The other side of Cannes, by Paul Yole, Strategic Planning Director, The Brand Agency, Perth

Adam Barker (Gatecrasher, Perth) complained that I keep including photos of myself with my blog. I did explain to him how these things work but for a change I’ve shown something a bit different today. The Gutter Bar in daytime.
The pace of Cannes really picks up from Wednesday. Following the press award ceremony the film shortlist is announced and with a large invasion of British delegates the parties get bigger and more lavish.
Two brilliant seminars took place on Wednesday, by R/GA and Nike, and then the annual Leo Burnett/Contagious seminar. On Thursday Jean-Marie Dru, head of TBWA/, told us all about the beauty of big. This was interesting because I’ve often heard Perth people complain about a lack of creative opportunities on some of our larger clients and yet there is TBWA/ with 85% of its awards coming from global clients. Ten years ago the likes of Unilever, Proctor & Gamble and Mars never figured at the major award shows but now the have recognised that creativity is more important than ever and the results speak for themselves. I think there is a lesson for us all there.
We’ve heard a lot about storytelling and digital this week, with one of the very best sessions being hosted on Friday by Chuck Porter of Crispin Porter + Bogusky. Chuck was as insightful as he was entertaining and he came up with a few gems like his one – “today it may be easier for them to ignore you but it’s also easier for them to fall in love with you.� He suggested a number of ingredients that typify great stories, including surprise endings, indelible characters, audience involvement, ordinary people who become heroes, shock value and practical jokes.
Chuck was joined by Ajaz Ahmed, founder of the super hot digital agency AKQA, and legendary director Joe Pytka, who has the tiny sum of 110 lions to his name. Ajaz came up with a great term for when you take a TV ad and simply dump it into an online version – ‘Multimediocrity’.
Only two days to go. I’m now about to leave for the Campaign Brief pool party. Me and 200 other Anzacs.