Byron Fish’s Post

Enter the Lions' den 🦁 Last week was the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, the largest gathering for those who work in creative communications, advertising and related industries. The week-long event celebrated the best in advertising with the Lions awards and educated attendees with talks on industry trends. Some of the key branding takeaways: 🤖 AI is here to stay Artificial intelligence and its impact on the industry was heavily discussed with many brand activations at the festival involving the usage of AI. While some talked about the capabilities that allowed for better work, others talked about the pitfalls such as the lack of diversity in AI-generated images. 🤝 The business case for inclusivity Due to diversity fatigue and culture wars, many companies have begun defunding their diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. However, one panel at the festival highlighted the commercial benefits of more progressive advertising, citing it helps brands sell more and retain customers. ⚖️ Brands can’t shy away from politics Sessions highlighted the importance of brands getting involved in politics. According to Research Live, 60% of consumers buy brands based on their politics. 🎨 The power of the creator economy This year was the first time the festival included a Creator Pass, an initiative designed specifically for content creators to learn about the advertising industry. Simon Cook, the CEO of Lions, acknowledged the major contributions influencers have had in advertising and the potential growth of the creator economy. Creators with a real connection to their audience are who brands should be partnering with, not necessarily the biggest names. 🏎️ Embrace the now The “Coors Lights Out” ad campaign, born from a pure accident that went viral, was a Lions Award winner. Shohei Ohtani, a baseball player, damaged a billboard featuring a Coors Light ad with a foul ball, and within 48 hours, Coors responded with a special edition can that replicated the damaged ad. Brands should be moving fast to capitalize on what’s happening in culture. Want to learn more about the Cannes Lions Festival? Visit canneslions.com 📸 Contagious ---------- #canneslions #cannes #branding #globalbranding #brandingcontent #brandingmanagement #strategicbranding #brandingforbusiness #professionalbranding #brandingstrategies #svanyc #mastersinbranding #svamastersinbranding #svamib #schoolofvisualarts #sva #svabranding #branding #gradschool #mpsbranding

Two simple dots... can make a big difference. This idea is a great example of the creative power of this region – something that becomes big because it is creative. Something that captures hearts and minds because it's relevant. Not because there's a celebrity in it. Not because we spent 1M dollars producing it. But because it's a powerful idea. D&AD is the hardest award to get in this business. This is the one you don't win, you earn. This idea earned it. Havas earned it. Congrats, team! Fabio Silveira Anshuman Bhattacharya, Joao Medeiros, Michele De iuliis, Rickie Lee Cheyne, Samantha Sieiro Pires, ‏‎‏‎‏‎ Ahmad Raslan, Misk Fekaiki, Adrian Mutescu, Bruno Araldi, Serena Abi Aad, Anyce NEDIR, Mia Moussa, Selina Khiroya, Razan Karim, Sarah Skaf Dany Naaman, Dana Tahir, Houda Tohme, Carlos Nadal, Alejandro Fischer, Oliver El Obeid, Varun Kohli, Makram Georges Khater, Rami Husseini, karine barakat Havas Creative Network, Havas Middle East, Havas

The new Dentsu Creative 2023 CMO survey is out. https://lnkd.in/eUrzFcmZ Using data from a survey of 700 CMOs and senior marketers in the US, UK, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, India, Italy, and Spain, the report has identified eight key themes which show that despite being an industry at a crossroads, it is one empowered by creativity and technology. The choice is simple: innovate, entertain, inspire or be ignored.

Save the date for this upcoming panel conversation with Havas Media Network North America CEO Greg James and Havas New York CEO Sarah Collinson! As consumer attention grows increasingly elusive, how can brands navigate through a sea of distractions to genuinely engage with their audience? Register below: #CannesLions2024 #HavasAtCannes

Just back from the exhilarating rollercoaster that is Cannes Lions! 🎢 Days filled with encounters and experiences. Here's what I took away: Trends were everywhere. Adtech was the star of the show, even more so than last year. Panels were buzzing about addressability, retail sustainability, and CTV. CTV, or Connected TV, was the buzzword on everyone's lips. Retail and audiovisual professionals couldn't get enough. It's all about deepening customer relationships, optimizing campaign performance, and boosting the bottom line. As we move towards a world without cookies and mobile identifiers, trust-building technologies are more important than ever. Brands are jumping on board. Women in tech were also in the spotlight, with dedicated panels and initiatives. Visibility in the adtech universe is key. Fun fact: Cannes Lions is the third biggest event in Cannes, right behind the yacht and real estate shows. To wrap up, Cannes Lions was a whirlwind of insights and networking. Can't wait for next year! 🦁🎉

