DISPATCH FROM CANNES LIONS INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF CREATIVITY 2016 Table of For creative and business leaders, and everyone in between, Cannes Lions is a glimpse into the rapidly 5 FOREWARD FROM THE FOUNDER Contents approaching future of the media ecosystem.

For those of you who couldn’t attend, MediaLink, in partnership with Zeitguide, has distilled a digest 6 INTRO highlighting insights beyond what appeared in your Twitter feed. AUTHENTICITY RULES ALL To follow, the essential ideas from the 2016 Cannes 8 Lions Festival of Creativity, worthy of the attention of yourself and your colleagues. 10 DARE TO BE DIFFERENT

12 HOLY SHIT. IT STILL REALLY EXISTS.

14 REMASSIFYING MASSES

16 ART-TECH IS THE NEW ADTECH

18 TOY OR TOOL?

20 AC: ARTIFICIAL “CREATIVITY”

22 THE BREXIT BUZZKILL

24 CREATIVITY & THE BOTTOM LINE

27 IN CLOSING 5

FOREWARD FROM THE FOUNDER

Cannes Lions has long represented both the “meeting of the minds” of the industry’s A-team, as well as the confluence of people, ideas, functions and disciplines critical to the success of our work. But to me, most clear this year was that communication and collaboration are critical to a fruitful future, both for our industry and our world. Today, it is apparent that we are all at a pivotal tipping point in recognizing this fact. The Circuit, powered by ZEITGUIDE, will distill this notion and and other key themes discussed along the Croisette during Cannes Lions.

With that, we bring you The Circuit. I hope you enjoy, and in the spirit of openness, share the information, stories and tools found within with your colleagues and friends.

All good,

Michael E. Kassan Chairman & CEO, MediaLink The Circuit: 6 Dispatch from Cannes 7

INTRO

The advertising business has arrived at an inflection Creativity, long the antidote to stagnation, is now what point. will propel us through disruption.

Blurred lines between content and advertising, ad block- It isn’t simply about a beautiful print ad or emotional com- ing, and the ANA report are just some of the challenges mercial any more. It’s about crafting new solutions for the confronting the industry this year. And as it tilts further whole industry, about pioneering content for new devices toward digital each day, Facebook and Google are still and platforms and directly to the right consumer. capturing 64% of the $59.6 billion of annual digital ad revenue. This second edition of MediaLink’s The Circuit, powered by ZEITGUIDE, distills several key themes from across Much has changed since the industry celebrated in 1954, the festival, the zeitgeist of the industry, if you will. With when the first Lion trophy went to Chlorodont toothpaste this digest, complete with suggestions on concepts to for its three-minute cinema spot. Today the Cannes Lions take back to your colleagues and associates, we hope to ecosystem has spread its reach — even this year to inspire you to keep the Cannes conversations going. include a new entertainment stage. Enjoy. And as we always say at ZEITGUIDE… “First it was the creatives, then media execs, then digital advertisers, then the clients, then tech companies,” said Keep Learning, MediaLink Chairman and CEO Michael E. Kassan, who partnered with us to tell the Cannes Lions 2016 story. Brad Grossman “Now entertainment is completing the loop.” Founder/CEO, ZEITGUIDE

The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity was a perfect event to connect that circuit, to explore the con- vergence of content, technology, and branding. “Cannes presents a chance to explore where our industry needs to be headed. We bring all these creative forces together, spot the issues, ignite discussions, and bring clarity to them — and then we can start to solve them together.” One thing was clear after a week at Cannes Lions: any lasting solutions depend on returning to the premise that the festival started with 62 years ago: Creativity. The Circuit: 8 Dispatch from Cannes

the brand message — as opposed to message that served the brand product.”

