[Interview] Kelly Benmussa, Head of Social and Influence, Ogilvy Paris

Kelly Benmussa, Head of Social & Influence at Ogilvy Paris, has risen from Community Manager to leading the agency’s Social & Influence practice. She helps brands turn digital ambitions into measurable impact, blending heritage with innovative, culturally relevant storytelling.

In this interview, Kelly reveals how her team stays ahead of trends, inspires global audiences, leverages influencer marketing authentically, and drives bold social strategies with lasting relevance.

Tell us about your journey to Head of Social and Influence at Ogilvy Paris, what you do daily, and your vision for the team?

My journey’s focus has been a deep dive into the dynamic universe of social media.

My career in social media has taken me through all the ranks, from Community Manager to my current position as Head of Social & Influence. This journey has equipped me with a global perspective on all the opportunities social media presents, allowing me to effectively lead my teams each day.

My primary role lies in transforming our clients' digital ambitions into tangible success by assisting them in designing and implementing comprehensive Social & Influence strategies. This covers the entire spectrum from strategic definition to specific activations, as well as the daily management of their digital communications. It's about creating impact, one compelling story at a time.

How does your team at Ogilvy Paris stay ahead of social media trends and turn them into effective client strategies?

The dynamic shifts within the social and influence landscape are incredibly stimulating for us, serving as genuine wellsprings of creativity. Ogilvy Social.Lab's 2026 Social Trends Report: "Social with Substance & the Return to Real" reveals that the changes on social are indeed faster than ever and keeping up with this accelerated pace requires advanced social listening and data analysis now more than ever, coupled with understanding the cultural changes they implicitly reveal.

This meticulous tracking and comprehensive insight enable us to strategically integrate these insights into our clients' brand DNA, ensuring the relevance of our brands in these rapidly evolving times. Through agile, tactical responses and a continuous process of innovation, we remain deeply anchored in authentic consumer behaviors.

How do you balance honoring an iconic brand’s heritage while innovating on social media to stay relevant for new generations?

Despite their iconic status, some brands still adopt a self-centered discourse on social media, overlooking its crucial relational and cultural dimension. This is precisely what today's leading social brands have understood, defining the social counterpart to their Brand Purpose as a 'Social Purpose.' This essential strategic foundation must be at the crossroads of a brand’s legacy and the genuine usefulness it offers in people’s feeds, aspiring to be a brand that resonates and helps rather than just yet another voice one scrolls through.

With such a solid strategic foundation, these brands can bring genuine creative freshness, constantly reinvent themselves on social media, and explore new territories while remaining highly relevant—both in their always-on activities and during key moments, even on ultra-saturated platforms and across all audience types, without compromising their core essence.

How does Ogilvy Paris help clients overcome internal resistance and gain buy-in for bold social strategies?

In a complex economic environment, KPIs remain the most significant lever for convincing the most reluctant stakeholders. Social and influence allow us to track a large amount of data to measure campaign performance and rationalize our choices beyond the creative approach. Furthermore, it's undeniable today that many brands have also become gamechangers thanks to their creativity on social media, turning them into powerful LoveBrands like Jacquemus, Loewe, or Duolingo.

What strategies or content do you find most effective for inspiring diverse global audiences?

It is indeed always a real challenge to engage such large communities on social media. I wouldn't say there are ready-made strategies to adopt; however, there are two levers to capitalize on. The first is to rely on universal insights, which helps create connections and closeness with communities. The second is to use references and codes from internet culture, as Ogilvy brilliantly did with the Vaseline Verify activation.

How has influencer marketing evolved for iconic brands, and how do you use it to inspire global audiences while staying authentic?

The centrality of values is paramount: every content creator or influencer embodies fundamental values through their productions. Therefore, when considering brand collaborations, it is imperative to ensure a precise alignment between these inherent values and the brand's aspirations. Influence should not be considered an end goal.

It's true power is unleashed when strategically leveraged to highlight specific values and unique characteristics, thereby enabling the reach of niche communities within a broader audience. This approach also fosters the creation of truly authentic content, born from genuine co-creation.

What’s the biggest social media challenge for iconic brands, and how does Ogilvy Paris help tackle it ?

Today, brands must focus on being social, not just doing social, guided by three principles. First, social should be the central brand narrative engine, not a secondary touchpoint, driving storytelling, interaction, and value. Second, social must be an exchange, not top-down, to build genuine community connections.

Third, continuous renewal is key: brands must explore new formats and creative territories while staying relevant and consistent. At Ogilvy Paris, we develop long-term Social Media & Influence strategies fueled by insights from social listening, cultural trends, and client feedback, tailored to each brand.

www.ogilvy.com

Follow Marketing Report on LinkedIn