FILM ADRIAN ROSSI EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR, ABBOTT MEAD VICKERS BBDO
Is Cannes still relevant or is it just a licence to print money? It has certainly changed. This year, it is more corporate than ever. One look at La Croisette and you can see it dominated by the tech companies. There are fewer creatives (and even fewer next year, thanks to Publicis). It is less a festival of creativity now and more a corporate networking event. One of the most significant changes is the explosion of categories (that’s loads more money into the Cannes coffers). Getting a gold 15 years ago in the south of France ordained you as a prince or princess; a Grand Prix and you were a frigging king or queen to be triumphantly carried around the agency on the executive creative director’s shoulders. This year, winning the big prizes is ridiculously difficult. But data (jeez, a creative uttering that word) would suggest it was much, much harder in the past. Every year, there are the beartrap trends that catch people out. Films that fell into this were manifesto mood films masquerading as ads. “Real people” in deep, meaningful situations. Brands tackling social issues became so last year. The winners stood out as they had exceptional craft (remember that oft-forgotten thing?) and, of course, fantastic ideas that created an emotional reaction. Yes, a lot has changed, but the Grand Prix winner, “We’re the superhumans”, would stand shoulder to shoulder with the best of all time. The answer to that first question is yes (just) and yes (buy shares in it).