In a few words, tell us about your professional career. Why did you join Maison Moderne?

Kevin Bultez: I have spent most of my career so far in international communication groups, in media agencies in particular, in Paris, France. My role: to think and advise brands on their communication strategies through the media, mainly in digital. I'm marked by digital in all my daily activities, I'm from the FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) generation, so I'm always very connected to current events and trends.

I arrived at Maison Moderne because... I didn't know them!

Their proposal immediately resonated in my head as an attractive challenge: to perpetuate the high-end positioning of this independent and renowned house in the Grand Duchy, while accompanying it in its transformation to meet our customers challenges. To do this, I have taken on the role of Head of Clients & Media Strategy and I manage a team of 12 Media Advisors who advise our advertisers on a daily basis on their communication challenges.

What do you think about the consumption of print vs. digital in Luxembourg today? What are the evolutions to come?

What I have noticed after a few months here is that the Luxembourg market is still very attached to the press. We have to admit that for several years we have been hearing about the almost fateful decline of the press and yet this medium is more present than ever. To read the press is to take another rhythm: the reader chooses the right moment to read, understand and decipher, in a world where concentration is now an extremely rare commodity.

However, it is a reality that traditional media, including the press, have been declining for several years now in the face of digital. New consumption usages, new technologies, not six months go by without a digital revolution. Take a look at ChatGPT: we are not facing yet another passing fad, but rather a revolution - one that we knew was more than just emerging, similar to the arrival of the Internet in the 90s.

I am deliberately stating the obvious: we did not do this business in the same way 5 years ago and we will not do it in the same way in the next 5 years.

The speed of access to data and AI is already disrupting all aspects of our lives, without us necessarily realising it. The place that is taken today and will be taken by technologies in the coming months will be phenomenal. For better or for worse.

We, at Maison Moderne, have understood this and we must now accompany our clients in understanding these new challenges. They must fully embrace these changes, otherwise they will be disrupted by newcomers who will be born out of these new technologies and who will have perfect mastery of them.

In your opinion, do clients use digital more for specific challenges?

In my previous experience, I mainly worked with clients who used digital as a performance channel. The advantage of this medium is that it allows a total control of investments, precise targeting and instantly measurable results. The use of digital has symbolised true lead challenges for the MarCom ROI (Return On Investment ) oriented leaders advertisers who are constantly accountable for their communication initiatives.

Digital also makes it possible to address awareness issues through engaging formats, such as video for example, which is now an essential communication channel. And as I was saying, it is the ideal solution for brands seeking to control their investments while obtaining quick answers on the relevance of their communication devices.

Today, the challenges of digital for companies are major. What is your point of view?

Digital transformation has revolutionised the business world. New business models, new professions, new cultures or work organisations. Everything has been questioned. And it is an understatement to say that it contributes greatly to the prosperity of modern economies. For example, the use and quality of data are now essential. Employees, managers and everyone in a company must fully embrace this digital shift.

And it must also be fully integrated today and tomorrow, from a CSR angle. Technology is constantly changing our lives, and there is no doubt that digital technology will have to play a key for us to leave the next generation with a sustained world. 

We are already facing an emergency. 

Finally, with the rise of artificial intelligence and especially ChatGTP, how do you think these tools will revolutionise media strategies?

I wrote all my answers using ChatGPT... Just kidding! Incidentally, it's going to be harder and harder for people who still have an opinion to stand out from the crowd; one that thinks only through social media generated content.

On a more serious note, not a week goes by without me talking to my teams about this major step forward. I think that the fear of this new tool is above all linked to our lack of knowledge; this is why it’s important, if not essential, to keep abreast of any significant advances in technology.

The tool is not yet perfect, we see it every day with answers that sometimes seem a little disconnected - it's a beautiful paradox when you are on the Internet - but its uses are already amazing. It is up to human beings to keep control of it and to use it solely for purposes that will push our society forward...

As far as media strategies are concerned, Web3 is now ushering in a new era. Microsoft and Google these days - and all the others that are coming - are already fighting it out. The curiosity about AI and its daily use in our lives will necessarily have an impact on our uses. Google has already turned from a results engine to an answering engine. It is likely that the massive deployment of AI will once again shake up the established order. This will lead to new paradigms and therefore new communication needs for brands. Society is evolving and will continue to do so. It is up to us at Maison Moderne, through our media, to continue to serve the interests of the brands that trust us!