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While everyone (looking at you Michael Thill) is off enjoying the sun and creativity at Cannes Lions, here I am, not jealous at all. Seriously, not one bit jealous. Not even a little. For those unfamiliar, the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity is a premier event in the advertising and communications industry. It runs from June 17-21 this year and features over 150 hours of content with around 500 speakers from across the globe. Icons like Deepak Chopra, Jay Shetty, and representatives from top companies like Google and P&G are sharing insights and innovations that are shaping the industry. https://lnkd.in/gv7s3rQH Why do we flock to events like this? The draw is in both the recognition and the opportunity for professional growth. From a behavioral science perspective, humans have a deep-seated desire for validation and acknowledgment. Awards like the Cannes Lions provide a platform to be judged and, hopefully, celebrated for our creativity and hard work. But why do we want to be judged? The answer lies in the psychological satisfaction of recognition, which can enhance self-esteem and motivate continued excellence. Beyond personal satisfaction, there are significant business reasons for pursuing these accolades. Winning at Cannes can enhance a company’s reputation, attract new clients, and justify higher fees for services. In essence, these awards are a tangible marker of success and a powerful marketing tool. However, at Havas Edge we believe that the best award is the trust and loyalty of our clients. While it's great to be recognized on such a prestigious stage, our ultimate goal is to consistently deliver value and results for our clients, day in and day out. That, to us, is the most meaningful accolade of all. Still, would be nice to be there.

Cannes Lions has its own ‘walled garden’ – but is it a bug or a feature? In my final column covering this year’s festival, I ask why there is still a (very physical) disconnect between the creative and media industries here in Cannes - and why creativity isn't just a realm for the ‘big ideas’ visionaries. With even the Lions judges themselves saying that the standard of some entries “just wasn’t exceptional” and with creatively awarded ads now performing ‘average’ compared to previous years, do we need a rethink on what modern marketing creativity actually is? And is this a way to build a more joined up festival next year? Read my full column in the comments below, FREE TO READ today alongside my five daily travelogue articles written on the ground in Cannes Lions 2024. Just login or create a free account for early bird access to all 6 articles. Thank you to... Hugh Stevens, LiveRamp, Orlando Wood, System1, Sir John Hegarty, The Garage Soho, Charlotte Rawlings, Campaign UK, Andrew Tindall, System1 ...for their input and/or inspiration in writing this article. Joseph Arthur Jyoti Rambhai Reem Makari Celine Yaseen Samantha Johnston Jess MacDermot #performancemarketing #canneslions #marketing #creativity

With In-person events regaining popularity after the huge lull, I'm curious to know - what are your go-to conferences within the advertising, broadcast services, media, and entertainment industries? Share your favorites and must-attend events in the comments below! For me, it's no secret that my top pick is the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, followed by CES and then ANA Masters of Marketing. Let me know your recommendations and if there are any other industry-specific conferences I should have on my radar!

But what did we actually learn? It's been one month since Cannes Lions and we have analyzed the major trends that define the experiential side of the festival. Read the full report here: https://hubs.ly/Q02HcBMd0

A Carrot named Cannes ! First of all, Congratulations to every winner, every shortlist and every entrant at Cannes 2024. The festival of creativity is not what is celebrated at The Palais des Festivals et des Congrès. It starts the moment you get that one thought that sprouts as a potential idea which you want to share and wait for it to be accepted. And then when you take efforts to sell the idea to your client. Making sure the idea is executed, refined and crafted to perfection. When you spend days and nights perfecting the case presentation. Then eagerly wait for the competition to be thrown open for entry. Finally looking for the right category to be entered in and then looking forward to the shortlist announcement. From the day you get the idea to the day you get the results, every moment is a celebration of creativity. From ideation to appreciation to acceptance to approvals to execution to submission, every milestone is a celebration. And just after the festival, the race will start. To hunt the Lion next June. No matter how many Lions you bring to your shelf, the Lions never cease to attract you. Every Lion home is a reason for bringing the other Lion home. It’s not about why you didn’t get the Lion this year, It’s about how long can you feed the Lion in you and keep it alive. Because the blood you tasted will keep on feeding the Lion of your dreams. It will never dry. The Lion will chase the ideas in your veins and get it out without waiting for any brief. The Lion will roar and get the approvals. The Lion will not let you sleep. As long as the Lion is looking for it’s prey inside, you’ll continue to hunt. It takes a Lion to hunt a Lion. So keep the Lion on its paws and be ready to rule the jungle. #canneslions2024 #cannes #canneslions #cannes #advertising #AdvertisingAwards

The #WeatherAtCannes has been a hot topic these past few years, from tropical heat & rainstorms, to excessive winds & choppy seas…If you’re attending this year, have no fear, we’ve got you covered! Check out The Cannescast below and know before you go!

Heading to #canneslions next week ? Let's meet to talk about the current & future #adtech industry challenges as well as solutions to help you boost your yield while improving UX and ads quality on your medias ! Send me a DM or book a time slot in our agenda https://lnkd.in/gmk2QFdq #canneslions #advertising #adtech #programmatic

OMG. Someone wrote something about Cannes without totally shitting all over it or saying "I remember when it used to be cool." (Me. I did.) Enter: 'Is everyone winning a Grand Prix except me? (A non-hating, pragmatic assessment of advertising and marketing awards.)' Here's that link now: https://lnkd.in/eKe6D4ms Here are some things they (I) said: "I’m not that into having affairs and licking MDMA off my hand. So I don’t tend to go to many industry events, period. But why does Cannes get all the shade when there are so many advertising and marketing award festivals playing a similar game? Is there anything more uniquely “broken” with Cannes than any of its competitors? Not that I’m aware of. I genuinely believe Cannes receives the hate and “I remember when it used to be cool” that it does because of the excess and debauchery of some of the behaviour that surrounds the festival. The world does not need more people hating on Cannes, or claiming they were there in the halcyon days. So, please, think of this as more as a ponder piece. Besides, I find it too convenient that most people berating awards and claiming they will never enter them, already have office shelves full of them. Award shows have always been great at distorting reality, making us wonder why we’re not all constantly writing award winning work that creates more impressions than 100x the population of planet earth. So, whilst I'm acknowledging that reality distortion, I’m not encouraging not entering. I’m just hoping I can inspire a slightly healthier mindset in people, that might in turn lead to less suffering and disillusionment. Perhaps go easier on yourself next year if you don’t win." #Cannes #Creativeagency #Advertising #Marketing #Creativity

Enjoyed the DEI discussion at the Marketing Society brunch and the 3 big themes: 1. You must ‘show up’ before you ‘show off’, 2. You need to be bold and stay bold, 3. There is rightly a big expectation on CMO’s to jointly lead on this.

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.