As examples, she point- AUTHENTICITY ed to two award-winning RULES ALL campaigns. First, Airbnb’s collaboration with the Art Institute of Chicago, in which they took a famous painting Vincent Van Gogh did of his bedroom in Arles tion of what that emotional today’s consumers, “They — and re-created it down connection means to can smell a rat.” to the brushstroke to offer the consumer.” Likewise, as a nightly rental on Airb- Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Much of the authenticity conversation was also nb. Another example: REI’s Wintour sees authenticity Gayle Troberman #OptOutside campaign, a closely tied to humanity, about delivery — that is, push to spend Black Friday citing as an example the not beating people over outdoors — where their “Authenticity” went from “raw, unfiltered, and very the head with a message. consumers truly want to THE TAKEBACK buzzword to point of de- human” comedy of Amy Consumers are savvy. Sub- be — not at the mall. REI bate at Cannes Lions this Schumer, whom she put on tlety is key. As Mike McA- shut down all its stores on Authentic Advertising? the Cyber Lion short-list- year. What exactly does it the cover of her July issue. voy, CEO of satiric news that day. Perhaps an oxymoron. ed Ritz Cracker Cutter, we mean — especially in the site The Onion, explained iHeartRadio CMO Gayle in a Univision panel at But fewer and fewer express our usefulness context of advertising? We “When you can take an ac- Troberman, suggested MediaLink headquarters, “If things can be marketed by being useful, our par- caught a lot of definitions tion and show people rath- radio is the “most authentic you try to shove a message with nothing but flash ty-worthiness by bringing flying around, each offering er than just telling them, content,” which has helped down someone’s throat, and sizzle today. Shop- something to the party. a unique insight. it can be really powerful,” its growth. “It’s live, it’s they won’t read it, they pers are far too educated said Ben Steele, REI’s chief “Authentic Advertising” is Marc Mathieu, CMO of messy, it’s real, it’s human,” won’t share, and you won’t and have access to too creative officer. And it’s the creating content that has Samsung, found authentici- she said. achieve your results.” many choices to be told real, authentic deal. a utility for the consumer. ty in truth. “Marketing used what to buy. And that means brands to be creating a myth and Ryan Seacrest noted what But perhaps CMO Dee What the whole conver- have to work harder to telling it. Now it is about can easily come across Salomon of MediaLink con- sation about authenticity program themselves into finding a truth and sharing as inauthentic — namely, nected the conversation celebrity-brand relation- to one big picture insight. “ suggests is that, stage- consumers’ lives. it. In product truth, in brand ships. He said it’s hard to Marketing is at its most It’s live, by-stage, the gap is truth, in corporate truth.” But when it works, there’s pitch things on the radio if authentic, she said, when closing between product it’s messy, it’s real, nothing like it. As Kevin For Linda Yaccarino, chair- he doesn’t have a con- it’s not a sales pitch at all, and message. Those it’s human. Plank, CEO of Under Ar- man of advertising sales nection to the product. It but a product or experi- things are becoming one mour said, “For anything and client partnerships at has to be natural, he said. ence with the brand: “Much ” of the same. Whether it’s great, authenticity rules NBCUniversal, authenticity Or as MediaLink COO of the so-called advertising building a better banking app or something fun like all.” grows out of emotion and Wenda Harris Millard said at the festival was actual- Gayle Troberman “the knowledge and activa- in another session about ly a product that served CMO, iHeartRadio

Van Gogh’s Bedroom, Airbnb & The Art Institute of Chicago The Circuit: 10 Dispatch from Cannes

