On the final day of the 72nd edition of the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, a panel discussion brought together some of the industry’s leading creative voices: Ananya Srikanth Rao (Saatchi & Saatchi), Ali Rez (Impact BBDO), and Marcos Kotlhar (Le Truc/Publicis). The talk was moderated by Alison Weissbrot, executive editor at Adweek, and was reported by Manifest Media, a member of the EPICA jury.
Talent Is Not the Problem – Access Is
Rao opened the discussion with a personal experience that framed her message:
‘Someone once asked me where I see myself in five years. My answer? I want to work with good people and make great work. But what worries me is that our industry still measures success by years of experience rather than the actual impact one makes.’
She stressed that the industry is not lacking talent – it’s lacking access.
‘We need access to the brief, to the table, and to the mic. The best ideas often come from people who are just one step outside the system. Relevance doesn’t come from the top – it comes from within,’ said Rao, adding that the same people are constantly briefed, and then we wonder why fresh ideas don’t break through.
‘We can’t win culture if everyone in the room sounds and thinks the same. The best work doesn’t come from dominance, but from difference. Creative equity isn’t just about what we make – it’s about how we make it. Don’t build work that wins – build systems that win,’ she concluded.
Marcos Kotlhar: Creativity Is the Rejection of the Obvious
Marcos Kotlhar, partner and CCO at Le Truc, shared his personal philosophy:
‘Rejecting the obvious defines me – it’s what drives me and shapes why I do what I do. When you reject mediocrity, you become an agent of change.’
He presented four principles of creative rebellion against the ordinary:
- Reject ordinary tools – ‘If you don’t want your work to look like everyone else’s, don’t use what everyone else uses – like Midjourney.’
- Don’t create for average people in average systems – ‘Le Truc is messy and hard to define – and that’s exactly why it inspires.’
- If they tell you to make something average – don’t – He illustrated this with a project for The New Yorker, where instead of producing a standard subscription ad, they created a film composed of 700 magazine covers. The message about subscriptions only came at the end.
- Outdo your own mediocrity – ‘If everyone loves what you’re making, it’s time to break the pattern and try something different.’
Ali Rez: Achieve Creative Escape Velocity
Ali Rez, Chief Creative Officer at Impact BBDO, drew a compelling analogy from physics:
‘For a rocket to leave Earth, it must overcome gravity. Creativity works the same way – you need a force strong enough to break free of limitations.’
He shared case studies of campaigns that overcame internal and external barriers:
- Fear – Rez spoke about an anti-drone warfare poster that challenged arms sales. ‘Some feared we’d face retaliation. But we didn’t let fear stop us. The campaign won Pakistan its first Cannes Gold Lion – and ended up on Barack Obama’s desk.’
- Collaboration – ‘Surround yourself with people who want to create the best campaign possible. Don’t settle for less.’
- Craft – He cited a campaign to raise the legal marriage age in Pakistan, where children handcrafted wedding invitations – a tactic that led to real legislative change.
- ‘Do something stupid – but do it big’ – What began as a joke became the foundation for a major campaign. ‘Some of the biggest ideas start as silly thoughts.’
- Ambition and impact – Rez referenced his campaign for Etihad and Mission: Impossible: ‘Instead of green screen, we filmed an orchestra playing music while skydiving.’ Another example involved using mehndi (henna) to symbolize domestic violence in a campaign for UN Women Pakistan.
He closed with a quote by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore:
‘The things that are truly ours will come to us – if we create the capacity to receive them.’
