Embracing opportunity over my holiday, I immersed myself in the advertising world at Contagious Cannes Lions Deconstructed in July. Hosted by VMLY&R in their impressive NYC office located at the World Trade Center, the live event unveiled award-winning campaign strategies.

Surrounded by internationally recognized industry professionals including Cannes Lions jurors and client representatives, I delved into the minds behind the successes, gaining insights that will undoubtedly shape my mindset as a junior strategic planner. 

Let me share the most important trends from this year’s Cannes Lions Festival and the highlights of the panel discussion.

More Human Through Tech

AI and innovation took center stage at Cannes this year, yet not in an overwhelming surge of bold, tech-centric campaigns. Rather than gearing up to encounter dominant AI forces, the standout aspect in the creative efforts was a focus on how technology can enhance, uplift, and strengthen the core of what makes us human. Apple skillfully produced heartwarming campaigns (R.I.P Leon and The Greatest) that seamlessly make you overlook the fact that they’re advertisements showcasing the latest iPhone product features. Pushing the envelope to address pressing social challenges, Mastercard’s Where to Settle initiative provided crucial aid for war refugees seeking to rebuild their lives. Additionally, Tuvalu proudly asserted its identity as the First Digital Nation, safeguarding its invaluable heritage and history in the face of rising sea levels.

Unreasonable Effort

While it might come across as a cliché, going the extra mile truly yields exceptional outcomes. This rings particularly true in an age where many industries grapple with reduced advertising budgets. Those who transcend the norm of crafting ordinary campaigns and invest additional effort into refining their communication strategy and creative concept often find themselves surpassing expectations and achieving noteworthy sales. The Artois Probability and the FIFA 2023 x Ted Lasso campaigns perfectly prove that at the end of the day the excessive work will pay off both in terms of revenue and customer engagement. 

Proactive Pragmatists

Cannes juries now value brands that go beyond raising awareness and actually back up their claims with action, signaling that it’s time for businesses to act sincerely and without pretense. This year the top honors went to real problem-solving brands seeking new ways for practical change. A standout example that I personally admire is Renault’s Plug Inn campaign, which effectively tackled the primary consumer challenge in the Electric Vehicle category. Their innovative approach to revolutionizing the car recharging infrastructure was a daring step typically associated with industry leader Tesla. However, Renault boldly entered the arena to enhance the experience for EV drivers.

Fuelling Fandoms

In every corner of the globe, distinct communities possess their unique dialects, traditions, ceremonies, and ways of life. Brands, now more than ever, aspire to engage in dialogues within these tribes, yet frequently fall short, delivering unremarkable or even insensitive messages. Nevertheless, when executed with precision, the benefits can outweigh the uncertainties. An illustrative instance is PedidosYa, which adeptly seized the opportune moment with its World Cup Delivery campaign, resonating with Argentinians following their national football team’s victory. Similarly, Chipotle’s Doppelgänger campaign showcased exceptional consumer engagement and the generation of positive sentiments by ingeniously employing existing data – in this case, order details.

Decoding the Recipe for Winning Cannes Lions 

The deep dive in the most outstanding ideas also served as a great conversation starter for the panel discussion at the end of the event, where industry experts shared their thoughts on what contributes to a campaign’s success at the Cannes Lions festival. The event’s main takeaway for me was that one should not have a tactic but an idea to win Cannes Lions, meaning that the driver of the creative development should not be the award itself but the appetite to solve problems in a novel way. Venturing into unanticipated concepts demands a shared willingness for risk-taking from both agencies and clients. If you find yourself feeling that an idea has pushed boundaries, consider it a positive indicator that you’re likely on the path to Cannes victory.

I’m beyond grateful to have participated in this thought-provoking event thanks to Mito Creative. If you’re also keen on diving deeper into the subject, don’t miss the opportunity to explore the Contagious article for more!