France has no overly complicated or particular restrictions and regulations regarding museums advertising. However, when you are a new museum, specialized into a very narrow part of history, located outside of Paris, with very little money, you start with a real handicap compared to the big and famous museums. So when the Museum of the Great War, that opened in november 2011, approached us to spread their «shoulder-high vision» of World War 1 and to promote the duty to remember (especially among the young generations), we were facing a cross-media competition from much bigger «brands» with bigger media budgets. We knew from the start that we had to find a fresh way to spread the message, so that we got attention.

With little money, we could not rely on paid media to achieve our goal. To get the attention, we needed a brand new way of talking about history. With social media at the core because this is where the young people spend so much time. We also had to convey the shoulder-high vision which is specific to the museum. And, if possible, to put the museum collection on the foreground.

So Facebook 1914 was exactly what we needed.

50 000 Likes within the first 2 weeks.

More than 7,500 shares.

More than 6,500 comments (and hundreds of questions answered by the museum).

9 million people heard about Leon.

The French National Board of Education relayed Leon's page.

+45% of visitors in the museum.

3 million euros of earned media :

- TV : France 2, France 3, Canal+, BFM TV, France 24...

- Radio : Europe1, France Inter, Radio France...

- Internet : The Huffington Post, LCI, Rue 89, Le Nouvel Obs...

- Press : Le Monde, Le Point, Le Parisien, Le Figaro, Marianne...

All for the cost of 400 printed invitations to the press conference : 250 euros.