Ant Keogh’s Cannes Diary – some last thoughts
Ant Keogh, executive creative director of Clemenger BBDO Melbourne, is representing Australia on the Press jury. Here’s Keogh final thoughts on the week, exclusive to Campaign Brief.
Something is wrong with me. My stomach feels weird and my tongue really hurts. My tongue? What the hell is Cannes doing to me?
I went go the doctor and sit in the waiting room next to two African hookers. They seem nice enough. They go before me, together, into the doctors room and I can hear them talking to the doctor really loudly. I really wish I could understand French now.
Next to a press conference about the Print work. I’m feeling sick and sleep-deprived but I manage to answer some questions.
At night I watched the Print Lions we’d judged get handed out to their respective owners. As I watched the Golds go out I noticed, I mostly agreed with the decisions but not always. Of course, this is to be expected when you’re one voice in 18. They do a show of hands about a decision and you need 11 people to agree with you to make a difference. (You need a two-thirds majority on any decision.)
There was work I thought deserved Silver that got Gold and visa versa. And even some of the Bronze work was my favourite. Some of the funnier work didn’t make it as far as I thought it should, perhaps lost in translation.
I loved the Grand Prix (for Samsonite), that’s for sure. From China too. Lord, what will happen when they really fire up?
My sense is Australia didn’t enter much in comparison to other countries. I don’t remember a whole lot of Australian work fall by the wayside; it was more it wasn’t there in the first place.
But I only saw a third of the work initially so maybe more passed through the other two judging groups.
Tonight is TV and I’m hearing rumours we’ve done all right.