recounted his company’s something hugely first daring advertisement successful.” Anna Wintour in ESPN magazine. It fea- tured a strange but alluring What’s the next big, bold DARE TO BE image of a muscular man play? One word, says B. sporting a Darth Vader– Bonin Bough, chief media DIFFERENT like helmet. It brought in and e-commerce officer $800,000 in sales within of Mondelez International. three weeks, when the Messaging. company earned only “No one is talking about $1.3 million the entire year messaging in Cannes,” he before. explained to us. “But I can You might strike out guarantee you that it’s go- now and again, Airbnb ing to explode.” His book, co-founder Brian Chesky which he bravely placed noted, but you should still at all corners of Cannes, swing for the fences. is about “what creativity THE TAKEBACK The executives, entrepre- and analysis that show the is going to look like when neurs, and celebrities pop- impact of daring creative “You’re going to need to brands can send a text ulating the Palais this year work. take some big leaps, and direct to consumer.” Think like an entrepreneur all seemed to be singing oftentimes it’s not going to with a mindset that is as disruptive as the start-up Who knows if Bough’s got from the same songbook: Examples cited by celebri- work,” Chesky said. “But it that wants to put you out of business. That is the it right? But as we learned Be brave, be bold, take ties and entrepreneurs also doesn’t matter how many only way to stand out today. this year at Cannes, brands risks. should reassure creatives times you fail. It matters that being bold is worth how many times you make that tread boldly are the “Dare to be different,” the risk — and can really ones that carve new paths Don’t be afraid to loosen your grip. explained Vogue editor- pay off. to reach consumers. And in-chief and Conde Nast the reward will almost More often than not, leading with the brand will not creative director Anna Amy Emmerich, Refinery always outweigh the risk. play with audiences today. Consumer brands have Wintour in her speech. 29’s chief content officer, to trust influencers and celebrities to do what they insisted on staging its 10th want to do. If you team up with bold personalities, “Fearlessness is really a anniversary installation you can’t always control the message. choice — it’s a practice that during Fashion Week — in “Fearlessness is you need to work on,” not- Brooklyn. That is to say, really a choice ed Gwyneth Paltrow later. five miles from the central It doesn’t cost any more to be bold. Fashion Week venues in — it’s a practice Granted, exactly no one Manhattan. It was such a that you need to During the MediaLink Daily Dose Panel on Celebrity has ever suggested that success that people waited work on.” in the Digital Age, Goop CEO Lisa Gersh noted that timidity is a smart move in line for three and a half in the digital world, distributing content is cheap. If it in advertising. But newly hours to see it. Gwyneth Paltrow doesn’t catch fire, so what? Try something else bold available tools enable us to Founder & CCO, Goop at low cost and fast. take much bolder steps as At the Palais, Under Gwyneth Paltrow we amass data, evidence, Armour CEO Kevin Plank

Images: Richard Bond, Getty Images The Circuit: 12 Dispatch from Cannes 13

company Bayer. Ad consul- tant and speaker Cindy Gal- THE TAKEBACK lop, tweeted, “Don’t use this to sell aspirin, male-domi- Equality is vital for everyone, not just women, and Linda Yaccarino HOLY SHIT. nated ad industry, & don’t the issue has to be tackled from both the corporate award it, male-dominated and content angle. Here are five insights we IT STILL REALLY juries.” Cannes Lion jury did gleaned from all the conversation and action: EXISTS. give it a Bronze, but Bayer pulled the ad from use. 1. Diversity — of all kinds — is good for business. We learn generally two objectification of women, Without it, creative agencies risk creating tone- Women make up the ways: formally, like during and what came up was deaf content that won’t connect with fast-evolving majority of consumers and a class or panel discussion; advertising,” she said. Her attitudes and values. of ad viewers — and yet and informally, like when own agency pledged to not they are scarcely given stuff hits the fan in the real create sexist ads, and she Gina Hadley 2. Archaic racial, cultural, and gender norms speaking roles in ads, Kim world. launched #WomenNotOb- don’t sell. Such worldviews will be overrun in a Getty, president of the Los jects to encourage others world that is increasingly becoming more diverse Angeles office of Deutsch, challenged the audience On women and advertising, to take the conversation to and progressive. Expand your vision of what it said during her keynote to purge outdated gender Cannes Lions offered both social media. means today to be man, women, or trans. We types of lessons. This knotty speech. norms: “Let’s ask ourselves found the Gold winner of Film, “High School Girls,” problem ties up the objec- She pushed back against when we’re looking at work, from Shiseido Japan as an example that strives to She used both Under Armor tification of women in ads, the “sex sells” mantra. Her does this capture the world illustrate a fluidity between genders. and Nike as examples of assumptions about women firm conducted a consumer as it is today, or are we companies that increased as a market, and workplace survey of 2,700 people with using dated references?” business and revenue 3. Collaboration, mentorship, and inclusiveness issues — all of which came The Girls Lounge, which are essential to equalizing the playing field. dramatically by embracing The underlying problem, of up one way or another had a major presence at the women’s market. Getty course, is gender equality during the festival. Cannes Lions; it found that 4. Encourage an environment of flexibility. across the ad industry. ads objectifying women Gina Hadley and Jenny Galluzzo co-founders of Despite the fact that women So first, the formal lesson: were, she said, “disastrous the talent-matching firm The Second Shift, told us make up 46.4% of the Madonna Badger, co-found- to brand reputation and that “many talented women leave their professional advertising industry, only er of the agency Badger & extremely damaging to careers when they become mothers, but they would 11% of creative directors Winters, gave one of the purchase intent.” remain if companies had more flexible policies that are female, according to most discussed talks at the would enable more work-life balance.” Cannes Lions, “Sex, Lies, Meantime, this real-world a recent survey by the 3% situation was blowing up: Conference. At one talk and Advertising.” 5. We also have to expand the gender A Brazilian billboard ad for sponsored by The Girls’ conversation to include masculinity and how men Badger’s three daughters Aspirin reading “Don’t worry Lounge, NBCUniversal are restricted by societal expectations of economic, were killed in a house fire in babe, I’m not filming this. chairman of ad sales Linda physical, and sexual dominance. “Advertisers should 2011. After that tragedy, she mov” drew ire in news pag- Yaccarino said the glass represent men as they really are. Not as some said, she returned to work es and social media. The ad ceiling is still an obvious construction of what they think they should be,” said only to confront another was called tasteless at best problem. “In a board room sociologist Michael Kimmel on one panel. “It’s not grave danger to young and promoting rape culture or meeting, I look around about women versus men; it’s about being human.” women: toxic, often misog- at worst — either way, not Monica Badger the room and say, ‘Holy shit. ynistic ads. “We Googled good for healthcare product It still really exists.’”

