The Webedia Group announces the launch of The French Replacer, the latest campaign produced by IDZ Prod for the French release of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, developed in close collaboration with Activision.
For this new chapter, the iconic Replacer franchise takes on a distinctly French identity. Michelin-starred chef Philippe Etchebest becomes the new face of the campaign in France, embodying a local reinterpretation of a globally recognized creative concept.
A legendary franchise, reimagined for the French market
Since 2013, The Replacer, portrayed by Peter Stormare, has become a cornerstone of the Call of Duty brand. For Black Ops 7, the concept evolves as Stormare symbolically passes the torch to Philippe Etchebest.
Known for his charisma, uncompromising standards and unmistakable humor, Philippe Etchebest perfectly captures the spirit of the French Replacer: a figure capable of taking over players’ daily responsibilities so they can fully immerse themselves in the game.
His mission is clear: replace French players in their everyday lives, freeing them to dive 100% into Black Ops 7.
An end-to-end campaign orchestrated by Webedia
The Webedia Group led the project from strategic talent selection to creative development, production, and deployment, delivering a series of five dynamic films now airing across TV and digital platforms in France and the United States.
This integrated approach reflects Webedia’s expertise in building large-scale, culturally relevant campaigns at the intersection of entertainment, talent and brand storytelling.
A powerful cultural stunt: Call of Du’Tif
Beyond the films, the campaign extended into a high-impact cultural activation. In Paris, Rob’s Barbershop was temporarily renamed and rebranded as the Call of Du’Tif Salon, welcoming influencers and seven selected community winners.
Philippe Etchebest himself took on the role of “replacer” once again, delivering Black Ops 7-inspired haircuts in place of the usual barber, creating a unique, shareable experience rooted in proximity, humor and pop culture.
A large-scale media and digital rollout
The campaign was amplified through a Webedia media takeover, including high-impact desktop displays across flagship group platforms such as AlloCiné and JV.com, supported by extensive social media amplification to maximize reach and engagement.
A collaborative creative vision
This campaign was made possible through a close collaboration with Activision (Anne L., Stéphanie Yath, Nikki Blandford, Thomas Losilla) and M6 (Rachel Cann, Delphine Ranvier, Fanchon Le Boulch), whose shared ambition enabled the creative vision to come to life.
With The French Replacer, Webedia once again demonstrates its ability to localize global franchises through bold storytelling, premium talent and innovative activations, delivering culturally resonant campaigns that connect brands with passionate communities.
