McCann New York’s Post

Is it time for Cannes Lions to have a Multicultural Category? Like many of you, every year when I leave the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity, I leave inspired. And since I’ve had the honor to a judge a few times in my career, I’m always challenged to do my part to move the industry forward. First, I would like to give credit where credit is due. Cannes Lions has done well when it comes to supporting and encouraging diversity and inclusion, especially for people of color. This year I saw more folks that looked like me strolling La Croisette than ever before. This is thanks in part to Inkwell founder, Adrianne Smith and the Cannes Do Initiative, and recently Peter Ukhurebor of BLK@ and Imani Laners’ The Impact of Color Cannes.  Kudos when it comes to agencies, brands and companies bringing in talent from the entertainment, music and sports industries respectively. But with all of that, I find it lacking in The Work itself. At the end of the day, isn’t that what we are celebrating? Having a dedicated multicultural category would go a long way to set the stage for more entries that have truly targeted multicultural creative, strategic consumer insights, PR, media, activations and data executions. This also applies to the opportunity for multicultural agencies, brands and media companies that unceremoniously contribute so much to the industry, to be seen on the world stage. Many Bronze, Silver, Gold and even Grand Prix Lions have been taken home that have borrowed, tapped into or have been influenced by trends that were created from multicultural communities. It’s past time to give multicultural the opportunity to get its flowers. Or better yet…it’s Lions. #CannesLions2024 #CannesLions #Creativity #CannesDo #BlackAtCannes

Some gems here.

An insightful take on the current state of #Cannes #advertisingawards and #multiculturalism I'm interested to hear more thoughts on this from the #linkedin #community

Every year, I go into Cannes a bit cynical, questioning whether it is all a bit performative. This year, however, I had a very different experience. Sure, there were certainly still aspects that were more spectacle than substance, but on the whole, I was inspired – by the work, by the camaraderie, and by the emphasis on true #creativity. For every benign, redundant mention of AI, there was an impassioned case made for the power of originality and unexpected creativity. I might have expected this from creative agencies, but I was most encouraged by the championing of creativity from the esteemed panel of CMO’s at Forbes' Most Influential CMO Luncheon.     Perhaps, we are collectively over the seduction of predictability and (faux) certainty. Perhaps, we are all realizing the diminishing returns of relentlessly pursued risk mitigation. Perhaps, the extremes of either dull sameness or shallow gimmicks will yield to smart, beautiful, big, bold, important ideas that build real brands and drive real business and if we are lucky, move society forward along the way.     I left Cannes feeling the renaissance has begun and that TBWA is exactly the right place to be for it, where Disruption is not a catchphrase, but an essence and a mandate.   My optimism was a direct result of spending time with Kyle Chayka, Lucia Aniello, Ben Tallon, Flau’jae Johnson, Beatrice Domond, Seth Matlins, The amazing women hosted by The Female Quotient, our ambitious clients, and my fellow Pirates.   As my partner Bruno Regalo says, a new season starts now – so may we all contribute to the renaissance and show up in Cannes next year with work that makes us proud.   Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity | TBWA\Worldwide | TBWA\Chiat\Day | Omnicom | Troy Ruhanen | Courtney Nelson | Emily Wilcox | Jen Costello | Anh-Thu Le | Kirsten Rutherford |Jacqueline Redmond | Desmond Marzette | Mark Weinstein | Hilton | Jennifer Murillo | Discover Financial Services | Ryan Ostrom | Jack in the Box | Kate Cronin | Moderna | Brandi Ray | Jane Wakely | PepsiCo    #CannesLions2024 #OmnicomCannes #TheDisruptionCompany

