Serviceplan Group’s Post

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.

It has been an intense week at Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. Thanks to all the friends who came to visit us on our Equativ yacht. I am sharing the insights and feedback from our conversations: ✅ The ad tech industry has evolved past its nascent, high-growth phase and is now in a stage where consolidation is a logical step for long-term success. ✅ The emphasis has moved from growth multiples to EBITDA, reflecting a need for profitability and financial stability. This shift is not a sign of industry weakness but rather an adaptation to broader macro-economic realities. ✅ Consolidation does not stifle innovation, rather, it can foster it. Larger, consolidated companies have more resources to invest in research and development. ✅ Innovation is the key to drive advancements in AI, programmatic advertising, data analytics, and other critical areas. It allows companies to be better positioned to adapt to regulatory changes, such as increased privacy laws and the phasing out of third-party cookies, by developing and implementing new, compliant technologies.

One of the boldest presentations at the Cannes Festival was Mark Ritson's. In a packed room, Ritson questioned the true importance of creativity in advertising. His standout chart was bold: Cannes-awarded creatives from the past three years, measured by System 1, haven't outperformed the market average. This highlights a critical lesson: we often award creativity for its own sake, not its business impact. Cannes celebrates creativity, but Ritson's analysis challenges us to rethink our priorities. Creativity is important, but it's only one element of an entire marketing strategy and, when measured, is not one of the leading factors of success. #CannesFestival #MarkRitson #CreativityInAdvertising #BusinessImpact #MarketingInsights #RethinkPriorities

Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity has finally arrived! Here are some remarks you will hear every day around the Palais: 1. “Why the hell hasn’t anyone thought about this before?” – proven fact: great ideas make a lot of sense when they are mature and successful. The challenge is appreciating them when they are still young and fragile. 2. “I once had an idea just like this one!” – can I tell you a secret? The person behind this idea probably said that many times as well, about other ideas. So, keep trying until someone else says it about your idea. Also, remember it’s not just about the idea, it’s also about execution and delivery. 3. “Wow! How did they come up with that?” – answer: they weren’t afraid to look for it. They believed in it even when others didn’t. They found a way to sell and/or produce it. 4. “So simple, so smart!” – so hard to come up with! 5. “We would never be able to approve something like this at our agency / for our clients / in our market” – from my experience, people with a long-life span in advertising love the creative thinking process, not just the creative outcome. So… if you still enjoy the thinking part – you are fine. Also… maybe it’s time for you to decide: are you OK with thinking about solid ideas in a more conservative environment (which is not a bad thing) or is time to move to another agency or another market which can cater your hunger for more creative freedom (which is not a bad thing)? 6. “That’s a scam. It was aired maybe once.” – Creative Excellence is about real work for real clients which made a real impact. No argument here! However… there is a difference between “Creative Excellence” and “Creative Thinking Excellence”. “Creative Excellence” awards should celebrate effective creative ads which were approved by clients. “Creative Thinking” awards can also celebrate amazing original disruptive thinking in general. What if… Cannes Lions added a category for exceptional creative thinking? NO RULES. Pure creative thinking. About ideas which a jury believes should be produced, not necessarily ideas a client will approve. The prize: financing the winning idea and bringing it to life. And a Lion. Of course… 7. “Maybe next year…” – YES. There is always next year! Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity #CannesLions2024 #CL2024 #LIONS2024 #Creativity #CreativeThinking #CreativeExcellence MindscapesCreativity

The closest I got to the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity last week was a drive down ATL’s Ponce de Leon Avenue, which we pronounce pahns duh lee-ahn, exactly how someone in the south of France would mock someone in the south of America. From a safe distance of 4,723 miles, here’s a short list of what I think I think. 1. I think Cannes never fails to smell of a boondoggle – self-congratulatory, overindulgent, indefensible during tough economic times, and often awarding work no human not called a juror has ever seen before. 2. I also think Cannes never fails to deliver an earnest and important celebration of an industry that loves what it does, of moving marketing art and science forward, and of a community wishing nothing more than to use creativity for the good of craft and commerce and cause. So net-net, c'est la vie. 3. Humor isn’t back just yet, but it's trying. Of 28 Grand Prix Lions, I conservatively counted 6. I think the world needs more barf bag documentaries (thank you Dramamine) and edible mascots (thank you Pop-Tarts). 4. I think this is my non-scientific longevity/hype scale: AI > VR > Metaverse > NFTs > skywriting > Clubhouse. 5. The AI train has long left the station, but I think we’d all be wise to keep in touch with Tinx. 6. I think there's an inverse correlation between the number of speakers on a panel and odds of learning something new. 7. I think creative effectiveness is no less worthy of Cannes-level attention and celebration. Do the powers that be at Effie Worldwide ever dream of a Festival of their own? (In Atlanta? Because Atlanta Influences Everything.) 8. I think the Cannes mission warrants making it possible for smaller agencies to more easily get in on l’action. $4500 for a Festival pass, whether you're a $200mm agency, $20mm agency or a $2mm agency. 9. I think little is as frustrating as an idea you couldn't quite sell in then winning a Lion (a very high-profile Lion, to boot) for someone else. Happy for them, truly. But also merde. 10. But also, je pense nous reviendrons. #advertisingindustry, #brandenergy, #marketing, #agency, #advertising, #canneslions, #atlantainfluenceseverything

