Superstar & Communication Expert Mari-Caroline Javet

Mari-Caroline Javet accepting the Swiss Future Prize from the President of Switzerland, Ignazio Cassis, in Geneva (March 2022).

Mari-Caroline Javet is a Communication and PR expert with a background in Russian and Hispanic Studies. She’s always been fascinated by the power of the written word, and she knew early on that she would work in the communication field to amplify the voices and work of important projects. Currently. Mari-Caroline works at a PR agency in Geneva, and has volunteered whenever she gets a chance (in the late evenings, nights, and on weekends) as part of the communication team at Spring ACT since the very beginning. She’s passionate and strongly believes that facing social injustice can be achieved by giving people a voice that will empower them. She grew up in many interesting countries around the world, and she speaks fluent French, German, English, Spanish, Finnish, and Russian. When we launched “Sophia”, Mari-Caroline single-handedly created our press release that gave us incredible media coverage across Switzerland on live national TV/radio and in 7 different newspapers across the country, incl. on two front pages!

Mari-Caroline, can you share with us some insight into your role as a PR and Communication expert?

Working in Communication is thrilling. The day-to-day can go anywhere from creating a communication / PR strategy to writing a by-line, pitching the media or advising clients on what the next steps in their communication should be (and so much more, but we only have so little time to do this interview!). I enjoy the operational side of the job, working as a coordinator with different actors of the project and helping fulfil a vision.

What’s your dream job?

I love PR and Communication. It took me a while to get to this career, but I do not regret a single moment of the journey. I enjoy working in agencies, as it allows me to work with a diverse panel of clients. Since I’m a very curious person, it fits my personality and it satiates my thirst for knowledge. My ideal balance would likely be to either work in or with NGOs and Intergovernmental organisations, because that would allow me to contribute to changing society by doing what I enjoy the most.

What fascinates you about communication, volunteering, and activism?

In my experience, small organisations tend to have less time and budget to invest in their communication department, as they are trying to grow and find partnerships. But a well thought-out communication strategy will allow them to exist as a brand and give them visibility. Communication should be included in the global strategy from the beginning, but I understand budget and time limitations for smaller structures. That is why I find it so important to donate as much of my time as possible, because I know it can go a long way for such important causes.

How do you see the future of PR and Communication and its impact on social activism?

We live in a time where activism is unavoidable. People are expressing themselves on a wide range of matters, more loudly than ever. Brands are taking a stand, and are under constant public scrutiny. How many times have we witnessed a company, a CEO, a public personality get judged, even boycotted, due to a poorly expressed comment? Communication is essential to help avoid these situations. I strongly believe that every brand should include communication in their priorities, as it will help shape their image and their identity. It will allow them to grow, not only to sell their products or to get fundings – and other financial aspects that are essential to the survival of the business – but it will more importantly allow them to stand out in the multiplicity of the market. It will help build a community and assemble people around a cause, around a mission, and around shared values.
PR is now paving the way for those who go unheard. PR professionals can help them tell their story in a way that resonates with the public and sparks change within society. And in the end, isn’t that what activism is about?

How do you sum up your journey with Spring ACT?

I met Rhiana Spring, the founder and CEO of Spring ACT, while I was on an internship at the Swiss Embassy in Senegal. We kept in touch as we moved on with our respective careers, and a couple of years later, she reached out and told me about her chatbot project ‘Sophia’. The project was so important in the fight against domestic violence that I immediately felt the need to help in any way I could. By then, I had started my career in the communication field, and I decided to give a hand on building a communication strategy and advising the executive team on how to approach the media – as this would become a crucial part of the launch of the chatbot. It has been a thrilling adventure so far, and I have gotten to learn so much in the process about social injustice, human rights, domestic violence and its chilling effects. I have gotten to work with driven, passionate volunteers with rich and diverse backgrounds. It has also allowed me to grow into an ACTivist and a person who actually voices her opinions and does not let social injustice go by anymore. I can not wait to witness how Spring ACT will get its well-deserved place at the table with all the other non-governmental actors in Switzerland, and hopefully some day, in the world.

Can you share with us the places you grew up and your affinity for languages?

I am very lucky to have grown in a very international environment, living abroad throughout my childhood. I have lived in Colombia, Senegal, Sweden, Haiti, and finally Chile, where I graduated from high school. I then moved with my parents for a couple of months to Ivory Coast, and finally decided to move to Switzerland to study. I ended up in Geneva, but travel being in my blood, I took every chance I could get to live abroad: I went on an Erasmus year in Madrid, and during my Master’s degree, I spent 9 months in Saint-Petersburg doing research for my thesis – but mostly perfecting my Russian skills and soaking up the grandiose history and culture of the city. Having this background, and being bilingual at home (French and Finnish), I just have a knack for learning languages. I learned English early on, as my parents thought it to be important; I was also exposed to German from a very young age, and being a 3-year-old who loved to talk, I learned Spanish very quickly. Later, I decided to add Russian to the list: I have always loved a good challenge – and had a bit of a misunderstanding when enrolling at the University in Geneva. I ended up loving the language though, so all is well.

Being in touch with different cultures and languages from such a young age has definitely given me a unique perspective on the world. I was taught early on that the world is a place of diversity, where different ways of living meet, where societies that do not abide by the same rules and do not share the same values have to learn to live next to each other. That experience opened my eyes on how important it is to respect other cultures. Only by respecting and acknowledging our differences will we be able to find common ground and work together towards building a better, more inclusive future.

What was one of the most exciting or inspiring moments in your life so far?

There have been too many to count. If I had to choose only one, it may be the first time I participated in a protest, the 2019 Women’s strike in Switzerland. To just be there, amidst these thousands of women who were all standing tall and proud, sharing the excitement of being part of history was a moment of pure bliss. I remember being in awe of all the generations standing together, grandmothers with granddaughters, mothers, friends, coworkers, all dressed in purple, all these proud, strong and fierce women, their eyes sparkling, the electric atmosphere and the adrenaline when we started marching. It inspired me, and that day I swore that I will never stop fighting, in my own way, for a world where equality is not just an ideal, but a reality. That was the day I realised that I do not have to apologise for not agreeing with the way the world is, and that the status quo, while comfortable, is not a long-term solution.

What advice do you have for aspirant PR and Communication professionals?
Read as much as you can: newspapers, literature, blogs, never miss an opportunity to stay informed. Be curious about everything, even the subjects that you think may not interest you so much. It will always come in handy to have a basic knowledge of a wider variety of topics. Above all, enjoy the ride. It can be wild sometimes, but it is an adventure!