History

2009: 20 years

Our strategy of diversification on corporate and social matters succeeds:

Business set up, development and acquisition
Prevention & risks control
Consumer and drivers protection
Education, youngsters employment, senior labour
Social housing. Home property
Human Resources Management
Household waste recycling

2008

Strengthening of our expertise in media coverage of trade shows and management of figures official visits.

Our Public Relations programs spread into the French Regions: wide mapping of the key players and services, media coverage handled in more than 50 cities through touring exhibitions.

The agency unique expertise on community management is strengthened not only by new comers but also by the use of new media and social networks.

2007

The widening and sharing of sector-based expertise take off with the acquisition of a consumer PR agency, Transversal:

Immediate gathering of its teams in our office as of January 2008.
First co-production of our « Before Christmas Shopping », an early September Parisian event, dedicated to consumer, broadcast and digital media: more than 150 press attendees… and innumerable clipping!

2005/2006: Continuous development in various sectors of activity
Irrespective of the sector, Florence Gillier Communication has proven expertise in Public and Media Relations.

In the takeover of Inmac by WStore, a customer of the agency since 1998, Florence Gillier Communication assisted both companies with this major development, orchestrating both internal and external communication for the event (Press Relations, Intranet, etc).
In the world of IT, Canon, Naf Naf électronique, PC City (DSG International) and Toshiba Mobile use the agency for their press relations.
In the “Insurance” sector, the MACIF and MAIF Groups entrust responsibility for the promotion of their common event “La Vie Plus Sûre” (a safer life) in the media to Florence Gillier Communication.
Associations are not to be outdone since the Union Nationale des Présidents des IUT, as well as 40 millions d’Automobilistes use the agency for the development of their public and media relations.
In the sphere of education, Complétude, the N°2 in private home tuition and IUTs (universities of technology) celebrating their 40^th anniversary choose Florence Gillier Communication.

2003/2004: Mobility, Service and Telecoms
The era of availability: new forms of technology satisfy the needs of users. The market is in the throes of expansion and its ever-increasing number of players need to be innovative and … communicate.

SFR (Corporate Division), Cegetel and Vanco, as well as the Neurones Group delegate their press relations to the agency. In fact, it is with SFR that Florence Gillier Communication takes part in the launch of the Black Berry (RIM) in France.
In parallel, Société des Trains Expositions entrusts the media promotion of the first Enterprise Creation Train to the agency. Stopping off at 13 cities – nationwide media coverage.
An event organised by the agency’s “Events” team: Tour de France OKI Printing Solutions, a highly-colourful artistic experience promoting the manufacturer’s partner network (retailers and major accounts) in 11 stopover towns.
The agency enters the realm of business activity and entrepreneurship.

2002: the IT system moves into collaborative mode
For greater responsiveness and efficiency, the agency switches to an information system in collaborative mode: information always available!

The agency continues its growth in the association sector: Associations des Ingénieurs Telecom Paris (AIST)
… and assists a major player in new professional and general public technology: Toshiba Systems France (Mobile Communications, Electronic Grand Public, Computer Systems).

2001: Nationwide, regional or local media coverage
The agency takes in society issues and the associations sector.

2001, the historic changeover to the European currency. Florence Gillier Communication is chosen by the Conseil Supérieur de l’Ordre des Experts Comptables (Order of Chartered Accountants) to promote the €uro Train-Forum in the media (stopping in 19 towns and cities). An event covered by national media as a result of the programme conducted by the agency.
Association projects or the causes they support call for the best possible form of organisation to take them to successful completion. For this reason, the agency assists the Association des Utilisateurs Francophone d’Oracle (Oracle French Users Association) with its management and development. A veritable representational body, the Florence Gillier Communication team optimises the action of this association.

2000: Economic euphoria
Entrepreneurs undertake an ever-increasing number of initiatives and projects and embark on the new technology adventure. Investors joined in to their heart’s content, the Internet opens up new business prospects to emerging and traditional brick and mortar companies and new technology optimises the performance of companies and professional sectors.

The agency makes frequent recommendations for action to startups and players in the world of Telecoms. It recruits managers and consultants and trains press attachés for this new potential market.

The decision to open up to new sectors of activity such as human resources takes shape.
Keljob, KPN Quest, Lexibook and WebHelp join the agency to develop their press relations.

1999: 10^th anniversary
As its 10^th anniversary dawns, Florence Gillier Communication’s growth is resumed, to an anticipated level in excess of 20% for the 1999 financial year. New service offerings for customers and new development projects for the company come into view.

Dot Coms are set up, online press makes its appearance, the so-called “traditional” press also brings out Internet editions. In this year, the agency identifies over 400 new media on the Net, which is to set it one step ahead over this specific type of press in the next few years.

