Ant Keogh’s Cannes Diary: Day One and Two

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Andt-Keogh-inCannes.jpgAnt Keogh, ECD of Clemenger BBDO Melbourne, is one Australia’s representatives on the Cannes Lions Film jury. Keogh, along with most of the Australian and NZ jurors, is reporting exclusively for CB.

Watching hundreds of tv ads in a row is very educational. It reminds you of what not to do. I don’t mean that arrogantly. After all film is hard to get right.

In advertising we’re often trying to turn a molehill into a mountain, to take a tiny point of difference and turn it into some profound or dramatic. When you see so much work together it becomes very apparent which ads which are just gilding the Lily. Your bullshit detectors become heightened and you find yourself saying to the screen ‘Do you have an actual premise here?’ ‘What are you actually trying to convince me of?’

So many ads don’t really say anything. I don’t mean just rationally, I mean emotionally or in any kind of meaningful way. They just seem to be messing around in a kind of dumb version of ‘entertainment’.

You might see an ad open and on the screen there’s a guy with an alien on his head and you think, Okay there better be a bloody good reason for this. But, most times you end up going ‘no, no, there really isn’t is there?’

And each category has its own particular dumbness. The alcohol section makes you sick of seeing juvenile sexist man-children. The banking section  makes you sick of insane over promise. The fast food section makes you sick of wacky characters indulging in nutty behaviour to be closer to a burger.

Then, of course, just when advertising seems supremely idiotic, something charming, effortless, funny or touching comes on the screen and all is forgiven. You’re swept up and happy to go on the ride. Suddenly you’re in good hands and the world seems like a funnier, smarter place again.