Paul Yole in Cannes: 5 things to look forward to

| | 1 Comment

Paul Yole in Cannes.jpgWhen I first started writing for the Campaign Brief Cannes blog nine years ago there were only one or two of us doing it. Now, you can’t escape it.

This year I’m going to jump on the ‘5 Things…’ bandwagon. I think it could catch on.

Let’s start with five things I’m looking forward to this week, in no particular order.

1. Cannespeak

Without doubt, a highlight for me every year is waiting for the cliché words and phrases to emerge.

Like the time I counted 53 uses of the word “content” in one seminar.

This year I reckon “native” or “programmatic” may challenge old favourites such as “storytelling”, “conversation” and “mobile”. Let’s see.

2. Professor Brian Cox

Cox makes science understandable and relevant for even a dumbass like me. On Tuesday at 3pm his subject is ‘The Creative Universe’.

3. Sir Tim Berners-Lee

So, he’s the father of the World Wide Web. But what else has he done?

Plenty, as it happens. Sir Tim is also speaking on Tuesday, his subject being ‘The Coming AI Revolution’.

John Hegarty.jpg4. The so-called ‘Dinosaurs’

The Digital Taliban can still learn a thing or two from the old guard. So can I, so I’ll be off to see Jeff Goodby and Rich Silverstein on Thursday, Sir John Hegarty (left) with the incomparable Richard Curtis on Wednesday and Chuck Porter on Tuesday.

5. The game changers

Notwithstanding point 4, the chance to hear from the likes of Tinder’s Sean Rad and Snapchat’s Evan Spiegel as well as a host of other social media gurus is not to be missed.

There is so much more, like Pharrell Williams, Al Gore, lunch at La Colombe d’Or, catching up with friends from all over the world and meeting new and interesting people. Bring it on.

Paul Yole is Director of Agency Development at The Brand Agency in Perth.