Image: Dominique Charriau, Getty Images (opposite page) The Circuit: 14 Dispatch from Cannes

That’s one reason why you see media giants scooping up smaller digital players. Univision, which Fusion is a REMASSIFYING part of, bought comedy site The Onion, the pop culture MASSES site The A.V. Club, and the news site The Root, so it has verticals that reach multiple interests and pas- sion points. Vox has eight editorial brands ranging from the sports-fan site SB Nation to foodie blog Eater. VICE Media now has VICE trailer for a Shakespeare Boris Gartner, COO of Keith Weed Sports, Noisey, Mother- update. Working with a re- Fusion Media Group, sug- board, Broadly, MUNCH- search firm, Brazilian digital gested during a breakfast IES, Thump, and its new agency CUBOCC segment- conversation that millen- THE TAKEBACK cable television channel ed viewers into clusters nials often get this gener- “We have gone from mass VICELAND. — Artsy, Fresh, Naturals, alized treatment. Even the marketing to mass custom- When advertisers go out moms — these are all and Roots — based on term “millennial” is overly ization,” said Keith Weed, The goal here isn’t simply to media companies, they now sub-niched by the musical tastes, brands they broad. “In reality, [millen- Unilever’s chief marketing to piece together the should no longer say they media companies into identified with, and other nials] live in a diaspora of and communications offi- equivalent of one big TV want to reach millenni- distant verticals. If a brand consumption habits. Half cultural identities, languag- cer during a talk titled “The audience. It connects con- als or any other general wants to reach a broader the video’s scenes were es, values, attitudes, and Future of Brands.” text to audiences, allowing demographic. demographic, they’ll need varied for each user group behaviors,” he explained. brands to target passionate to create multiple distinct MediaLink’s COO Wenda Thanks to ad technolo- — but further, there were audiences with greater ads that fit on sites or Harris Millard had a great gy, marketers can now 25,000 iterations of each Gartner also said the same precision in both the mes- channels dedicated to term for what needs to slice and dice nearly any group. Nearly everyone goes for marketing to sage and its delivery. comedy, food, tech, happen: demographic into niches who watched the video got Latinos. “We can’t put all music, etc. of their liking. As Weed a different version. Hispanics in one bucket. Re-massification. Think about how to lever- explained, that has made You can’t reach multicultur- age data to identify the the CMO’s job less global What Weed was also al as one bucket. You need “ The media landscape has nuances in markets that visionary and more about suggesting with this ex- to understand the cultural It’s disingenuous shattered. The days of us- are true differentiators. “understanding individuals ample is that the laser-like nuances of their tastes, at- to stereotype ing the same ad on every Not all millennial moms in each and every place precision of ad tech means titudes, and experiences.” channel — the “spray and audiences. are the same. Recognize around the world.” marketers can no longer pray” approach, Millard get away with treating their Divide and connect is ” called it — are over. what makes your custom- As an example of what’s market like a homogenous a great theory — but of er an individual, and lean possible, Weed pointed whole. “It’s disingenuous course you need content Get Xers, millennials, into their diversity. Keith Weed Latinos, professional to Axe’s “Romeo Reboot,” to stereotype audiences,” tailored to reach the grow- Unilever, Chief Marketing which looked like a movie explained Weed. ing number of buckets. & Communications Officer

Images: Marc Piasecki, Getty Images (left), Romeo Reboot, Axe & CUBOCC (right) The Circuit: 16 Dispatch from Cannes 17

“You can’t do an algorithm for ART TECH content. Without ‘gut’ being part of IS THE NEW it, it won’t work.”

