Class of 1984: 40 years on, a reunion full of memories...
A Kedger launches FLUSH, a magazine devoted to … toilets!
KEDGE Alumni, Aude’s journey
Aude Lalo did the IBBA programme at KEDGE, which at the time was called Cesem Marseille. “I was seduced by the ability to live abroad for two years and get a double-degree”, explained Aude. “When I finished my BA in European Management (at the University of Westminster in London) I went on to get a Master in Business and Media Management, also at KEDGE Marseille.”
“I learned the basics of marketing and business in the first part of the programme, which was general. In London, I mainly learned how to work in the Anglo-Saxon manner. Those two years were fantastic in every respect. After that, I was enthusiastic from the beginning to the end of my master, which confirmed my appetite for working in the media field, such as publishing, audio-visual, and others,” said the young Kedger.
Aude held different internships in media while attending school, in particular as a journalist on the national editing staff at RCF, but she also interned as a production assistant for Les Films d’Ici.
She then stayed in Paris to take her first steps in the business by producing shows and doing event marketing. “During those years, I was lucky enough to be surrounded by some incredible professionals. One of the instructions that will be forever engraved in my memory is to “always verify”, Aude told us. Finally, the graduate worked for the French Embassy in Italy, where she was in charge of marketing the activities of its cultural department and its new brand, l'Institut Français.
FLUSH, cheeky news about the toilet!
Today, Aude is an editor. “I created a magazine called FLUSH that observes the world through the prism of toilets. Cheeky news all about the toilet!” FLUSH is a trimestral artistic and offbeat paper, sold in kiosks and found online flushmag.fr. But where did this original idea come from?
“It all started five years ago. In addition to my job, I had a blog on which I wrote snippets of humour on toilets located in bars and restaurants. Subscribed to the current alerts, I realised that a there was an abundance of societal issues in relation to this sector: health, ecology, diversity, economy, etc. I was contacted by members in the field who didn’t have a quality outlet for sharing. So, I realised that I had an innovative editorial thread on one side, and a viable economic model on the other, mostly through advertising. As had always been tickled by the thought of being an entrepreneur, I thought, “This is it! It’s time! It took a long time before my first issue came out. I really took the time to consult professionals from the press and health sectors, to construct a business plan, etc.,” Aude told us.
Today, FLUSH #3 is on sale, and the Rentree issue, #4, is being prepared. In the short term, Aude and her team are going to distribute FLUSH in the complementary circuits, at libraries, in Belgium, etc. She’s also working on a comic book on endometriosis and supplement their B2B offers, particularly with customised visual ads and events management and training. At the same time, Aude has launched a fund-raising campaign to support this growth. “People like FLUSH, and it’s off to a promising start. Now we are going to put it on turbo! Specifically, for this round of fundraising, I am looking for three to four private investors who will fall in love with FLUSH.” In the medium term, Aude is going to build a website of news, with hot news, videos, and podcasts. In the long-term, FLUSH will sell related products, and other stuff online. “Once the brand is well-established, we will have a physical shop, and maybe go international - FLUSH UK, FLUSH Italy …”.
Modeste aperçu de FLUSH #3Coucou les amis, FLUSH #3 est sorti 🐣
Publiée par FLUSH sur Vendredi 7 juin 2019
FLUSH is becoming a buzz word in the media
“FLUSH has received an excellent welcome critique”, explained Aude. “The media coverage of its launch has been very impressive, I didn’t expect it: Canal +, Quotidien, France Inter, l'Express, and others....” FLUSH has also been a finalist in the Media Maker competition, an international competition of entrepreneurial journalism by the Têtes Chercheuses (Head Hunters), and Aude has been invited to present her title this year at the Assises du Journalisme.
Voir cette publication sur InstagramDévoiling la Une de FLUSH #2 starring @vincent_dedienne comme vous ne l'avez jamais vu.
When asked what her advice would be for young Kedgers, Aude said, “You have to do it in order to find up. Don’t listen to the doubters, go for it (well-armed), surround yourself with competent people and on the same wavelength as you”. That’s what she said!
We’ve left the final word to our graduate, the creator of FLUSH. “If you know any entrepreneurs who would be tempted by our approach and are to support us by investing and giving us good advice, now is the time! You can also participate in this crazy adventure by subscribing, and of course following us on the social networks.”
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