In November 2023, Heetch launched its compelling integrated campaign "Greetings from la Banlieue" in France, created in collaboration with BETC Paris, aiming to tackle entrenched AI biases in the travel and tourism sector. This innovative initiative confronts the negative stereotypes perpetuated by the generative AI platform Midjourney, which distorts the image of the Parisian suburbs—or "banlieue"—by generating bleak and unrepresentative visuals when prompted with the term. Recognizing that Midjourney's AI, despite revolutionizing image creation since its 2022 inception, inadvertently reinforces damaging clichés, Heetch mobilized the 12.5 million inhabitants of the banlieue to rewrite this narrative. By developing an extensive, authentic photographic database that highlights the true, vibrant banlieue, Heetch sought to balance the AI’s representation but faced the challenge of reaching Midjourney's small team of only 11 employees based in San Francisco. The creative solution was as clever as it was unusual: transforming thousands of these genuine images into postcards, distributing them widely throughout local communities in bakeries, laundromats, sports fields, eateries, and Heetch ride-hailing cars, providing residents with the means to add personal messages directly to the company. Each postcard, featuring a preprinted address and a QR code linking to the database, serves not only as a call to action but also as a tangible bridge between the suburbs and Silicon Valley’s AI developers. This grassroots engagement empowers banlieue residents to actively participate in correcting AI bias, demonstrating Heetch’s deep commitment to defending and reshaping perceptions of their home territory. Through "Greetings from la Banlieue," Heetch effectively blends social responsibility with inventive marketing and communication strategies to challenge stereotypes, foster inclusion, and establish a genuine connection between local communities and global technology influencers. Follow Heetch on Instagram, X, TikTok, and Facebook to stay updated on this impactful campaign.
Credits
Client
Heetch
Agency
BETC Paris
Campaign
Greetings From La Banlieue
Brand
Heetch
Brand Managers
Renaud Berthe, Hector Gruyer, Benjamin Sousa
Agency Managers
Mathieu Laugier, Aude Devaux, Lara Lefort
Chief Creative Officer
Stephane Xiberras
Executive Creative Director
Olivier Aumard
Copywriters
Sebastien Duhaud, Matthieu Bouilhot
Art Director
Charles Dessaux
Traffic Manager
Nathalie Sanseigne
Creative Producer
Sebastien Lintingre
Production House
Sovage
Campaign Proposition
Heetch’s campaign, "Greetings from la Banlieue," addresses the pervasive stereotypes embedded in AI-generated images specifically related to the Parisian suburbs, known as the “banlieue.” The brand positions itself not only as a leading ride-hailing service catering to suburb-to-city commutes but as an advocate for authentic representation of these communities. The campaign underscores Heetch’s commitment to challenging biased media portrayals by actively engaging the banlieue population to reshape digital perceptions and correct AI-driven misrepresentations.
The market strategy hinges on the insight that generative AI, exemplified by Midjourney, reproduces and amplifies existing social biases—in this case, negative and inaccurate depictions of the banlieue. Recognizing Midjourney’s small, accessible employee base, Heetch creatively mobilized the local community through an unconventional social experiment: distributing thousands of postcards featuring genuine images of the banlieue. These postcards serve as a grassroots data intervention tool, enabling residents to directly communicate with Midjourney’s staff and provide corrective visual data. This approach effectively transforms community members into active participants in influencing Silicon Valley’s AI outputs, bridging geographic and cultural gaps with a simple, tangible medium. By embedding the call to action in everyday spaces—bakeries, laundromats, sports fields—the campaign fosters broad, organic engagement, reinforcing Heetch’s role as both a service provider and a social catalyst within the travel and tourism space.
Creative Device
FORMAT#3 SYMBOLIZE THE PROBLEM — Uses symbols or analogies to represent the problem instead of showing it literally.
This campaign is rooted in symbolic action: the use of postcards becomes a metaphorical device, standing in for the voices and real experiences of banlieue residents as a counter to the AI’s stereotyped, biased outputs. The creative solution is not to demonstrate Heetch’s service directly or tell a simple exemplary story, but rather to represent the larger, abstract issue of digital stereotyping using a powerful physical analogy—postcards with authentic images and messages. The postcards embody the fight against AI bias, turning complex social misrepresentation into a tangible, collective act that highlights both the scope of the problem and the collaborative effort to correct it, thus embodying the “symbolize the problem” format. See ADVERTISING FORMATS EXPLAINED: https://www.clapboard.com/blog/branding-and-advertising/brand-strategy/12-advertising-creative-formats
Director
Julian Nodolwsky
Sound Company
Sovage
Music Composer
Kamel Souiki
Photographer
Vincent Migrenne
Competitive Planks
Uber – Market Positioning
Uber positions itself as a global leader in ride-hailing with a focus on convenience, technology, and broad service coverage. It emphasizes fast, reliable rides with dynamic pricing and a user-friendly app, catering to both urban and suburban customers worldwide. Uber also invests heavily in diversification, including food delivery and freight, to maintain growth and innovation within mobility.
Bolt – Market Positioning
Bolt differentiates itself by offering affordable, eco-friendly, and quick urban mobility solutions with a strong focus on sustainability and customer-centric services. Bolt targets European and emerging markets with competitive pricing and incentives for both drivers and riders, emphasizing clean electric vehicle options and simplicity in the ride-booking experience.
Kapten (formerly Chauffeur Privé) – Market Positioning
Kapten positions itself as a European challenger focused on transparent pricing, driver satisfaction, and user rewards. Known for personalized customer service and loyalty programs, Kapten targets metropolitan users seeking a reliable and more community-driven ride service, aiming to balance affordability and premium experience.
Free Now – Market Positioning
Free Now leverages its roots in traditional taxi services combined with app-based convenience, targeting urban commuters who want trusted, regulated, and diverse mobility options. It integrates multiple transport modes, emphasizing safety, regulatory compliance, and collaboration with local drivers and taxi fleets across Europe.
Chauffeur Privé (now integrated under Kapten but branded separately in some markets) – Market Positioning
Chauffeur Privé previously focused on providing a high-quality, tech-savvy, and service-oriented alternative to taxis and other ride-hailing apps, with competitive pricing and frequent promotions. It targeted French and European urban riders seeking trustworthy, premium chauffeur services with local expertise and strong customer support.
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