OPINION: As a marketer, I hate Emily in Paris

Three to four times a week, I hop on my Peloton for a class and an episode. Pressured by a friend to start watching Emily in Paris, I decided to give it a whirl . . . and while I haven't completed Season 1 yet, as a marketer, I hate it.

Don't get me wrong, I'm still watching and I find the show wildly entertaining. I love the 'will-they-won't-they' relationship between Emily and her neighbor, and I love the dichotomy showing Amercian v. French workplace relationships and culture. But every time Emily begins to talk about marketing, I have a full-on cringe.

As a marketing professional with a Master's Degree in Marketing and over a decade of experience, “Emily in Paris” paints a glamorous picture of marketing that often feels detached from reality: particularly when it comes to social media, cultural sensitivity, and the intricacies of reaching an international audience. Below are some key marketing missteps that make me cringe, along with a few rare instances where Emily’s approach actually had some merit.

1. There's More to Marketing Than Social Media

One of the most glaring issues with "Emily in Paris" is its portrayal of marketing as a job that revolves almost exclusively around social media. While social media is undeniably a key part of modern marketing strategies, it's just one piece of a much larger puzzle. Marketing is an ecosystem that encompasses market research, customer insights, product development, advertising (both digital and traditional), branding, content marketing, and analytics. Each of these plays a critical role in understanding customer behavior, building a brand's reputation, and driving long-term growth.

Emily, however, makes her career appear like it’s all about snapping pictures and crafting clever captions. She doesn’t dive into the complexities of market segmentation, conversion rates, or long-term brand-building strategies. Real marketers know that getting a few likes on Instagram doesn’t guarantee brand loyalty or drive significant revenue. (For example - in the episode I just watched, Emily made a 'deal' with a fashion brand that she would make their brand more sexy in just one month to bring their account full-time to Savoir - which is incredibly unrealistic. Every [Good] marketer knows the algorithms take at least three months to start optimizing your content.)

Basically, every time Emily says 'social media,' I want to vomit. There's more to life than Instagram, girlfriend.

2. You Don't Get 100,000 Followers Overnight

Emily’s Instagram growth in the show is laughably unrealistic. While her posts about French culture and fashion are visually appealing and relateable to a tourist, they’re not groundbreaking enough to gain 100,000+ followers overnight - nor are they consistent enough to get that large of a reach organically. In reality, growing an audience—especially in a saturated space like social media—requires time, a deep understanding of your audience, and a consistent, value-driven content strategy.

Emily's rapid rise in social media followers suggests that simply being in Paris and looking stylish is enough to make you an influencer. But any marketer worth their salt knows it takes a lot more than that. Content needs to resonate with the audience, be shareable, and build over time. Even when a post goes viral, sustainable engagement and audience retention are far more challenging than just hitting a "100K" milestone after one good post.

Also, she often doesn’t take full advantage of the platform’s features—like Stories, analytics tools, or social listening—to refine her approach and create a more nuanced strategy. A marketer that’s growing their following that fast should be deeply involved in analyzing performance metrics, adapting content strategies, and engaging directly with followers; it's essentially a full-time job. Emily doesn’t seem to be doing any of this.

3. Emily Doesn't Consider the French Audience

One of the biggest cardinal sins of marketing is failing to consider your target audience, and Emily is consistently guilty of this. It’s shocking how little effort she puts into understanding French culture, language, or the behaviors of her Parisian audience. She often approaches marketing in France as if she’s just transplanted her American sensibilities to a new location, without any adaptation.

For example, she consistently fails to tailor her campaigns to fit the French market. French consumers value different things than their American counterparts—they appreciate subtlety, heritage, and craftsmanship. Emily’s bold, often brash approach to marketing doesn’t align with these values. Instead of collaborating with her French colleagues to develop campaigns that appeal to a local audience, she stubbornly insists on using her American perspective, which causes more problems than successes (but in the show, wins her the account in the end).

In real-world international marketing, a deep understanding of the local culture is vital. Brands that successfully expand globally don’t just copy-paste campaigns from one country to another; they adapt to the local market to resonate with consumers on a deeper level.

Things Emily in Paris Does Right: Yes, There Are Some!

Despite these glaring flaws, I’m woman enough to admit that Emily does have a few moments where she gets it right.

1. User-Generated Content Campaign with the Bed Brand

One of Emily's best marketing moves was creating a user-generated content (UGC) campaign for a mattress brand, Hästen's Luxury Beds. She invited people to take pictures of themselves lounging in a beautifully staged bed on a popular French street.

Emily in Paris, Season 1 Episode 5

This campaign was clever in that it engaged the public and encouraged organic content creation—a key strategy in modern marketing. UGC is valuable because it builds authenticity and trust among potential customers. People are more likely to engage with a brand when they see their peers participating and endorsing it.

However, let’s be honest: having an outdoor bed on a public street might attract more than just influencers—it could attract unwanted guests . . . like Paris' infamous bed bugs, or individuals who don't take personal hygiene all too seriously. As an individual and a mother who's child would love to jump on any bed they see, I look at that bed and think, "When were the last time those sheets were washed?" While the execution of this idea was flawed, the concept itself wasn’t terrible.

2. Addressing Sexism in the Workplace

Another moment where Emily demonstrates good marketing instincts is when she leans into the #MeToo movement in response to workplace sexism. Addressing social issues that align with your brand values is an excellent way for companies to connect with modern consumers, who increasingly expect brands to take a stand on important issues. When done authentically, this kind of activism can strengthen a brand’s emotional connection with its audience.

Emily in Paris, Season 1 Episode 2

One episode started with Emily complaining on social media that a woman's private parts shouldn't use the masculine article 'le.' From there, Emily complained about a perfume commercial that showed a woman naked - wearing only the customer's perfume - walking down a street of men and getting their heads to turn. In response to her complaint, the perfume owner said, "This is what women want," and Emily stood her ground and said the commercial was not sensitive to current political movements for female empowerment - good job, Emily.

While Emily’s approach might have been a little clumsy, her instinct to use her platform for good and speak out against injustice is a positive step toward a more conscious brand image. Marketers should take note: consumers now care as much about what a brand stands for as they do about the product or service it offers.

While "Emily in Paris" may make for entertaining TV, it’s a far cry from the realities of marketing. The show’s focus on superficial, quick-fix tactics and its neglect of deeper marketing strategies and cultural sensitivity make it frustrating to watch as a marketing professional. Yet, even in the glitz and glam of the fictional marketing world, there are a few lessons we can take away—namely, the importance of user-generated content and taking a stand on social issues.

But overall, for a character who's supposed to be a marketing genius, Emily's methods would leave most real-life marketers rolling their eyes. In the real world, marketing success takes time, a nuanced understanding of the audience, and a lot more than a few Instagram selfies. As for me, I'm going to continue to watch, and close my eyes and count to ten each time Emily says 'social.'