Authors: Dušan Antonijević and Haris Ličina
#1 The big elephant in the room: AI. It was refreshing to see how AI was not actually a topic in the way that might have been expected. There were no doomsday predictions, and the atmosphere felt rather optimistic. AI is a tool we will use, one that will make some things easier for us, but it is not the be-all and end-all. The craft of our industry and finding ways to make the human touch felt in campaigns, visuals, activations, brands, and culture will only become increasingly important.
Perhaps Marc Pritchard (the legendary Chief Brand Officer of P&G) put it best when addressing agencies: “Machines don’t build brands – you do.”
#2 Campaigns should not only address consumers and communicate something to them in a beautiful or unexpected way. The best campaigns found a way to enter their consumers’ world or invite people into their own. It does not sound like something new or revolutionary, but we believe it will become increasingly important. KitKat turned the theft of a truck, a real crisis for the brand, into a world in which people want to participate. Heineken offered a way to remind us that perhaps we do have time to get together, if we have time for six-minute voice messages every ten minutes. adidas and Oasis showed that there is a need for monoculture moments and for us to be part of them while they are happening. Apple shared those moments with the world alongside Bad Bunny. Budgets differ, but the human need to come together around something optimistic and something that will make us laugh is there, all over the world.
#3 Culture capitals are widening. It was very interesting to see where the awarded work and campaigns came from. South America felt like an enormous creative force, with countless pieces of work from São Paulo, Buenos Aires, and Lima. The most awarded campaigns and the agency of the year from Milan. Madrid and Spain in general, which impressed at this year’s festival. But also Nairobi, Hong Kong, Stockholm, and Auckland. Brilliant campaigns, but also problems similar to those we see at home, appearing in different parts of the world. Some of them are growing into true creative hubs, and their markets should be followed as very good sources of inspiration.
#4 Cannes offers everyone the opportunity to experience it in their own way. Yes, it is still one big business meet-up. A lot—too much?—is locked behind invite-only, VIP, and limited-access doors. Yes, it is business, but it would be nice if, in an industry in which we talk so much about inclusivity, involvement, and opportunities, we actually opened them to everyone. On the other hand, you truly have the opportunity to get exactly what you want from it. Pick the brains of creatives. Hear industry legends and their views on where we are going. Form your own. Meet people from all over the world. Enjoy the glamour of the entire event or simply enjoy the fun of all the activations. Get to know brands, clients, colleagues, cultures, and ideas. It is all there; it is overwhelming just how much of it is there. But if we think about why we came, we will certainly get it.
#5 Perhaps the strongest impression is that we returned deeply inspired, not only by what we saw. We are also inspired by the fact that, no matter how many brilliant campaigns we saw, we saw that our region can and should stand alongside everyone else there as an equal. There were few ideas that could not be imagined here. Or executed. We believe that we can, and perhaps even must, become regular and equal participants at the festival. Both our brands and our agencies deserve and have the opportunity, with a little courage and a lot of fun, to be introduced to the entire world.
