Emily is good for Paris

“Taking care of your image is a legitimate effort to build your reputation, for companies, people and, why not, cities. Keeping Emily in Paris is really chic!“

I'm a fan of the series Emily in Paris. Since the first season in 2020, I've been looking forward to new episodes and I watch them almost all at once. Light, fun and "sweet", the script doesn't go much beyond that, but it's good entertainment to take a break from the busy life.

My interest (and that of most of the loyal audience) is not linked to the marketing actions that the main character Emily Cooper (played by actress Lily Collins) creates – clichés and somewhat artificial. It has more to do with the aesthetics of the actors, the costumes, the sets, and the city. Emily in Paris is an invitation to stroll through the streets of the French capital and an immersive experience in the city's glamour and romance.

For me, there's much more to it than that. The series says and teaches a lot about reputation. And I'll explain it later.

The global success, shown in 190 countries by Netflix, reached its fourth season in 2024, yielding dividends not only for those directly involved in the project. According to the newspaper The Guardian, a study by the National Center for Cinema and Animation (CNC) of France, carried out this year, indicated that 38% of the tourists consulted mentioned the series as being one of the reasons for visiting Paris.

It is no surprise that the issue left the streaming service and ended up on the table of European authorities, since in the last episodes of the recent season, the series is set in Rome. And by all indications, it will migrate (temporarily or not – there is no clear position from the producers on the matter) to the Italian capital. French President Emannuel Macron did not like this and protested. The mayor of Rome, Roberto Gualtieri, retaliated.

"Emily in Paris in Rome makes no sense”, Macron argued. “It is very positive in terms of attractiveness for the country. For our businesses, it is a very good initiative.” And he also added that “The country will fight hard and ask for the series to remain in Paris.” Gualtieri took advantage of the main character's romance with an Italian and wrote on his X account, formerly Twitter: “Dear Emmanuel Macron, rest assured: Emily is doing very well in Rome. Besides, you can’t control the heart: let’s let her choose,” he wrote on his X account, formerly Twitter.

Now we just have to wait and see who wins.

Paris has been gradually strengthening its position as a tourist destination. It is one of the five most visited cities in the world, having received 15.5 million tourists in 2023, according to data from Euromonitor. However, its image has been tarnished in recent years due to recent protests and episodes of violence that were previously uncommon – even the series itself has been the subject of graffiti by angry residents who believe that the production “romanticizes Parisian daily life too much”. 

You 2024 Olympic Games contributed to the appetite of new visitors, despite controversies (always controversies) such as the failed decontamination of the Seine River. So, Macron is right to fight. Emily is very good for Paris, and the same is true – and perhaps we will see how it will be with Rome. The series enhances the city's reputation. It has become a strong brand, which, season after season, attracts more fans and tourists. Losing its “position” as the setting for Miss Cooper's adventures is not strategic. Taking care of one's image is a legitimate effort to build the reputation of companies, people and, why not, cities. Keeping Emily in Paris is très chic!