Adage's Take: 10 Key Points from This Year's Cannes Lions

① The next major trend is VR(Virtual Reality). It could be the savior of the publishing industry.

VR stole the show at this year's Cannes. Samsung, named Creative Marketer of the Year, set up an exhibition space offering a "super-secret" VR experience that drew huge crowds.

What surprised many was The New York Times' double Grand Prix win. Its new VR platform triumphed in the Mobile category. One of its contents, "The Displaced," which follows the lives of children forced from their homes by conflict, won the newly established Entertainment Lion. VR has revitalized stagnant print media, and jury president Jay Goodman said, "With this work, the Gray Lady (a ghost that appears in old schools, commonly used as a nickname for The New York Times) has leaped 100 years into the future."

Two VR2 works, "The Field Trip to Mars" by aircraft and spacecraft developer and manufacturer Lockheed Martin, and "Dreams of Dali" by the Dali Museum, competed for the Grand Prix in the Cyber category until the very end.

The New York Times "The Displaced" Credit: The New York Times via YouTube

② Growing Fatigue with"GOOD"

While works addressing social issues have been in the spotlight in recent years, several jury chairs and judges expressed a desire to see awards go to major brand campaigns rather than the socially conscious works from smaller advertisers that have dominated past wins. Concerns were raised that this trend could lead talented young creatives to avoid working with big brands.

Regarding works with charitable elements that often gain an advantage by appealing to emotion, both the Promo & Activation and Direct category chairs explicitly stated they "raised the scoring bar." Other prominent opinions called for establishing a separate category specifically for non-profit works. Fatigue with "GOOD" is beginning to spread.

③ Creativity Remains Paramount

During the popular session "From Underdog to Game Changer," featuring Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank and Droga5 founder and Creative Chairman David Droga, Plank emphasized the critical importance of creativity and strategy in brand building and sales growth. The brand's first magazine ad, featuring a large, muscular man wearing a Darth Vader-like helmet, generated 8,000 calls and $800,000 in sales within three weeks. "The previous year's annual sales were $1.3 million." The next campaign, somewhat less impactful, reportedly generated only 35 calls. Referring to the effectiveness of the "I Will What I Want" campaign for the women's line—which also won last year's Cyber Grand Prix—he explained that $1 billion of this year's projected $5 billion in revenue comes from the women's segment.

④The Fusion of Idea and Execution

The Grand Prix in Cannes' most coveted Titanium category went to REI's "#OptOutside" campaign. The remarkable partnership between the advertiser and the agency is seen as a major factor in its success. REI conceived the idea: closing stores on Black Friday, the biggest sales day of the year, to encourage spending the holiday outdoors. Benevides Bell, Edelman, and Spark—three distinct agencies—then united to bring the campaign to life.

When asked whether the jury valued the idea or the execution more, jury chairman John Hegarty responded, "It was a profound idea, and it was executed in a way that truly resonated with people. That brilliant combination of both is exactly what we were looking for."

REI "#OptOutside"

⑤ Overloaded Schedule

Cannes unfolds at a dizzying pace. Trying to actively attend networking meetings and the like means missing opportunities to see work or sessions.

Laurent Farach, Senior Vice President of Global Marketing at Reckitt Benckiser, explained the company's policy: "We encourage executives to attend meetings, while telling younger marketers to prioritize viewing work and attending seminars or award ceremonies." Mark Pitchard, Global Brand Officer at P&G, stated, "Less is more. We minimize meetings to allow deep engagement with work."

⑥ "Let's welcome newcomers into the fold"

Lions Health was held as a standalone event two days prior, drawing complaints from numerous executives at ad agencies, advertisers, and media companies. Many, including WebMD CEO David Schlanger, argued Lions Health should be integrated into the main advertising festival.

⑦The next big wave after the next is AI(Artificial Intelligence)

AI was a hot topic this year. Search and Search showcased films created by AI (artificial intelligence) at its annual New Director's Showcase and discussed the technology in a panel discussion titled "Can Robots Beat Lions?" In addition, various companies and advertising agencies explored the potential of using machine learning in creative work. Do we need to fear nightmares like the movie "Terminator," where artificial intelligence rebels against humans? Alphabet Chairman Eric Schmidt said, "We still have a long way to go."

A work created under the direction of AI announced by Search and Search. Credit: Saatchi New Directors Showcase/Anni Mathison

⑧ Gender Issues

While discussions supporting women's participation in the advertising industry are becoming more active, at Cannes, former BBH executive Cindy Gallop publicly exposed an invitation to a party hosted by VernerMedia that stated "attractive women and models only." The organizer apologized, saying it was "done by a third party without permission." There was also a scene where judges were denounced for awarding a prize to a work that contained discriminatory content against women.

⑨ Scam Controversy Intensifies

As in previous years, debates arose over whether some award-winning entries were scams (fake ads created solely to win awards), with about two works targeted this year. One was the app "I Sea," which won Bronze in the Promotions & Activations category. It claimed to use satellites to detect ships in the Mediterranean Sea and aid drifting refugees. However, it was flooded with complaints that it was unusable, prompting Apple to remove it from iTunes. The developers explained it was still in the testing phase, but the Cannes organizers announced they would investigate to determine the facts.

⑩ Warning Against Mass Production Tactics

Participants notably pointed out a trend where entries to Cannes are becoming a numbers game. The sheer number of categories is also suspected to contribute to the rise in scam entries. Currently, Cannes Lions only penalizes those directly involved in entries deemed scams, but perhaps the scope should be expanded to include the parent advertising agencies.

Source: Ad Age
Cannes Lions 2016: 10 Key Takeaways