Cannes Blog

Festival Day 1

Talk 1: What Internet Communities Tell Us About Consumers

The CEO of Reddit, Steve Huffman, discusses his logic behind creating a site for social news aggregation, web content rating, and discussion website.

He compares social media to Reddit:

Feature	Social Media	Reddit
Audience	People you know	Interest based community
Use	Superficial influence	Intentional & real
Purpose	Personal connections, brand promotion, entertainment & news	Information, discussion & community interaction
Privacy	Use real names & share personal information	Remain anonymous to foster honest discussions

Huffman shares that "Reddit is a real space that allows meaningful connections, advice, support and answers".

Talk 2: Now Trending #Authenticity

Amazon, often referred to as "the everything store," has rapidly expanded and innovated, becoming a dominant force across multiple industries. This reputation makes Amazon a magnet for social media influencers, who appreciate the convenience of finding everything they want and need in one place. Influencers frequently express satisfaction with their Amazon purchases on their social media platforms.

The influencer market thrives on content creation and the seamless integration of ads into their videos. Authenticity in brand promotion is crucial, as noted by influencer Alix Earle, who emphasizes the importance of genuine endorsements to maintain trust with their audience.

Talk 3: WORKSHOP | Why Create Campaigns When You Could Create a Company?

"Good is the enemy of great" -Jay Chiat

A creative professional's superpower is not merely "being creative," but being resilient. This workshop provided a hands-on learning experience, challenging us to activate our creative minds. The objective was to brainstorm ideas not just for a company, but to explore the full potential of our imaginations and ideas.

We started by developing a company concept, beginning with thorough research that informed the creation of a brief. This brief then guided our ideation process, leading to a concept we needed to sell. Once the idea was sold, we moved into production. After perfecting the product, we launched it and continuously optimized it, preparing for eventual scaling.

Talk 4: Creatives on the Terrace

Professionals from Edelman and Saatchi & Saatchi discuss tips and lessons they have learned throughout their careers. Some key advice they shared included: be proactive, hack the system, stick to a one page pitch and timing is everything.

In the business world, timing is everything. Allegra introduced Allegra Airways at the peak of wildfire season, making its launch incredibly timely. Allegra Airways is a web-based navigation tool designed to provide real-time routes for walking, running, and biking, prioritizing better air quality. It utilizes live data to suggest alternative paths with lower pollution and pollen levels. This innovative tool uniquely combines data on air pollution and pollen to offer users a healthier and more enjoyable outdoor experience.

Negatviity sees problems, it causes people to fixate on the problem rather than focusing on solutions. Positivity sees solutions, it is important to find positivty in the face of constant rejection.

Talk 5: We Are All Immigrants

Three immigrants shared their journeys to the U.S. and how it has impacted their careers. They discussed the trust issues often faced by Eastern Europeans and how these challenges have led them to take more risks in seeking creative solutions. They are also learning how to integrate new commerce into society, adapting and thriving in their new environment.

Festival Day 2

Talk 1: Why You Can't Put a Price on Purpose

Jay Shetty began his talk with the phrase "Make Wisdom Go Viral," aiming to educate the audience on the importance of purpose in life and the need to remain present with our energy and intentions. He shared compelling statistics to emphasize his points: 66% of respondents would switch to a product from a purpose-driven company, with this number rising to 91% among millennials. Additionally, 80% of individuals express loyalty to brands that help them live a "good life," and 73% of consumers are willing to defend a brand with a purpose if it faces negative discussions.

Each brand has its own MTP:

Massive

Transformational

Purpose

For example, Google's MTP is to organize the world's information. Another example is Airbnb's MTP is to create a world where anyone can belong together.

While Jay Shetty is an informative motivational speaker, he is also a mental health advocate and podcaster. He finished his talk with a meditation to relax our minds and remain present. His lasting words were: "Rejection Is Redirection".

Talk 2: Is the Brand Era Really Dead?

Marcus Collins defines a brand as an identifiable entity that evokes thoughts and feelings about a company, product, or person. The associations we form with brands help us differentiate between them. Brand effects include:

Brand Effects

• Memory aid
• Cognitive shortcut
• Basis for differentiation
• Proxy for quality
• Locus for emotion
• Exchange premium

After defining and identifying brands, Marcus Collins interviews Kory Marchisotto, the Chief Marketing Officer of E.L.F. Beauty. Marchisotto explains that E.L.F.'s brand is embodied by the people behind it. She shares that E.L.F. is a company of the future, created for the present. They have democratized beauty by making their high-quality products accessible to everyone.

Talk 3: How Do We Burst Marketing's Bubble?

"The problem with computers is that they can only give you answers" -Pablo Picasso

I did not love this talk, but I took away some valuable tools: When the CEO asks to see your marketing plan, it needs to be grounded in evidence and measured in financial terms. Synthetic research provides marketers with customer insights on demand and offers a scalable solution. For qualitative research, engage in conversations with AI-generated copies of your customers. For quantitative research, conduct statistically significant surveys.

Talk 4: Finding Creativity in the Everyday

Everyday moments are rich with hidden creative potential. To harness this:

• Identify those everyday moments that matter.
• Determine how your brand fits into these moments.
• Find the magic to make these moments even more meaningful.