Only 6 days left... #lastchance #hurryup #takeyourchance #beawinner #letscelebrate #bestcampaign #sports #funniestvideo #besteditor #bestcamera #movingimages #video #tv #marketing #tvmarketing #promotion #design

I recently finished reviewing 50+ UK Young Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity entries and here's what stood out: Cannes Lions Judging Takeaways: Fresh Perspectives from Young Talent ➡️ Big agencies: While consistent in their "frameworks", some larger network entries felt a bit...uninspired and robotic. ➡️ Junior Power: The freshest approaches often came from the most junior roles. This made me especially happy! ➡️ Brand Brilliance: There's some serious talent on the brand side – are they being utilised fully in-house? ➡️ The Extra Mile Matters: The 12/10 effort entries SHINE. Don't be afraid to go above and beyond it really makes a difference. ➡️ Uniqueness is Rare: Truly unique ideas are gold, but don't come easy. There were a few entries with almost identical ideas. ➡️ Keep it Clean: Ditch the word clutter. Killer decks are concise and impactful. ✂️ ➡️ The Dream Team: Strong copywriting paired with exceptional creativity is a winning formula. ✨ Very grateful to have had the opportunity to take a look behind the curtains as a judge and very excited to meet some of the fresh talent at Cannes in June with the Spin team. #CannesLions #YoungLions #Advertising #Creativity

Captiv8 is Officially in Cannes! 🌟 We’re thrilled to dive into Creators, Culture, and Community at one of the most creative conferences in the world! Join us this week for some of the exciting events we’ve curated just for you! 😌 Located at the renowned Carlton Hotel on the Croisette, indulge in cocktails and bites all day long in an atmosphere of luxury and relaxation. Need some time to refresh and recharge? Book some time with our team to relax, unwind, and re-energize amidst the Cannes buzz. 🗣️ Engage with noteworthy creators like Adam Waheed, Ally Love, Pragathi Guruprasad and Jalen Noble. Get firsthand insights and inspiration from these industry leaders during our #AMA sessions and GRWM events! 🎉 Custom VIP Experiences: Connect with iconic thought leaders driving the creator economy forward. Network, learn, and grow with the best in the business. 💡 Dive into Key Topics: Explore essential topics such as AI, social commerce, creator culture, trust and connection, measuring success, connecting to cultural moments, the future of measurement, brand safety, and more. Stay ahead of the curve with cutting-edge discussions. ✨ Get Ready With Me Stations: Stop by our GRWM stations to get all glammed up for the night. Perfect for preparing for the exciting events and parties at Cannes. Email cannes@captiv8.io and RSVP with our team, VIP experiences are extremely limited! Click here for more information: https://hubs.la/Q02zn6_z0 #Captiv8Cannes #CannesLions2024 #Creators #Culture #Community #MarketingInnovation #InfluencerMarketing #SocialStrategy #BrandSafety #VIPExperience

Having let the train take the strain, Stuart Button, our Executive Creative Director, shares his first impressions of Cannes 2024: “Cannes is here again . . . as adland's hopefuls descend on southern #France for some much-needed vitamin D. “The commercialisation of this 70+ year old creative festival continues with more brands showing up than ever before. “Judging by the fringe event talks, AI is still top of the agenda - only this time, it's less: 'We're all doomed!' and more 'we're all going to be rich!'. “As well as AI and D&I, sports is sticking its hand in the air for some much-needed attention (Stagwell's awesome sports beach by Cheerful Twentyfirst is now double the size). “What with the #Euros and #Olympics coming to #France (although you wouldn't know it - it's pretty mute from what I've seen), they’re even parading the old torch thingy down La Croisette tomorrow. “The other topic that's still going strong, is that dirty word 'effectiveness'. The thing that all clients want and creatives struggle to care about. “With stuff like ‘advertising value chain’, ‘digital waste’ and ‘closed-loop attribution’ being thrown around . . . If I didn't know any better, I'd say marketeers were making up stuff just to sell more things. Sneaky little buggers. “Is it any wonder that advertising has only just dropped off the top spot of the UK's LEAST trusted industry for the first time in a decade. “According to Simon Stone, of LoopMe GM International: ‘There is no point in creating the next Guinness Surfer if fragmented viewing habits, skippable ads, and decreasing attention spans prevent it from being seen. Creative remains essential to branding, but only when supercharged with data-driven media placement.' “I mean, I'd love to write the next Guinness Surfer ad - effectiveness be damned! “But then, what's the point in doing what we're doing if absolutely no one cares? And, according to Mark Ritson, no one does. “Hey ho - off to my first event I go.” #cannes2024 #canneslions #events #festivalofcreativity

A whopping 82% of Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity attendees feel that the festival has become more geared to tech companies than about creativity. "The overwhelming agreement that focus has shifted from creativity towards tech is, if not surprising, still a startling fact. I’d like to think creativity will always remain at the heart of the festival, and be the central tenant of what we do as a sector" - MullenLowe UK chief growth officer, Lucy Taylor. More insight's from MullenLoweUK's research here >>>https://lnkd.in/evcieU7r #advertising #creativity #marketing