The most diverse and inclusive Cannes? This year’s Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity has been dialogued as the most inclusive in its history. It’s absolutely I mportant to celebrate and applaud the number of internal and external initiatives that have led to that conversation being had👏🏾 However, whether that statement is true or false, the optic shifts shouldn’t blindside us from the huge amount of work needed to include the world’s diverse reality across all facets of the media and advertising world. In front of camera, it’s easy to make a case that, for some groups, underrepresentation is a thing of the past. But when there’s still relative homogeneity in who’s involved in the decision making, narrative telling and data collection, misrepresentation becomes the important word to focus on. In my eyes, Cannes is a week of opportunity, serendipity and fosters an environment that allows typically guarded seniors to be human - it’s great. But as a microcosm of the industry at large, scratch beneath the surface and things need to (and will) improve. 🤨Where were all the young people? So many conversations about Gen-z with not much presence from that age demographic. As Ebinehita Iyere perfectly put, “we’re talking about them and making bold statements but they’re not here. And tbh this environment isn’t somewhere I’d think to bring the young people I work with.” 💰A disconnect between the millions spent to shmooze, wine and dine, whilst cuts are still being made across the board. Something that still doesn’t sit right with me. 👍Not enough disagreement. If Cannes is all about creative excellence, panels shouldn’t be designed to just be a nodding match with a ‘love what was said, let me build’ type of engagement. I think Damian Bradfield put it a lot better than that 😂 💡Too much talk about trends that the industry rather than the consumer sets. A couple of years ago it was the metaverse, this year everything was about AI. Things might come to the light, but let’s not force it. And let’s make sure these are convos actually being had on the ground rather than in our ivory towers. 🏛️Optics of diversity but not enough equitable and structural change. Still no accessibility ramp on a load of beaches 🤷🏾♂️ A big highlight of my week was this talk at Goals House which was a refreshing space away from the madness, talking all things disruption w/ Gail Gallie, Damian Bradfield, Leah Davis & Taso Du Val. Sorry but I’m really terrible at keeping up to date so Cannes posts for the week 😂

The 71st Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity concluded with the penultimate awards night. The awards were presented for the Film Lions, Glass: The Lions for Change, Sustainable Development Goals Lions, The Dan Wieden Titanium Lion, and The Cannes Lions Grand Prix for Good categories. Special awards were also announced to demonstrate Cannes Lions' dedication towards transparent and accurate results. Creative Company of the Year : 1. WPP 2. Omnicom Media Group 3. Interpublic Group (IPG) Network of the Year : 1. Ogilvy 2. Publicis Worldwide 3. DDB Worldwide Independent Network of the Year : 1. Rethink 2. Edelman 3. Serviceplan Group Agenturgruppe Agency of the Year : 1. Publicis Conseil, Paris, France 2. Rethink, Toronto, Canada 3. Ogilvy, New York, United States Independent Agency of the Year : 1. Rethink, Toronto, Canada 2. Edelman, London, United Kingdom 3. Klick Health, Toronto, Canada Palme d'Or : SMUGGLER, United States Creative Brand of the Year : 1. The Coca-Cola Company 2. The HEINEKEN Company 3. Apple Wieden + Kennedy | Superette | DoorDash | Marcel, Paris | Orange | The Monkeys | Accenture Song | Sydney Opera House | Ogilvy Singapore | Vaseline | Publicis Conseil Paris | Renault Group | INNOCEAN Berlin | Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Congratulations to all the winners! #Creativity #CannesLions #Advertising #Winners #Adtechtoday

I usually say that Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity is for network, not for inspiration. But this year I came home inspired. I had the great pleasure of speaking about the Sounds Right initiative (https://lnkd.in/eHkwDi8A) and how we made Nature an official artist alongside Katja Iversen, Cathy Runciman and Adam Cardew hosted by Stan Stalnaker at the beautiful Hub Culture garden. And later, participating in the awe-inspiring round table at the Goals House hosted by Earth Public Information Collaborative about The Most Important Brief (https://lnkd.in/d_q7WmTP).   Both of those sessions were filled with inspirational people who believe in the power of creativity to drive change for the better. Eager to make more brands and companies move from purpose and profit to impact and responsibility. And looking across the winners it seems like we’re not alone in this mission. Not only did a lot of the winners involve a cause. They have also moved from the more gimmicky way of activating against a cause to creating actual long term impact. It is obviously impossible not to mention our own Pink Chip initiative by the amazing Amsterdam crew. But I also love the Sol Cement SightWalks project by Grey Peru. As well as the Mastercard Room for Everyone campaign by McCann Poland. Just to name a few. I do agree with Karen Howe that it is concerning how many cases – especially in the Glass Lions category – are centered on female oppression. Who would have thought that in 2024 we would have such a high need for creative problem solving within this area? But creativity is there. Having an impact. And this year to a higher degree than we have seen in a long time. If awarding creativity really is like smelling your own farts as Mark Ritson said on stage, this year the smell doesn’t really bother me.

Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, we need to talk… Year after year you have challenged me to be bold, be creative, be effective, be efficient. Immerse myself in the business, build strong agency partnerships, and fuel my strategic thinking. For a long time, I believed that self-improvement was the key to joining the elite conversations at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. After years of learning from industry giants like Peter Field, Mark Ritson Byron Sharp Orlando Wood James Hurman I felt ready to be part of that dialogue. But Cannes, we seriously need to talk. The reality is that attending to the “Athens of marketing and creative effectiveness” remains a distant dream for many of us as the cost of participation is prohibitively expensive. To my fellow marketers who feel the same: I HEAR YOU! We are expected to push the boundaries of creativity and effectiveness, yet we are often left out when it matters most. And to Cannes, you are truly an inspiration for many of us, but when talking about consumer centricity, you need to revisit your business model to give us some entry level. Common, be creative 😊! Until we can meet physically, I will continue to advocate from the distance the spirit of Cannes Lions—effectiveness’s, boldness, creativity—as a state of mind. Looking forward to meet in the upcoming years, Gaby #MarketingLife #CannesLions #CreativeExcellence #IndustryChallenges #StayConnected #MarketingCommunity

Well, how about that. The global leader in Effectiveness awards rankings on the WARC Effective 100 is Omnicom. While we are thrilled to lead the Middle East on the WARC Creative 100 rankings, the Effectiveness rankings lead at a holding company level is lovely news as well. Great creative leads to great effectiveness. #TheWorkTheWorkTheWork #IMPACTBBDO #BBDO #WARC BBDO Worldwide

CANNES CORRESPONDENTS | Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity Day 4: Highlights from Our Correspondents 🌟 Welcome back to The Marketing Society's Cannes Correspondents coverage! Our team continues to bring you the latest insights, experiences, and inspirations from the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity. If you can't be there in person, our correspondents have you covered. Siew Ting Foo In the midst of the AI turbulence and chaos affecting our world, it's easy for brands to get distracted from their core purpose. However, I was inspired by Patagonia's steadfast commitment to their purpose, showcased through their bold "Fashion is None of Our Business" campaign. The session concluded with a poignant quote from Vivienne Westwood: "Buy less, choose well, make it last." This message resonates strongly, especially with the new and next generation. Phoebe Barter Phoebe attended a talk with Jason and Travis Kelce at Sport Beach, which was a lot of fun and really interesting. They discussed authenticity in their podcast and the importance of psychological safety in fostering creativity. Jason Kelce emphasised that being creative requires a safe space and much of their good work comes from listening to their fans. He humorously noted that their demographic has shifted from big, hairy dudes to 12 to 14-year-old girls, highlighting the need to stay loyal to long-time fans while embracing new ones. Another session Phoebe attended at WPP Beach was "What Won and Why," which offered a great summary of learnings from this week's creativity winners. Key takeaways included the importance of true partnerships between clients and agencies, where roles blur, and the observation that work has become more balanced, human, and characterful post-2020. What a great week it has been at the Cannes Lions Festival! Thank you to our dedicated Cannes correspondents for sharing their insights and experiences. We hope everyone had an inspiring and enjoyable week. Stay tuned as we continue to share any additional insights from our team. Have a fantastic weekend! #CannesLions24 #CannesLions #festivalofcreativity #creativity