Does Cannes matter? This can be a query we requested on the very begin and our reply is, sure to an extent (simply in addition to we lined it in some depth though we eschewed some Grand Prix which appeared to have extra to do with ingenuity than creativity.)
It issues as a result of it’s now the world’s greatest advert competition by a ways although, relatively like Glastonbury within the music world, it’s displaying indicators of middle-aged unfold. Its stars aren’t fairly as previous however it’s noteworthy that the youthful lot appear to missing the the enchantment of their elders.
This time there appeared to a wanted re-set in the direction of the business on the expense of objective. One one that is aware of smoething about that is James Murphy (left), CEO of New Industrial Arts, an avowedly business group, and, earlier than that, a co-founder and CEO of adam&eve (now adam&eveDDB), Cannes’ most up-to-date Company of the Decade.
Right here’s his alternative from Cannes, one which was famous however didn’t win large, and emotions concerning the competition as a complete.
James Murphy’s alternative
Now the curtain has come down on one other Cannes, MAA requested for nominations for their very own Cannes Grand Prix and a flavour of how the competition felt.
Nicely Cannes 23 felt prefer it was making up for misplaced time. A buzz across the work, a buzz across the enterprise being completed and a sense that it was OK to social gathering a bit on the aspect as nicely.
And whereas there have been the debates over the aim of objective, the existential menace of AI and the perennial “creativity ain’t what it was once” disaster, there was a chunk of UK work that got here by the center displaying what nice, populist business creativity is all about.
McDonald’s “Elevate your arches” has a easy, celebratory confidence that displays a model and company (Leo Burnett London) who know precisely what they’re doing collectively. It gained some gongs, however undoubtedly deserved extra. It stands out as piece of labor that’s fully self-contained. It stands or falls fully on what you see, hear and really feel in 60 seconds on the display.
There isn’t any back-story, no larger ethical calling, simply the reductivist pleasure of creativity the place you are feeling nothing may have been added to make it higher, and nothing taken away. It revels within the model’s ubiquitous and iconic identification and the perception {that a} responsible pleasure is even higher when it’s shared.
Cannes is a worldwide showcase and that is such a easy, common thought from the UK, it may run anyplace.
What else caught our eye? This joint winner of the Movie Grand Prix (nonetheless the biggie) relatively shamefully eluded us within the rush of final day awards. Good to see 30-seconds can nonetheless hack it.
P&G’s ‘The Title’ from R/GA is only a utterly charming movie. No thought what it’s promoting however it makes you are feeling higher about P&G.
However the MAA Grand Prix of Grand Prix? Needs to be the opposite Movie winner, CALM from adam&eveDDB. At one level it appeared as if this could bag a great deal of Lions however miss out on a Grand Prix (it matches into quite a few classes) however justice was completed in the long run.
It definitely isn’t avowedly business (however not all the pieces needs to be) however actually couldn’t be completed higher and might stand in opposition to any Cannes winner. Highlighting male suicide is a worthy social service.
A&E has had just a few reverses over the previous yr or so, shedding out within the Virgin/O2 pitch and seeing the Nationwide Lottery below its new operator go elsewhere. John Lewis had the effrontery to overview and A&E selected to not repitch. Does the retailer know what it’s completed?
However A&E is up there with the world’s historic nice advert companies (admittedly an Anglo-centric checklist): CDP and BMP within the UK, DDB (very again within the day) and ChiatDay within the US, BETC in Paris (why don’t French companies do higher at Cannes? Possibly the jurors are smarting over their drinks payments.)
We may do with one other one or two.