AD TECH Leslie Moonves Leslie Moonves & Michael E. Kassan CEO, CBS tive, offering automated “If you really want to get placement in front of the consumer’s attention, Or, as Weinberg put it, they pinpointed consumers you have to come up with mess up the system. THE TAKEBACK across platforms. But all something that’s differ- that hasn’t always trans- ent, unique, and evokes Artists, unlike algorithms, Three years ago, WPP lated into greater impact. curiosity,” noted Kargman. also make mistakes — and CEO Martin Sorrell Without creativity and “If not, you are going to get can recognize when that famously said that “mad great content, all that data tuned out.” mistake has resulted in men must be math men.” something awesome. As is useless, said David Sa- With ad technology and Adam Weinberg, director he said: “There’s no algo- Mike Pallad ble, CEO of Y&R, during the consumer data wide- of the Whitney Museum rithm for cool. No algorithm Bloomberg Panel. ly available, however, of American Art, speaking for beautiful.” Ad technology companies that playing field is now have been the big dogs — Harry Kargman, Found- with Flipboard CEO Mike CBS CEO Leslie Moonves leveling out. It may be or, more accurately, the big er and CEO of mobile McCue in a session on further beat the drum on time to close the calculus yachts — at Cannes Lions brand ad platform Kargo, the art of curation, had an the value of human insight book and get back to our or the last three years. But obviously appreciates interesting spin on what over data analysis. In the creative roots. The theme in 2016, even ad tech firms the value of ad tech. But tech is good at — and what TV business, he said, the echoing throughout started to concede that the even he agreed that in it’s not. numbers get you only so Cannes this year was ads industry might need more the practice of targeting consumers “the idea be- “Silicon Valley thinks of al- far in choosing what kinds still need a human touch art and less algorithm. Mike McCue hind the message is often gorithms as the big heroes of shows viewers will fall in to gauge the cultural “We’ve overcorrected an afterthought — not the … but they’re not,” Wein- love with. pulse and connect au- in the area of data and core to the solution.” He berg continued. “They’re thentically with consum- “You can’t do an algorithm ers. targeting and forgot about told us that we need to a tool for the curator, but “ creative messaging,” Mike merge creative and design ultimately it’s the person for content,” said Moonves There’s no Then, all three things — Pallad, chief revenue elements into digital ads, who makes the decision.” during the opening session of the two-day Lions Enter- algorithm for cool. consumer data, ad tech, officer at ad tech company what he calls “art tech.” and creativity — can Undertone, said at one of A computer program tainment event. “Without No algorithm for Translation: Kill those bor- analyzes the current reality ‘gut’ being part of it, it work together to deliver MediaLink’s Daily Dose beautiful. targeted, game-chang- sessions. ing mobile banner ads that and reduces friction in the won’t work. Don’t tell me you know people scroll system. Artists, on the to just look at data and put ” ing, attention-grabbing content. Data and tech services right past. Especially if they other hand, deliberately that on air. That will put me Adam Weinberg have been awfully seduc- all look exactly the same. disrupt the current reality. out of business.” Director, Whitney Museum of Art

Van Gogh’s Bedroom, Airbnb & The Art Institute of Chicago The Circuit: 18 Dispatch from Cannes 19

