ad: Annual 2024 Now Open For Entries!
*

Cannes Lions 2016: Tuesday's Top Highlights

Published by

Whilst there were not quite as many award announcements at the fourth day of the 2016 Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity, the day certainly wasn't without its drama.

Will Smith shares his thoughts on the state of marketing

*

Hollywood A-list actor and former Fresh Prince, Will Smith, took to the stage yesterday in conversation with Jacky Cooper, Global Chair of Creative Strategy at Edelman. Arriving to rapturous applause from the audience, Smith started by stepping down memory lane, reminiscing about his start and music, his lateral shift to TV and film, and the impact of his grandmother on his life, as he revealed that it was she who taught him to care about what the rest of the world thinks of you. The discussion soon moved to advertising and media, which formed the major bulk of the discussion.

Marketing starts with the seed of the idea”

Smith mused on how advances in technology and the media has forced us to need to make better products and simply be better. He said: “In the ’80s and ’90s, a crap movie would come with three or four trailers and one would wait until Wednesday to know it’s a crap movie. Now, 10 minutes into a movie, people are tweeting about it, asking people not to watch it. So, now Hollywood is saying, we have to make good movies. Smoke and mirrors in sales and marketing are over. People will know quickly and in such detailing that the product is shit. The power is in the hands of the audience and fans.”

Smoke and mirrors in sales and marketing are over”

*

Will Smith and his son Jaden

The star also delved into the subject authenticity. admitting that success may have actually had a negative impact on him in many ways. He said: “I had Bad Boys, Independence Day and Men In Black releasing in successive summers. The success made me taste global blood. I shifted from a boy to a star. I started promoting things in order to be the best rather than do useful things. That caused a mutiny.” He then added, after indulging us with a tale about his daughter, and how she taught him about how he needs to think about her needs: “Selling or marketing has to be about the need of a person. There’s no sales pitch I could make to her at that time. So, that made me understand that I need to understand the other person rather than promote something.”

The only mission statement brands should have should be about improving lives”

Another conversation Smith brought up was one with his son Jaden, and the brand Just Water. He said: “Jaden came home after an ecology session, and told me about an island of plastic in the middle of the ocean. I told him if something bothers you, figure it out. He stayed on it and was worried about the way we were treating the environment. He found tetrapak, and tried to create a 100%, decomposable water bottle, called Just Water. It’s currently 80% decomposable. In fact on the site, we promote drinking tap water, but if not available it should be Just Water. (Bottled) Water is a crowded place to enter. But at the core of this is a 10-year old that was worried about the environment.” This marked the first time Smith spoke publicly about his involvement with the Just Water brand. It was, in all, a fascinating discussion.

Star Trek panel cancelled due to tragic death of star

*

Further proving that Hollywood does indeed have at least a semblance of a soul, Paramount Pictures cancelled a Cannes event that was supposed to have taken place yesterday featuring the stars of the latest instalment of the Star Trek film franchise; “Star Trek Beyond.” Over the weekend, one the stars of the film, Anton Yelchin, 27, was tragically killed in a freak accident at his home when he was pinned against a gate by his car. The studio issued this statement: “All of us are deeply saddened by the loss of our friend Anton Yelchin. Out of respect, we are withdrawing our participation in the previously announced Star Trek Beyond event at Cannes Lions this week.”

India's first transgender band take home the Glass Lions Grand Prix

6 Pack Band,” a transgender pop group conceived by Mindshare Mumbai for Hindustan Unilever tea brand Brooke Bond Red Label, earned the Glass Lions Grand Prix at the Cannes Lions on Monday night. The Glass Lions category was introduced last year to celebrate work that addresses and seeks to have positive impact on gender inequality, imbalance or injustice. For the Grand Prix winner, Mindshare and Brooke Bond partnered with Yash Raj Films India to assemble a six-person outfit, who went on to perform in and star in a series of vibrant music videos for catchy tracks, including “Hum Hain Happy,” a cover of Pharrell's popular “Happy.” The songs also aired on Indian radio stations and on streaming apps, and the band even went on to appear at major Indian music events including Radio Mirchi's Music Awards. The idea aimed to end the stigma against the third gender, while also promoting Brooke Bond Red Label's mantra to bring people together.

