole publique, la série" video series), recurring professional events ("Le Chaud et le Froid" news decoders, "Matinales" morning webinars, the annual "Entretiens de Communication publique" conference), and exclusive in-person site visits to media and crisis management facilities. Members — primarily public-sector organizations — gain access to networking, knowledge sharing, and professional development resources through these offerings.

Product overview

Association Communication publique operates as a professional association serving the public interest, offering a portfolio of knowledge products and professional development events. The core offerings include "Parole publique, la série" (a video discussion series), "Parole publique, la Revue" (a scholarly journal on public communication), and recurring event formats including "Le Chaud et le Froid" (brief current affairs discussions), "Matinales" (morning webinars), and Les Entretiens (annual conferences). The association also organizes exclusive in-person visits to media and crisis management facilities and maintains a partners club of supporting agencies. These offerings are interconnected through a membership-based community that connects public communication professionals across French public institutions, agencies, and media organizations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Parole publique: The association's publication/review covering topics of public communication, with issue number 34 released in 2026 titled 'Réarmer la communication publique face à la désinformation'.
• Parole publique, la série

Products and services

• Parole publique, la série Video discussion series featuring in-depth conversations with public communication professionals on topics including institutional strategy, science communication, leadership, and current challenges in the public sector. Aimed at public communicators, agency directors, and association members.
• Parole publique, la Revue Scholarly journal and review featuring expert analyses and perspectives on major challenges in public communication, including disinformation, public service communication, and democratic dialogue. Issue 34 (2026) is titled "Rearming public communication against disinformation." For public communication professionals, researchers, and policy makers.
• Le Chaud et le Froid Recurring 30-minute monthly event format that deciphers public communication news and current affairs, featuring guest speakers from the public communication sector. Designed for public communication professionals seeking a quick update on the latest sector developments.
• Les Entretiens de Communication publique Annual flagship conference bringing together public communication professionals to discuss key themes such as disinformation, trust-building, and the role of science in public communication. The main annual gathering for the French public communication community.
• Visites de terrain Exclusive in-person visits to media organizations, crisis management centers, and public institutions (examples include TF1/LCI, the SNCF crisis room, and the Ministry of Interior crisis cell). Designed for member public communicators seeking to learn how peer institutions manage high-stakes communications.
• Matinales Morning webinars and remote discussions on specific themes related to public communication, featuring expert speakers and case studies. Designed for public communicators across France who cannot always attend in-person events.
• Club des partenaires Sponsorship and partnership program for communication agencies and service providers that support the association's mission, providing partners with visibility, networking with public communication professionals, and access to exclusive events.
• Conseils de lecture Curated reading recommendations on topics of interest to public communication professionals, covering books on democracy, media, artificial intelligence, and public policy. A reference resource for members seeking to deepen their knowledge of the field.

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered strategic and core.

• La NetscouadestrategicTechnology or Integration · 17 July 2024Digital communication agency that collaborates with the association on research studies, events, and professional development. Contributed to study on Dircoms publics & réseaux sociaux.
• Club des partenairescoreOthersA dedicated partners club bringing together companies and organizations that support the association's mission. Partners benefit from visibility opportunities, networking with public communication professionals, and participation in exclusive events.
• OccurrencestrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch institute specializing in public communication that partners on studies and shares expertise on AI and public communication trends through association events.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• European Public Relations Education and Research Association (EUPRERA): European academic and practitioner association for PR scholarship and education, convening conferences and publications — comparable to Communication publique as a scholarly society publishing research and hosting events for the PR/communications profession.
• Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR): UK chartered body for PR professionals with membership, training, publications and events — directly comparable as an established membership association serving communications professionals with credentialing and knowledge products.
• International Public Relations Association (IPRA): Global membership association for PR professionals, offering training, ethics guidance and events — comparable to Communication publique as a professional body serving communications practitioners with peer networking and thought leadership.
• International Association of Business Communicators (IABC): Global membership association for business communicators providing training, certification and a professional community — closely comparable as a dues-funded body serving in-house communications professionals with content, events, and credentials.
• Public Affairs Council (US): US-based membership association for public affairs professionals across government, corporations and associations — directly comparable as a peer community serving public-sector and policy communications practitioners with conferences, training and a publication.

Broad incumbents

• Syntec Conseil (Syntec): French professional federation representing consulting, engineering and digital firms including PR/communications agencies — comparable as a French membership organization serving the broader communications services ecosystem, though focused on firms rather than in-house Dircoms.
• Public Relations Society of America (PRSA): The largest US-based professional society for PR practitioners, with broader scope across private and public sectors — comparable as an incumbent professional association serving communications careers but operating at much greater scale and across all sectors rather than public-sector-only.
• Global Alliance for Public Relations: International confederation of leading PR associations and bodies — comparable as a peer-level membership organization for the PR profession that also convenes research and ethics work, with a more global remit.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@communication-publique
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/association-communication-publique

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Association Communication publique