Some dealerships have a VR showroom in which car shoppers can walk around the virtual car, open the TOY OR trunk, and peek under the hood. Volvo and Lexus are TOOL? experimenting with virtual test drives. Grand Prix in both Enter- not an evolution of video Still, VR is in public beta tainment and Mobile for games — it’s a completely mode. Does anyone really the work, the first-time win new medium and it’s about want to sit on a sofa and ever for a publisher. Why? experience,” said Chris wear a helmet to expe- As Lions Entertainment jury Milk, CEO of Within. “We’ve rience media? It makes THE TAKEBACK president Jae Goodman, never told stories like this plenty of people dizzy. It’s chief creative officer and before.” also expensive. co-head of CAA Marketing, The storytelling potential But where VR might create of virtual reality is unprec- explained “The creation of Paul Audino of digital ad Chris Milk value for brands and edented and could break the NYT VR app—that in firm Undertone conceded consumers is in its ability to new ground in how we Dozens of companies at and of itself catapults The to us that it’ll take some enhance and even reinvent connect with audiences Cannes made the pitch this New York Times, known as time to know if VR will the customer experience. and consumers alike. year that virtual reality is no the Grey Lady, in our opin- really be embraced by the But will it be adopted by longer just fad. But what is ion 100 years forward.” masses. “There is some- Home improvement retailer the general public on a it then? thing there,” he said. “We VRSE.works was also Lowe’s, for instance, has level of Xboxes or mobile just need to wait for the To hear everyone talk, behind The Source, about a VR “Holoroom,” where phones? The jury is still novelty to wear off.” it’s simply the future. Of an Ethiopian girl who remodelers can put on out. Affordability and everything. has to walk miles daily to an Oculus Rift headset to Charlie Melcher, founder of Paul Andino accessibility remain major design and visualize their retrieve drinkable water. the Future of Storytelling, hurdles. For storytellers, it’s a me- ideal kitchen or bathroom. Made in collaboration believes virtual reality will dium that is incomparably Their VR program allows with Samsung, the film truly take hold once we Right now, well-devel- immersive and compelling. shoppers to compare was to encourage support can share experiences with oped VR campaigns are When smartly executed, VR specific tile or paint and for Charity: Water — a others within the same proving to be a potent has an ability to generate see how they would look nonprofit that brings safe virtual space. Think Face- way to make a statement. empathy that is beyond together in a new room. and clean drinking water book or Instagram with But keep your finger on other forms of video. The “ to developing nations. It VR goggles. At this stage, the pulse of VR devel- Displaced, for instance, a Audi is using VR as a way worked. Charity: Water Melcher told us, it’s still like We’ve never opments in the coming documentary produced for car buyers to customize surpassed their fundraising “the beginning of cinema, told stories like years and imagine how it by The New York Times and view the car of their goal for the night with one when we just had cameras might, long term, benefit and VRSE.works, captured dreams. With the VR head- this before. donor committing as much recording live plays with no clients, consumers, and the lives of children who set, consumers can modify as $300,000. sound.” ” brands after the gee-whiz are refugees from war — the car, from changing the factor has faded. through their eyes. The “Virtual reality isn’t the color on command to add- Chris Milk New York Times won the evolution of cinema, it’s ing any options package. CEO, Within

Image: Charity: Water (top) 20 The Circuit: Dispatch from Cannes 21

judgment of an individual,” That said, AI-driven en- Mark Holden, strategy and tries at Cannes Lions are planning director at PHD expected to multiply. “I’m “It shows that Worldwide, assured the sure we will be seeing where there is AC: ARTIFICIAL audience. more and more machine creativity in learning projects over the working with “CREATIVITY” Alphabet CEO Eric Schmidt next few years,” noted and Wired magazine Innovations Lions jury Pres- data, you can founder Kevin Kelly also ident Emad Tahtouh. “This achieve almost downplayed general fears is the future of what we are anything.” of AI. Yes, AI will revolution- going to be seeing.” ize the advertising industry, Tash Whitmey One guest at Cannes Lions If some creatives at helped it take home the they said, but in good ways CEO, Havas Helia seemed to be everywhere. Cannes Lions wondered Grand Prix in the Cyber that create new jobs. Producing magazine if the end was nigh, they Lions category and in the articles. Directing videos. weren’t comforted by Creative Data Lions cate- Suggesting cocktails at the recent news that ad gory. Google DeepMind’s THE TAKEBACK parties. Predicting award agency McCann Japan had AlphaGo won the Grand winners. “hired” an AI creative direc- Prix in Innovation for build- These are the early days of artificial intelligence — or tor. Meanwhile, Saatchi & ing a computer that beat what Watson’s boss, IBM CEO Ginni Rometty, calls His name? Watson. Saatchi showcased a music the world’s best player at “cognitive computing.” It’s hard to imagine, or accept, that the human creative touch could be processed on It wasn’t entirely clear, video that was created by Go — a complex game that Eric Schmidt a silicon chip. however, how popular an artificial intelligence requires more “human” crew including IBM’s Wat- intuition than chess. IBM’s ubiquitous guest But as Rometty famously said at the Code Conference son, Microsoft’s chatbot was. He’d been trotted in May, “If it’s digital, it will be cognitive.” And advertis- Ms. Rinna, Affectiva’s facial “It shows that where there out, after all, to show how ing and creativity are already digital. supercomputers aren’t recognition software, cus- is creativity in working just analytical, but can be tom neural art technology, with data, you can achieve AI shouldn’t be feared, but rather embraced and used creative. and EEG data. almost anything,” noted to inform decisions and enhance creativity. Any trans- Tash Whitmey, CEO of formative technology will remake the job landscape, We first spotted our AI The rise of the creative data-driven marketing firm but fear doesn’t stop the revolution. friend at IBM’s Girls’ machines didn’t stop there. Havas Helia. Lounge party, where he was suggesting our drink ING Bank’s project The The rise of artificial intelli- of choice by synthesizing Next Rembrandt used gence led one panel made our social media profiles. facial recognition software up of marketers and tech Kevin Kelly As “guest editor” for a and a machine learning professionals to ponder special issue of The Drum algorithm to analyze whether the job of creative magazine, Watson an- hundreds of Rembrandt director will soon beau- swered ad industry ques- portraits and then used a tomated out of existence. tions based on published 3D printer to generate a No time soon, seemed insights from the late David new painting in his style. to be the conclusion. “AI Ogilvy. The convincing result won’t replace the creative The Circuit: 22 Dispatch from Cannes 23