As many as 30 brands competed from across the world, including four from India, but the 6 Pack Band initiative that highlights the hidden talent of the “Hijra” (transgender) community of India, was chosen as the winner of one of the most highly coveted awards for the incredible impact it has had in battling prejudice and discrimination against the transgender community. In a category that is driven by Hollywood veteran actor Geena Davis and corporate role model Sheryl Sandberg, this award is given to a project that has delivered communication with the potential to bring about worldwide change. Madeline Di Nonno, Head of the Glass Lions jury and CEO of the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, said: “The approach was incredibly inventive, in actually creating a band and using music and some very popular experiential pop-culture entertainment, which was very significant. And then, backing it up with some incredible videos, which really engage consumer and speak to our humanity. It hit all the check marks that we could possibly want.”

Ogilvy & Mather have another great day!

On the fourth day of the 2016 Cannes Lions, Ogilvy & Mather took home a total of 27 Lions including: 9 Golds, 7 Silver and 11 Bronze. This includes two Golds for its “Behind the Leather” campaign for PETA. The installation, created by Ogilvy & Mather Bangkok, highlights the dark side of exotic leather production. Setting up shop in one of Bangkok’s busiest shopping districts, shocked shoppers were presented with a display of seemingly ordinary products that symbolically reveal the suffering behind exotic-skin accessories, with beating hearts and intestines inside bags, jackets and belts. Both golds came in the Design category, and the Bangkok office was also recognised for its “Artquarium” work for Hi-Jet Inkjet Paper, bringing the total Golds for Bangkok in Design to three for the day.

I am delighted with the nine Gold winners tonight. Thank you to our talented creative teams and to our clients” Tham Khai Meng, Worldwide CCO at Ogilvy & Mather

Ogilvy & Mather New York also scooped a Gold in the Design category for its “Art with Watson” work for IBM. The creative posters feature work from artists Ruslan Khasanov, Craig Cutler, Oleg Soroko, Zeitguised, Jake Chessum, Chris Rowson, Robyn Makinso, James Chana, Sid Tomkins, and Mike Hahn. Memac Ogilvy Dubai received two Gold Lions in the Outdoor category for their “It’s that affordable” campaign for IKEA. DAVID Buenos Aires picked up another Gold Lion, this time in the PR category, adding to its impressive streak of wins including a Grand Prix and five Golds for its “Manboobs” work. INGO Stockholm, an Ogilvy & Mather/Grey joint venture, landed yet another Gold, today in PR, for its “The Swedish Number” campaign, and Ogilvy & Mather Germany landed a Gold in the Outdoor category for their illustration campaign for Amnesty International.

Bronze Lion winner possibly revealed as a scam!

*

Ending our daily coverage with a little hint of controversy, there was a significant amount of buzz being generated last night when it transpired that a Lion-winning entry was being written off as a scam. The work in question is the I Sea app from Grey Singapore (apparently made in collaboration with Malta-based Migrant Offshore Aid Station), which won a Bronze Lion in Promo & Activation on day one of Lions Innovation. In the few weeks preceding the festival, the app's credibility had been openly questioned, leading it to be pulled off the Apple Store as of June 20. Ironically enough, around the same time it was being awarded. It all began when a tech writer @SwiftonSecurity called the app “Feel-good bullshit” after finding out out that it simply didn't live up to its promise of helping spot boats full of refugees in distress. MOAS said in a statement: “We were dismayed to discover that real time images were not being used. We have since discontinued our relationship with Grey for Good and spoken candidly about our disappointment to the media.” Troubling news indeed, and we do truly hope it proves to be false.

Comments

More Leaders

*

Leaders

Inspiring Female Leaders: An Interview with RAPP CEO Gabrielle Ludzker

Gabrielle Ludzker is not just any CEO. The current head honcho at customer experience agency RAPP has spent her career breaking away from the traditional corporate CEO stereotype. and leads to inspire rule breakers. Gabby is an inspirational rule...

Posted by: Benjamin Hiorns
ad: Annual 2024 Now Open For Entries!