EFAP Hackathon 2026: Students Imagine More Responsible Communication in the Face of Hyperconnectivity

Three days to rethink our relationship with digital technology

As part of the #ForANewBusinessSoul hackathon organized in partnership with Canary Call, students from the Specialized MBA in Digital Marketing & Business and the CSR Communication & Sustainable Development programs at EFAP worked in teams on a particularly relevant topic: the OFF February movement.

Launched in France by Diego Hidalgo, the initiative encourages participants to delete social media applications from their smartphones for one month in order to question their digital dependency and regain control over their habits.

Working in mixed MBA teams, the students had three days to imagine concrete solutions to support the development of the OFF movement while addressing several challenges: making the initiative visible, engaging and economically sustainable without compromising its core values.

Through this hackathon, students were invited to reflect on a central question: how can we promote healthier digital habits without falling into guilt-driven messaging or contradicting today’s professional realities?

The challenge strongly resonated with EFAP students, who are directly concerned by issues related to social media, hyperconnectivity and the omnipresence of screens in communication careers.

“This project made me realize how important it is to take a digital break, especially since we are constantly immersed in these issues at school, at work and on social media,” explains Elodie, a student in the MBA Digital Marketing & Business program.

A generation aware of its own digital habits

The projects developed during the hackathon revealed a particularly nuanced perspective on digital usage. Rather than opposing technology and disconnection, students aimed to propose practical approaches compatible with the daily realities of both businesses and users.

“The goal was to understand people’s daily lives without disrupting them, while encouraging them to take a step back and reflect on their relationship with digital technology,” explains Élodie.

Some teams focused on the business model of the OFF February movement in order to support its growth while preserving its original values. Others designed communication strategies aimed at companies, relying on gamification mechanisms, rewards systems and visual representations of the time regained by reducing digital usage.

Beyond the strategic recommendations, the discussions also highlighted the expectations of a generation often described as ultra-connected, yet highly aware of the effects of social media, the attention economy and digital overstimulation on mental health, concentration and social relationships.

“This project made me reflect on my own digital habits. It’s extremely difficult, especially for our generation, to find balance. These are topics we are not often made aware of, and I found it really interesting that the MBA DMB teaching team encouraged us to work on such a project.” says Léa, a student in the MBA Digital Marketing & Business program.

Students also emphasized the importance for companies to create work environments that align with their messaging around well-being, digital responsibility and quality of life at work.

A project at the crossroads of digital and CSR issues

This hackathon perfectly illustrates EFAP’s commitment to confronting its students with real-world challenges at the intersection of digital marketing, communication and corporate social responsibility.

By working on a topic as contemporary as hyperconnectivity, students were able to mobilize strategic, creative and collaborative skills while developing a critical perspective on the future of digital usage. Supervised by EFAP’s teaching teams and organized with the support of Canary Call, the event also gave students the opportunity to work collaboratively, defend their ideas and build actionable recommendations.

Through its Specialized MBA programs, EFAP trains professionals capable of understanding digital transformations and supporting companies through their evolving challenges.

Would you like to join a program that combines strategy, creativity and reflection on major digital challenges? Discover EFAP’s programs and prepare for the communication careers of tomorrow.