The French and Their Perception in 2024

November 2024

Key Insights

This study explores the aesthetic preferences of the French toward public figures from various domains: sports, cinema, television, and music. The findings reveal marked differences based on gender, age, and socio-professional status. These trends highlight the cultural and social influences shaping the population's tastes.

Strongly Gendered Preferences:

Men tend to favor female figures perceived as attractive in cinema and television.
Women show greater diversity in their choices, valuing both physical appearance and traits described as "charming" or "charismatic."

The Impact of Age

Young adults (18-34 years old) prefer contemporary figures influential on social media.
Older generations (50+ years old) lean toward established personalities often linked to their era.

The French and Their Relationship to Attractiveness

Attractiveness Criteria (by domain)

Florent Manaudou is a charismatic figure who appeals to both men and women, transcending gender thanks to his universal image.

Women favor figures of strength and performance, such as Tony Yoka and Teddy Riner.

Younger generations prefer modern figures like Antoine Griezmann or Charles Leclerc, while older generations favor steady athletes like Kevin Mayer.

Celebrities (Male and Female) Considered the Most Attractive in 2024 by Category

Male Actors

Preferences are strongly influenced by age and gender:

Men and older generations value classic figures like Alain Delon and Jean-Paul Belmondo.
Younger audiences and women show a strong preference for modern figures like François Civil and Tahar Rahim.
A notable generational segmentation highlights the role of cultural references in choices.

Female Actresses

Surveyed women value actresses described as "talented" and associated with iconic roles in French or international cinema.

Musicians and Singers

This domain shows the greatest diversity: younger generations favor contemporary pop/rap artists, while older ones value classic or folk singers.

TV Personalities

A clear age divide emerges. Those aged 18-34 gravitate toward influential figures from popular culture, while those 50+ favor authoritative or well-established presenters.

Comparison of Preferences: Male and Female Public Figures

Michou and Léna Situations stand out significantly among 18-34-year-olds with over 80% of votes, far ahead of other personalities. This result is explained by their fame on digital platforms like YouTube and TikTok, where they embody a youthful, dynamic, and relatable figure. This generation, highly connected and influenced by social media, sees them as representative icons of their culture.

A Strong Cultural Connection with Dany Boon and 35-49-Year-Olds

Dany Boon, a renowned comedian and actor, appeals particularly to 35-49-year-olds (33%). This age group shares a cultural history with his works, such as Bienvenue chez les Ch’tis, which have marked the French cinematic landscape.

Those aged 50+ favor established figures from traditional media, such as Anne-Elisabeth Lemoine (57%) or Anne-Claire Coudray (35%). Among male celebrities, Laurent Ruquier also appeals to a significant portion of this age group (51%).

GENERAL TRENDS

The study results reveal a France divided between the appeal of modern influences (social media, new celebrities) and loyalty to traditional media figures. This duality illustrates a cultural transition, where younger generations' preferences are redefining public attractiveness standards. However, the big winners remain intergenerational personalities capable of appealing to both young and older audiences, thus transcending age divides.

A study led by:

Audrey Mandefield, Senior Account Manager

Pauline Poché, Insights Team Leader

Download the Full Study

TO CITE THIS STUDY, THE FOLLOWING MINIMUM FORMULATION MUST BE USED

"Discurv study for XloveCam conducted via an online self-administered questionnaire in November 2024 among a representative sample of 1,000 people aged 18 and over in France."