The context
Create a platform for the institutional sector
Afrotopiques is a critical thinking podcast that gives voice to those who help us understand the contemporary world from the perspective of the Global South in general, and African worlds in particular. Created in 2019 by Marie-Yemta Moussanang, it has developed around interviews with academics and researchers questioning major contemporary issues related to economics, ecology, anthropology, and technology.
The podcast was distributed across various platforms such as R22, Acast — its hosting platform —, its Instagram account, as well as the websites of its various institutional and cultural partners — such as Histoires Crépues, the ENS, and Le Lieu Unique. Wanting to expand its activities, Marie-Yemta Moussanang wished to institutionalize this project by giving it a dedicated website that would showcase her work, values, and partnerships. We then partnered to develop a proposal that met her various needs.
Strategic Definition
Develop the ideal website together
We started working on the project in autumn 2023, with an initial request: a website to showcase the activities and history of the podcast Afrotopiques. Through our discussions and meetings, we came to understand that what was really needed was to build a platform primarily targeting the professional sector: a B2B showcase website.
For our part, we then proposed a WordPress site using the Divi Theme; the latter offering infinite layout possibilities and the intuitive interface necessary to facilitate the daily work of the Afrotopiques team. Number of pages, texts, colors, typography, images: all elements were carefully considered to create content that is both accessible and comprehensive.
We worked together on a cohesive and straightforward charter for the team's use. The Poppins typeface used for the logo proved itself through its readability and the variations it allows. We spent considerable time considering the colors that embody Afrotopiques, and we agreed on shades of beige, off-white, and sand, echoing the sepia cover of the podcast. The idea was to create a site that blended a certain elegance while maintaining its simplicity.
Working on Afrotopiques' reason for being
Working alongside Caroline Fauvel's creative mission, the Afrotopiques team is supported by Marine Doux as part of our collaboration with Creatis — an incubator dedicated to cultural and creative industries. This support helps them sustainably define their strategy and value proposition, and implement it through their website. The mentoring facilitated the writing of all the site's content, which either didn't exist before or was outdated. This was particularly true of the Afrotopiques manifesto, featured on the site's "About" page. The time spent reflecting on values and how to express Afrotopiques's identity made it possible to develop a coherent and complete message now presented on the site.
Support the future of the structure
While the primary goal was to highlight the podcast, Marie-Yemta Moussanang also wanted to anticipate future activities. This site is intended for Afrotopiques today, but is designed to evolve so the team can soon develop advisory actions and practices, as well as services for various institutions. To this end, we created a "Studio" tab encouraging collaboration and direct contact with the team, and showcasing « Modernités Africaines », a podcast developed with the ENS-PSL — École Normale Supérieure — in June 2022.
The website was thus designed as a springboard to attract new partners, foster the development of the organization's activities, and facilitate the search for diversified funding. It was also an opportunity to announce the new series of episodes, currently being recorded. The first one was held publicly on January 11, 2024 at La Gaîté Lyrique in Paris, a venue with which Afrotopiques has partnered.
Afrotopiques
Les Suds in perspective
Created in 2019 by Marie-Yemta Moussanang, the podcast Afrotopiques champions an editorial line distinguished by its approach to contemporary social, ecological, political and economic issues from the perspectives of the Global South and African societies.
Marie-Yemta welcomes intellectuals, researchers, and grassroots activists who help us grasp the major anthropological, philosophical, economic, environmental, and technological shifts of our time, and above all, to share the radical pathways for social transformation being developed in the Global South.
