Day 4

Another grueling day of non-stop lectures and seminars from some of the intellectual and creative elite. Today, Gayle Troberman, CCO of Microsoft, gave an interesting look at some of the cool brand work being done for the world’s largest software company.

Anthony Di Biase, ECD of Wunderman Irvine, provided insights on pitch success with several case studies. And Lee Feldman, CEO of Blast Radius, totally inspired yours truly with some of the remarkable work they’ve created using data. I know that might sound boring – truth be told, I was skeptical going in – but I’ve been shown the light and now believe data could be the foundation for creative ideas instead of a brief.

After pumping our brains with information, we have a brief reprieve to don our Sunday best and attend the Cannes Lions ceremony for Media, Outdoor, and Radio.

In the former, Australia has picked up the Grand Prix again, this time for MEC Sydney/Leo Burnett’s Photochains campaign for Canon. Carat/GPYR Melbourne also collected a gold Lion for Its No Picnic, and Starcom/Colenso BBDO Auckland a gold for Yellow Pages’ Yellow Chocolate.

Two silvers were awarded to Starcom Melbourne, and bronzes to JWT NZ, Starcom/Colenso BBDO Auckland.

In the Outdoor category, the USA took a whopping three Grand Prix trophies, while JWT NZ took a silver, Colenso BBDO Auckland took a silver and a bronze, GPYR Melbourne took three bronze Lions for Defence Force Recruiting, and TBWA/Tequila Auckland collected a bronze.

Of the fifteen gold Lions in the Radio category, one went to DDB NZ for Sky TV. DDB NZ received four silvers, Clemenger BBDO Melbourne three, Meerkats Perth garnered three, and Leo Burnett Sydney one. DDB Sydney collected three bronze, with US Sydney and Leo Burnett Sydney each taking home one.

Later at the official Cannes Lions Festival’s Carlton Beach party, I ran into the crew from Leo Burnett Sydney on a complete high from their worthy medal haul. ECD Andy DiLallo was joined by former joint-ECD and creative partner Jay Benjamin who flew in from New York to see his old colleagues celebrate in style. Some of the work that earned trophies was created while Jay Benjamin was still with the Sydney office.

The beach soiree is easily the largest party I’ve ever attended, extending out onto a pier and in both directions along the beach from the front of the majestic Carlton Hotel. Unsure of exact numbers, I’d have to guess there were several thousand people at the “black tie (optional)” event, most dressing in the black tie, some choosing the “optional”.

Of course, as soon as Cannes security closed down the party at 2am, presumably for noise and safety reasons, over a thousand people continued the party only 100m along La Croisette at the infamous Gutter Bar. The noise and safety remained the same, but you can’t argue with the logic of an armed Frenchman with a very large muzzled dog.

I awoke surprisingly well after only three-and-a-half hours sleep, ready to tackle another day of seminars, the least of which was my very own to the Wunderman Creative Directors’ Summit. My colleagues have been eagerly anticipating my lecture on the topic of “Why Does Australia Always Win?” especially after the Aus/NZ medal haul on day one of the festival. Having taken out eight of the total 19 gold Lions awarded and the prized Grand Prix, they were all hoping I would have the magical answers to help them improve the standards of their own countries.

I’m pleased to say the presentation went extremely well, and I’ve even been invited to deliver it to Wunderman London while there next week.

For now, the 57th Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival closer to its finale, with the Press, Design and Cyber Lions categories being awarded tonight.

in Cannes,
Matt Batten
Creative Director
Wunderman, Sydney