our agencies in the UK and Europe as they help “The U.K. is a our clients to navigate the changes in the market- key market to our THE BREXIT place.” clients and our own company, and BUZZKILL Interpublic Group CEO Michael Roth kept a con- together we’ll find fident outlook, noting the footing in this importance of changing “The resulting uncertainty, same time, he said, Brexit new world.” with the times. which will be considerable, “underlines the importance Michael Roth will obviously slow decision of implementing WPP’s “The decision will lead CEO, Interpublic Group making and deter activity,” strategy of fast-growth to market volatility in the said Sir Martin Sorrell, CEO markets [BRICs and Next 11 short term, no question,” of WPP. “This is not good countries], digital, data, and said Roth. “But the UK is a news, to say the least.” horizontality.” key market to our clients What can agencies do in When major political and and our own company, and the face of such uncertain- economic shifts like Brexit together we’ll find footing ty? Prepare for the next occur, companies need to in this new world.” disruption, because it’s be nimble — but stay on inevitable. course. They’ll have a lot THE TAKEBACK A black swan landed in to deal with internally, but Cannes this year. Its name In an interview from they also need to view the was Brexit. Cannes, Sorrell pointed out situation through the eyes Brexit was an undeni- complex, and ambiguous. a source of discontent, that Britain-based WPP has of their clients. able buzzkill. Europeans Disruptions keep arriving, not economic prosperi- Advertisers awoke June 24 a huge amount at stake worried about their jobs it seems, faster and faster. ty. Marketers would be to the shocking news that in any UK-EU split: four of Omnicom CEO John Wren in London. British firms wise to pay attention to Britain, Europe’s largest their top 10 markets are emphasized that aspect fretted about losing out Unexpected events will how they communicate advertising market, had western Europe. WPP will after the Brexit vote. “Our in key markets. The stock shake up all our best-laid with consumers in such voted to exit the European have to expand its pres- focus during this initial markets were roiling. plans and sometimes a divisive environment. Union, leaving agencies ence on the continent to period of uncertainty will even rattle our well-con- Boris Johnson’s “Take wondering what’s going stay effective there. At the be on working closely with As business leaders and sidered strategies. There Back Control” campaign to happen to their clients, marketers, what can we is no VUCA operating clearly resonated with revenue, employees, and learn from this? template, save building this audience, as Donald Sir Martin Sorrell resilience and adaptability investments. Stock prices For one, Brexit was a big Trump’s tagline, “Make for Europe’s advertising into your people, struc- America Great Again,” fat reminder that we live ture, and workflow. companies fell. UK-based in a VUCA world these does in the US. WPP’s share price dropped days. VUCA, you may Brexit also revealed just 4.1% Friday, while France- know, is a military acro- how sizable a group based Publicis Groupe and nym for volatile, uncertain, regards globalization as Havas fell 5% and 2.8%, respectively.

