portrait
Committed to independence, Lucie Beurq left advertising agencies for freelancing. The young artistic director draws on the skills of Marine Surmont her partner since her studies at Sup de Création. Ambitious, she is not interested in prices, but in supporting her customers with creative solutions and choosing subjects that appeal to her.
earn your place
When she arrived at Sup de Création, Lucie felt she had to start all over again from scratch. While most students come from art schools, she has only a DUT in information-communication with a specialization in advertising. Her feeling of not having the level makes her one of the most determined to succeed. She is determined to earn her place in the advertising world as an art director.
“My two years at Sup de Création were the best years of my studies. There were only 24 of us, so it was a very family-oriented promotion. We all wanted to succeed, we all pulled each other up. There was competition, but it was very healthy. School helped me find what I liked to do“Lucie remembers.
The meeting
It was during her master’s degree in advertising design that she met Marine Surmont who was training to become a copywriter. Together, they form a team to develop creative projects throughout their studies. The fact that they were able to work on briefs together gave them a strong bond, and 9 years later, they are still working as a duo.
They even began their careers together: first as interns, then on permanent contracts at Fred & Farid. They are both poached to join the Les Gaulois agency. Today, as freelancers, they still work as a team.
“We love working together. We complement each other despite our different personalities. We’ve found the perfect balance“explains Lucie.
Multiplying experiences
After various internships in advertising agencies, notably at Saatchi & Saatchi and New BBDO, she completed her studies at Fred & Farid. She was immediately given responsibilities, and at the end of her internship was hired as a junior art director.
“I was delighted not to start out as an assistant, but it was hard to fit in with the brilliant creatives. Difficult, but highly motivating! I was very lucky to start working at Fred & Farid“says Lucie.
Two years later, the young art director was poached by Xavier Beauregard, president of the Les Gaulois agency. The company later became Human Seven, then Havas Paris Seven.
What she enjoys most about working in an advertising agency is the variety of subjects, the diversity of brands and the constant learning curve. Her favorite projects? “La même passion” for Société Générale at Fred & Farid, and “The green billboard” for Transavia at Human Seven.
Marine & Lucie
After two rich years at Les Gaulois / Human Seven, Lucie dreams of freelancing. Her American mentors are successful freelancers, so why not her?
“I was scared when I started. Today, I can say that becoming a freelancer has given me greater self-confidence. I manage my own projects and make my own decisions. Of course, always with Marine!“she adds.
As in their Sup de Création years, the creative team has been recreated: Marine & Lucie . Together, they feel capable of anything! Specializing in activation and brand content, they work for advertising agencies, production companies and direct brands. It’s been almost three years since they launched and they’ve never run out of customers.
“We love it when advertising makes sense and resonates with the audience. Above all, we aim to create interaction and hit the mark.“says Lucie.
The brand that makes her dream is the one that challenges her. In February 2022, she launched the campaign “ The Unexpected Effect “campaign for Martell in the United States. She has been working for the brand for several years, but this time the project was for Black History Month. She says she spent three weeks reading books about the African-American community to make sure she hit the mark. She loves stimulating and varied projects, where she can keep learning.
“Our main challenge today is to make the advertising world understand that freelancing is a choice. It’s not by default. I’d like to prove to them that just because you’re not part of a big agency doesn’t mean you don’t have big ideas.“says Lucie.
A craft inspired by art
“When I started my studies, I thought that art direction was only accessible to people who could draw. That’s just it, I couldn’t draw… I learned from Sup de Création that the most important thing is curiosity.“explains Lucie.
In the world of advertising, you have to make the most of all your knowledge: artistic, of course, but also societal, technological, cultural, etc. Among the artists who touch her most are Hassan Hajjaj, Shomei Tomatsu, Elizabeth Porodina, Jacques Demy, Martin Parr, Damien Chazelle, Araki Nobuyoshi and Alexandre Astier.
Back to school
When she went freelance, Lucie returned to Sup de Création. Not to go back to school, no! But to teach. For two and a half years, she taught advertising to students and passed on what she had learned during her years in agencies and then as a freelancer.
“What I’d like to tell students is to stay curious and never give up. The world of advertising is evolving, and there are 1,000 different ways to do creative work. I’d tell them to get informed, not just about advertising but everywhere. Inspiration is everywhere“says Lucie.
Digital nomad at heart
Freelancing also allows her to quench her thirst for travel and discovery. She is fortunate to work with service providers who understand her needs, especially as she continues to work abroad. Her dream: to combine a road trip to South America with teleworking!
“There will be more and more digital nomads in the years to come. Agencies need to see this as an asset, not a drain. They will benefit enormously from having employees all over the world.“she explained.
For Lucie, professional success means more than just working for a big agency. Success means choosing who she works with and giving her all for her customers. As a freelancer, she has come to realize that her job is her passion. But to realize this, you have to exercise it in the right conditions!
Just because you’re not part of a big agency doesn’t mean you don’t have big ideas.
Lucie BEURQ
ALUMNI SUP DE CREATION