Procter & Gamble specializes in a wide range of personal health, consumer health, and hygiene products, organized into segments such as Beauty, Grooming, Health Care, Fabric & Home Care, and Baby, Feminine & Family Care. They emphasize finding creativity in the everyday because, while their products may be "everyday" items, they aim to make them more appealing by highlighting what makes each one special.

For example, in Chinese culture, it can be challenging to express feelings with words. Instead, they show care through actions, like saying, "Wash your hands and eat," emphasizing the protection of home. This everyday act of love was the focus of an ad promoting hand soap, showcasing how even simple products can hold deeper significance.

Talk 5: Changing the Game Around Mental Health

Four athletic professionals—Brandon Marshall, Elliott Pettit, Tammy Hanault, and Tim Ellis—spoke about mental health in the sports world at Stagwell Sport Beach. Before a game, it's crucial for athletes to clear their minds to elevate their performance, focusing on controlling what they can.

So, how do you keep your head in the game and drown out your doubt?

In 2011, Brandon Marshall began sharing his mental health struggles and advocating for the cause. He used his fame to draw attention to this important issue, demonstrating the power of joining a movement and tailoring it to your own needs. It's crucial to speak openly about mental health and work towards normalizing these conversations. Mental fitness has its ups and downs, but it is all part of the journey.

Festival Day 3

Talk 1: How to Unlock Lo-Fi and Power Your Creativity Through Photography

Dentsu Creative emphasizes that photography is not about the equipment, but the vision and essence of creativity. They stress the importance of wandering to let the subject come to you, leading to epiphanies about creative ideas to capture. They introduce the famous photographer Francesca Woodman, who relied on absolute instinct to create her photos using an analog camera and natural light. The concept of lo-fi, with its limited possibilities, is central to this approach

Talk 2: How Do Creativity, Media and Commerce Combine?

Brands must navigate the intricate interplay between creativity, media, and commerce. With commerce increasingly fueling media effectiveness, brands must harness this synergy to maximize their impact. New touchpoints continuously emerge, each offering unique creative opportunities. Despite the diversity of these touchpoints, the common thread remains: to inspire, educate, and engage consumers. By mastering this dynamic landscape, brands can effectively connect with their audience and drive meaningful results.

Talk 3: What a Feeling - The Unreasonable Impact of Emotion

Authenticity is key to helping everyone find their place in the world. For creators, maintaining authenticity means communicating with their audience in their unique, genuine voice. Brands must trust creators and appreciate the distinctiveness of their content. In the ever-evolving landscape of digital media, continuous adaptation and learning are essential. As trends shift and new platforms emerge, staying authentic while adapting ensures lasting connections and relevance in the digital age.

Talk 4: Inside the Jury Room: Entertainment Lions for Music

In the jury room at the Cannes Lions Festival, judges evaluate ads vying for awards. One standout ad, "Black-Owned Friday," highlights Black-owned businesses, products, and brands, demonstrating cultural relevance and context in today's society. The diversity of the jury emphasized the importance of inclusion.

Another winning ad from this jury room was a music video filmed through hidden surveillance cameras. This unique filming method, combined with nostalgic 80s music, resonated with the audience, allowing newer generations to explore past trends. Music has a remarkable ability to evoke memories, moments, and emotions, adding depth to the ad's impact.

Talk 5: The AI Era: Supercharging Marketing and Creativity

The future is not AI, it is AI and us. Google's new AI, Gemini 1.5, introduces enhanced efficiency and performance with a Mixture-of-Experts architecture, making it faster and more effective. A key feature is its expanded context window, capable of processing up to 1 million tokens, allowing for more complex data handling, such as lengthy documents and videos​.

Gemini is integrated across Google's ecosystem, improving products like Search, Photos, and Workspace. For instance, it enables natural language queries in Google Photos and email summarization in Workspace. These advancements demonstrate Gemini's potential to transform user interactions with AI across various platforms​.

Festival Day 4

Talk 1: Freewheel at Comcast

My University of Miami Study Abroad Program had the opportunity to meet with Grail Mortillaro, the Executive Creative Director at Comcast Advertising with Freewheel. FreeWheel, a Comcast company, provides comprehensive ad platforms for publishers, advertisers, and media buyers. They specialize in enabling transactions across all screens, data types, and sales channels, making it easier for buyers and sellers to manage their advertising efforts globally​.

Networking

I had the privilege of spending the day with top advertising professionals, including CEOs, CMOs, Art Directors, and Copywriters from prominent companies. Among the most impressive were GUT, E.L.F. Beauty, and Amazon. Hearing their stories about navigating the advertising industry and achieving their high-level positions was incredibly inspiring. Their accomplishments and future ambitions serve as a powerful motivator for me to continue expanding my network in the advertising industry.

Festival Day 5

Talk 1: Droga5

Former University of Miami students, Cara Cecchini and Mia Rafowitz, graciously shared their post-graduation journeys and current career positions with us. Both began their professional paths as interns at Grey, continuing their collaboration at Droga5, where they complement each other with their skills in Copywriting and Art Direction. They provided insightful answers to our questions on leveraging University of Miami resources to secure valuable internships. Additionally, they connected with us on LinkedIn and shared contacts of influential professionals to aid in our future endeavors.