Hit It Production, an Internet communication consultancy agency, Cryo On Line, a subsidiary of the French company Cryo Interactive, specialising in Internet products and Lucent Technology choose the agency for their Press relations.

Omnicom is taken over by the US firm, GTS, and becomes GTS-Omnicom. For this event, Florence Gillier Communication brings together over 100 personalities – around forty journalists and 80 investors and financial analysts. The media coverage is phenomenal.

New customers join the agency: Bull Soft, Kompass, AdeSoft, Xiring, Emme and Dolphin Télécoms.

1998: Expertise in the promotion of trade shows in the media
In 1998, after two successive years of very high growth, Florence Gillier Communication sales figures are stable and it is consolidating its organisation and customer base.

The agency takes on the press relations for the famous Festival de Biarritz (and the MICAM – the International Audiovisual Communication and Multimedia trade show) as well as the digital imaging show, Imagina.
This is also the year when a new IT distribution startup arrived at the agency, WStore, and a new major account, Hewlett Packard (Services Division).

1997: Independence, Quality, Renown
The agency’s sales figures grew successively by 40% in 1996 and then by 35% in 1997.
At the end of September 1997, the agency reached the 9 million franc gross margin level: it is classified the leading independent PR agency specialised in IT in France (source Stratégie, 3 July 1998 issue).

Finally, the opening of the agency’s web site – it was to be the first to propose the diffusion of its customers’ press releases in real time on the Internet (www.fgcom.fr). It is also the year when Lexmark chose the Florence Gillier Communication agency to help it gain a foothold in the General Public press.

1996: Financial, Product, Institutional campaign: PR success
In tune with its market, Florence Gillier Communication took a turn towards the Internet and Telecoms with the arrival of the new French startups, NetGem and Omnicom.

NetGem (inventor and designer of the NetBox, the first adaptor to enable TV channels to be received via the Internet) and Société Européenne des Satellites Astra ask the agency to develop their press relations with Professional and General Public targets.
Omnicom, a telecoms startup, also takes on the agency as consultant for its entry on the Telecoms deregulation market. Its success against the giants on this market was to take it three years later onto the new Stock market: once again Florence Gillier Communication was to assist senior partners in their relations with financial analysts.

1995: International presence
In 1995, to manage the agency’s high growth, Florence Gillier welcomes on board her two future partners, Valérie Hackenheimer and Patricia Azzaro, with Valérie taking charge of developing the Media branch and Patricia organising the setup of the Events branch.

Microsoft France again shows its confidence in Florence Gillier Communication by using the agency on an exclusive basis to promote all its BtoB divisions in the media.
This year, the agency orchestrates the most extensive national and regional press launch ever undertaken on the IT market - Microsoft Windows 95. A widespread operation backed by a Tour de France in over 20 towns and cities.
The agency joins a worldwide network of independent PR agencies and signs a contract with the manufacturer, Digital.

1994: The agency’s expertise is confirmed for major accounts as well as startups
On the heels of Aleph 2, Florence Gillier Communication acquires additional experience in communication for startups with Edusoft.

Zenith Data Systems chooses Florence Gillier Communication for its press relations campaigns for the next two years. The agency also manages press communications for its subsidiary, Compuprint, offering a range of professional printers marketed under its own brand.

1992 - 1993: IT expertise on General Public and Professional markets
In July 1992, Microsoft, the world leader in microcomputing, chooses Florence Gillier Communication to handle its press communication in France.

On 1 October 1993, to manage its growth, the agency adopts the structure of a Public Limited Company and moves into new premises at Pont de Suresnes.
In 1993, the agency orchestrates the launch of the first Microsoft Home products for the general public and organises the very first TV appearance of Bill Gates in France. He is interviewed by Philippe Gildas on his famous Canal Plus TV show Nulle Part Ailleurs.

1991: Florence Gillier Communication
Florence Gillier takes her place on the market of RP agencies specialising in IT in France: she hires her first staff and sets up in Courbevoie.

New customers come to the agency, the Taiwan manufacturer, Twinhead, which is setting up a subsidiary in France, the newly-created laptop computer manufacturer, NewDeal, the hard disk utility publisher, Central Point Software, the distributor CHS that takes over Edisoft and creates CHS-Omnilogic to expand in Europe.

1989/1990: Starting from scratch
Florence Gillier starts up as an independent consultant

She starts with Aleph 2, a startup operating on the graphics and layout market. Then, the agency’s activity develops with PR management of the Logitech (mouse) and Commodore/Amiga (PCs and game consoles) brands.