As the official Aotearoa representative for Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, the Commercial Communications Council takes us behind the scenes of this year’s event for coverage that promises to deliver captivating stories straight from the heart of the happenings. James Wotton brings us the highlights.
Day one of the 70th annual Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity has kicked off, and New Zealand is already leaving its mark on the global stage.
After a long flight and some much-needed rest to combat jet lag, it was time to dive into what can only be described as the Coachella for advertising professionals. The sheer magnitude of the festival is best experienced firsthand as it sprawls across the grand Palais (known for hosting the Cannes Film Festival), super yachts in the harbour, and stretches for over a kilometre of beach. Brands and agencies have set up shop, showcasing the latest innovations in advertising and tech.
Arriving early, I took the opportunity to explore the expansive campus. The bustling atmosphere was evident, with countless staff members scurrying around, emphasising that nothing starts until 9am. So, armed with a coffee, I took a head start in planning my schedule for the day. However, it quickly became apparent that attending all ten talks I had hoped to see would be near impossible.
So,I spent the morning down at the beaches where brands like Pinterest, Spotify, and Meta had built incredible brand experiences. Pinterest stood out, offering the chance to create your own bubble tea, customise Pinterest merchandise, or even get custom tooth gems (which I have yet to try).
Finally, I made it to my first talk after waiting in line for an hour to see Emma Chamberlain, only to be turned away due to capacity constraints. The talk was from Richard Dickson, Mattel President, and Chief Operating Officer. He talked about the history of Barbie and how the brand rebounded from a record revenue loss in 2014 through perpetual reinvention. Dickson’s candid account showcased the transformative power of intentional creation, the bold moves that revived Barbie, and the exciting path ahead for the world’s number one doll brand (there is even a barbie album coming out later this year).
The second talk I attended focused on Ad Net Zero—an initiative familiar to many ahead of its launch in New Zealand this August. The session explored a new paper from Oxford University’s Saïd Business School, which delved into measuring and monitoring advertising’s carbon footprint. The paper also highlighted the potential for aligning sustainable practices with commercial success—a vital step towards creating a future that is both economically and environmentally sustainable while leveraging resources responsibly and efficiently.
The first of the Young Lions briefings also took place for our print category team, Lauren and Matt, who will spend tomorrow tirelessly working away responding to their brief in hopes of taking home some metal.
For many Kiwis, the highlight of the day centered around the awards ceremony. Each evening from various accolades are announced, tonight’s included the Pharma Lions, Health & Wellness Lions, Print & Publishing Lions, Outdoor Lions, and Radio & Audio Lions. New Zealand had 11 shortlisted entries this evening, including Partners Life and Special Group’s “Last Performance” in Health & Wellness, Fire & Emergency and Motion Sickness’s “You’re Cooked” in Print & Publishing, and Colenso and Skinny’s work, which garnered multiple nominations in the Outdoor and Radio & Audio categories. On the first night, New Zealand celebrated two Grand Prix awards: Special and Partners Life for “Last Performance” in Health & Wellness, and Colenso and Skinny for “Phone it In” in Radio & Audio. Colenso also received a silver award in the Outdoor category.
There was every reason to rejoice and raise a glass to New Zealand’s success on the world stage so that’s what we did (but not too much as we have to get up and do it all again tomorrow).
For more stories out of Cannes click here.