Image: Francois G. Durand, Getty Images (opposite page) The Circuit: 24 Dispatch from Cannes 25

company in an apparel THE TAKEBACK company — and indeed “ has spent $710 million buy- Creativity is ing companies that make recognized by the Creativity has a purpose CREATIVITY & tech gadgets, apps, and fit- marketplace and beyond ads that win ness wearables. Likewise, Cannes Lions. rewarded by the THE BOTTOM LINE UA has an unconventional Creativity is essential approach to choosing marketplace. for every function of brand ambassadors, look- ” a businesses to win ing for attitude first and Paul Sweeney today. As Crispin Porter knowing name recognition as patents awarded, R&D services firms, investors Director of Research, and Bogusky’s UK would follow. Think Steph investment, CEO mentions picked MasterCard out Bloomberg Intelligence and Interntaional CEO Curry and Bryce Harper. of creativity, and media as the winner. Why? Its Richard Pindar wrote in The result of these out-of- attention and awards. transaction growth rate is a piece distributed at the-box moves? A stag- Then, they examined the three times that of global the Festival, ‘Creativity gering 57% compounded financials (revenue growth, consumer spending. Mas- is the Cure:’ profit growth, return on terCard also has invested annual growth rate over equity, and stock price) of heavily in the future of the last five years. “Creativity is elusive. 46 companies that scored electronic payments and So how can creativity Taco Bell The central idea rooting high on this creativity holds 25 patents in that be nurtured within a Taco Bell churns out some all of Cannes Lions is that index, comparing their per- area. But Kelley and Swee- company? A leader new product every five creativity is essential to all formance to overall market ney also noted Master- with a vision and the days: Chicken Quesaritos. aspects of business, but and industry averages. Card’s 30-year relationship ability to communicate Dorito taco shells. Quesalu- just how much do busi- with ad agency McCann it. A culture that values Good news. “Creativity is pa. Cheesy Gordita Crunch. ness people care about and its core “priceless” risk taking and cham- recognized by the market- Since taking over as CMO creativity? ad campaign. “In a world pions ideas from all place and rewarded by the five years ago, now-CEO where you see [clients corners. It must spot To help answer that ques- marketplace,” Sweeney Brian Niccol took a $1 changing] agencies … all new relationships and tion, Bloomberg Media announced. million digital marketing too frequently is a relation- preserve ones that debuted its Creativity budget and made it $70 ship of longevity, which we still have value. It must Index, which applied some Here are three interesting million. He implemented an think has contributed to make bold decisions old-fashioned number high scorers and what innovation hub for external the creative success of that and investments. It must crunching to figure out if they’ve done to stay inno- entrepreneurs called Sand- organization.” be organized in such a creativity has dollars-and- vative. box. And the company has way that it can respond cents value to a company. MasterCard Under Armour invested heavily in growth quickly to change. It markets in Asia. So even Paul Sweeney, director of In five years, MasterCard’s On their creative compa- must inspire.” though fast food is a brutal research at Bloomberg In- stock rose an average of ny scores, Under Amour business, Yum! Brands — In other words, today, telligence, and Jacki Kelley, 27%, while revenue, net came in second only to Taco Bell’s parent company every business needs COO of Bloomberg Media, income, and ROE invest- Facebook, which is saying — is seeing a 107% return to be as creative as a crafted a list of criteria ment have all outpaced something. CEO Kevin on equity. creative agency. for “creative companies” the overall market. In a Plank has infused the soul that included such things crowded field of financial of a rapid-iteration tech 27

IN CLOSING

Right now — at this moment, in this industry — the questions we heard at Cannes Lions were about how to create authentic work and how to unearth the authenticity of consumers; about how to be fearless when the industry is untethering from its past; how to learn to love machines that learn; and finally, how we should remake our partnerships with clients, customers, and coworkers.

One thing we might add to that list: what business are we really in?

The terms “advertising” and “marketing” seem to be irrelevant today. With media executives, tech start-ups, and luminaries from Hollywood, sports, and fashion joining the festivities, perhaps Cannes Lions should represent a new type of business.

Perhaps we should call it the “consumer attention” or “consumer experience” business. That feels closer to what we must accomplish: create a meaningful connection with consumers who have little time and much to choose from.

How will we do it? As the signs posted all over the Palais reminded us: Thank you, Creativity.

Until we “Cannes” again next year …