Heetch’s Transformative Journey: Greetings from La Banlieue

In its new ad campaign, “Greetings From La Banlieue,” Heetch, the leading ride-hailing app for the suburbs of Paris, takes a bold step to address a significant issue plaguing the world of generative AI. This issue revolves around the word “banlieue,” which has inadvertently resulted in skewed and problematic visual representations generated by AI systems like Midjourney. In this blog post, we delve into the context of Heetch’s initiative, exploring the challenges posed by biases in AI and their attempts to rectify them through an unconventional approach.

The Power of Midjourney:
Since its inception in 2022, Midjourney’s AI has revolutionized the way we interact with images. Through the use of prompts, users can command the AI to generate visual content within seconds. It’s a remarkable tool that brings our imaginations to life through vivid imagery. However, amidst all the prompts and possibilities, one word stands out as an exception, creating an unexpected and undesirable outcome: “banlieue.”

For instance, if you enter the prompt “/imagine a wedding in France,” Midjourney conjures up a beautiful scene of a joyful wedding day, complete with a happy couple bathed in sunlight. Yet, by simply adding “the banlieue” to the prompt – “/imagine a wedding in the banlieue in France” – the result is starkly different, portraying two sad figures in a dilapidated environment.

This issue isn’t confined to just one scenario. Whether you request “/imagine three young people in France” or “/imagine a bustling marketplace in France,” the AI’s response is strikingly negative and biased when “banlieue” is incorporated. The implications of such a stark contrast in visual representation are significant and cannot be ignored.

Heetch’s Response to the Bias:
Recognizing the inherent biases within the AI tool’s response to the term “banlieue,” Heetch, in collaboration with their advertising agency BETC Paris, has taken a proactive stance. Renaud Berthe, Chief Marketing Officer at Heetch, emphasizes the importance of addressing these biases and stereotypes. The media discourse surrounding AI and its impacts on society has grown, and it’s crucial to rectify these unfortunate stereotypes perpetuated by AI systems.

Berthe states that Heetch’s commitment to the banlieue is paramount, and they aimed to make a difference by supplying corrective data to Midjourney. This data involves thousands of images depicting the real banlieue, offering a more balanced representation. The challenge was how to present this corrective data to Midjourney’s AI experts in San Francisco, individuals who might be unaware of Heetch and the biases within their tool.

Olivier Aumard, Executive Creative Director at BETC Paris, reveals an unconventional approach that Heetch and their agency took to address this issue. Surprisingly, Midjourney comprises only 11 employees. To ensure that they couldn’t ignore Heetch’s message, they decided to turn thousands of pictures from the corrective data into individual postcards, which they scattered throughout the banlieue.

The Postcard Campaign:
Each postcard features a preprinted address box, a QR code linking to the corrective image database, an explanatory note addressed to the employees at Midjourney, and a crucial blank space where every banlieue resident can add a personal message that might persuade Midjourney to take action. These postcards, with their varied designs, are distributed in various locations throughout the banlieue, including bakeries, laundromats, football fields, sandwich shops, barbershops, bars, cafes, restaurants, and even in Heetch ride-hail cars.

The campaign began on November 6, marking an unconventional and grassroots approach that Heetch has chosen to combat misconceptions about the banlieue. It is an inspiring initiative aimed at encouraging dialogue, awareness, and positive change.

Conclusion:
Heetch’s “Greetings From La Banlieue” campaign is a remarkable example of a company taking proactive steps to address biases in AI and stereotypes perpetuated by generative models. By supplying corrective data and involving the residents of the banlieue in the process, Heetch has created an opportunity for a more balanced representation of these neighborhoods in AI-generated content.

This unconventional approach, through the distribution of postcards, is a powerful way to connect with the local community, involve them in the cause, and send a clear message to the creators of AI systems like Midjourney. It highlights the importance of addressing biases in AI and striving for a more inclusive and equitable digital landscape. Heetch’s initiative demonstrates their long-standing commitment to battling misconceptions about the banlieue and their dedication to fostering a more diverse and fair representation of this vibrant community.

Credits
Campaign: Greetings From La Banlieue
Brand: Heetch
Brand Managers: Renaud Berthe, Hector Gruyer, Benjamin Sousa
Ad Agency: BETC Paris
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 Company: Sovage
Director: Julian Nodolwsky
Sound Company: Sovage
Music Composer: Kamel Souiki
Photographer: Vincent Migrenne

This advertising campaign is about:
Heetch, Ride-sharing in Paris, La Banlieue, Suburbs of Paris, Mid journey AI, Biases in AI, Corrective data, Postcard campaign, stereotypes, Inclusivity in technology, Community involvement, AI-generated imagery, Creative marketing approach, Public awareness, Positive change