There is a beautiful and rustic section of Cannes referred to as the “Old Town" that sits on a hill just above the main harbor. The original center of the town, today the name “old” is also appropriate as it contrasts with yet blends effortlessly with the modernization and dynamism that is so evident in the most well-known part of the city, La Croisette. From the impressive Martinez Hotel at one end to the Palais de Festival, home of the Cannes Lions at the other end, this main thoroughfare appears to house as many designer boutiques as New York City’s Fifth Avenue.
Pocket-sized Smart cars and decades old Citroens fly by, trying their best to avoid the young and fashionable perched atop scooters that zip in and out of traffic. La Croisette is European chic at its finest.
But if you find yourself lucky enough to take a stroll through the Old Town, with its maze of cobblestone streets lined with cozy restaurants and quaint shops, it is very easy to forget that you are only steps from a street where it is not out of the ordinary to see a bright orange Lamborghini parked in front of a five-star hotel. These two styles, the simple and the sophisticated, are able to co-exist masterfully and effortlessly within Cannes, and interestingly enough, represent the festival and the work being reviewed within the judging rooms.
In this disparate yet interconnected world that we live in, it is only natural that in the field of marketing communications we see the same range and mix of simple and sophisticated co-existing, both serving their purposes and appealing to clients and consumers for different reasons. While it is certainly difficult to compare the “apples and oranges” of great ideas and innovation across markets, Cannes is absolutely where the simple and the sophisticated come together and rise above the crowd. Whether it is size, strength and sophistication driving a breakthrough solution, or the need for a simple and powerful idea to overcome resource and scale obstacles, both co-exist and stand out at Cannes.
What stands out also, from any and all differences, is the power of an integrated idea, brilliantly executed. There are entries that represent pure media innovation; there are some that are clearly creative driven. There are also entries where it’s not so easy to differentiate between the two – and while the judges may argue about the latter for hours, it’s an enviable position for an entry to be in, because chances are it is a great media idea brought to life through brilliant execution.
These great ideas are also seen throughout every one of the 18 categories. The oldest medium of all, Outdoor, remains as popular and relevant as ever. Internet and New Media continue to grow exponentially as have the multiple target audience categories. Germany remains the country with the most entries, but there has been a great lift in the number received from Asia-Pacific this year. It will be interesting to see what happens in coming years as emerging markets grow in economic and media infrastructure.
Regardless of media outlet or country of origin, the lines between advertising and editorial continue to blur and is evident in much of the work we’ve seen so far. Some markets are much further ahead in breaking these barriers than others, so it is important to recognize that while an idea may appear “groundbreaking” in some markets, it could actually be commonplace within its own. Additionally, as agencies and clients look to differentiate brands, the boundaries of local market regulation and what is allowable by local governance and appropriate are pushed further. On the mind of the judges is “are consumers actually more engaged or offended” as brand integration and the barriers between content and marketing continues to fall. Great media ideas are not intrusions or annoyances; they are able to intersect with consumers at exactly the right moment with exactly the right message, and move imaginations, populations and actions in the process. It is this work that Cannes seeks to celebrate and we look forward to sharing with you soon the festival’s best examples.
Fodor's watch out...I feel like I am actually there...;)
Posted by: Jeff | June 20, 2005 at 03:07 PM