Let's unpack this "18-month long pitch" (there's almost no one that should be celebrating). Lego's Marketing Team cannot make a decision and clearly is horribly aligned internally. There is no reason why it should take this long to select a media agency. Especially when so much of the budget is digital (~75%). My guess is the regions couldn't agree, the CMO couldn't pull them together and the CEO should be wildly concerned about how much time and money was wasted on this review. Publicis probably gave away the farm to win this. An 18-month pitch is not a battle of titans trying to edge each other, like the famous 11 hour Isner/Mahut Wimbledon Match. This is likely painful negotiations both internally at Lego and with Publicis/the other agency participants. It also sets a horrible precedent for future reviews and agency employees should be concerned. Also don't forget, the best of the best get staffed on these reviews... participating in a pitch like this risks your best talent. Every Publicis client should be concerned. Since Publicis likely gave away the farm to win, they are going to look for it somewhere else. Every client of the losing agencies should be concerned. They spent millions in aggregate to pitch this, they are going to look for it somewhere else. Lego's HR team should be concerned. Their new office in Boston is attracting quite a bit of interest from talent. If it takes this long to make a decision, it's going to be a concern for new applicants. This kind of pitch process is a big part of what is destroying the ad agency model. These Lego clients should be ashamed of themselves and the rest of the ad community should hold them to task. There is only one winner... the pitch consultant. And they should be grateful they are not listed in this press release. No brand client should ever hire them again. (and if you're curious... I've won pitches this big on the agency, held reviews this size as a client, and managed some as a consultant.) #adagency #mediaagency #RFP #Lego

This. The author captures the new trends in marketing as well as anything I have read, especially number 4 for many of our clients. TikTok videos may be fun but do they reach your audience? Mustang Marketing can create a plan to market your product or service in the right place. #servicemarketing #marketingplans #abovethenoise

Advocates of diversity and inclusion in the advertising industry have been citing better, more impactful, culturally relevant work as just one of the multitude of reasons as to why DEI is essential. When looking at award winning work Cannes Lions it's clear to see this theory in action. This year's clutch of winners underlined that inclusive campaigns are able to resonate most with audiences and as a result took home Grand Prix and Titanium Lions in abundance. In this article, explore the key takeaways from a recent ‘Is DEI smashing it at Cannes?’ webinar, by the Creative Equals team, which unpicked the reasons why campaigns with diversity and inclusion at the core created the most waves at this year’s festival of creativity. “It is clear that diversity and inclusion is a driver of creative excellence.” – Ali Hanan CMRS Hanan, Founder & CEO, Creative Equals   Read all the key takeaways from the event here: https://lnkd.in/eNGZpQzP

I must shout out a few of the best #campaigns selected here by editors at The Drum. ⭐ For bold strategy – ‘Heinz Ketchup Fraud’ by Rethink for Kraft Heinz North America The art direction of ketchup-switching scenes in cafes and restaurants alongside the tagline “Even when it isn’t Heinz it has to be Heinz” is brilliant. ⭐ For feel-good impact – ‘Jingle Therapy’ by VMLY&R Commerce for SBS & Asociación de Alzheimer de Puerto Rico Music is such an evocative milestone in people's lives, even when it's secondary to the product on sale. With VMLY&R Commerce's help, the Spanish Broadcasting System (SBS) turned their 80-year archive of famous #jingles into a form of non-pharmacological therapy for Alzheimer's patients in Puerto Rico. Less than two months post-launch, more than 600 patients had been reached. I felt this one. ⭐ For tone and wit – ‘Reason to Fly’ by Adylic, Talon, MG OMD & Uncommon for British Airways The format of these text-based #OOH ads was deadly effective and often very amusing. Acknowledging a variety of reasons that Brits might need to get away. Whether simple and direct ("Business. Leisure. Mischief.") or more vivid ("Business. Leisure. Out-tanned by a goth.") we could relate and quickly began to fill in our own. The connected campaign featuring funny passport photos is also a winner. ⭐ For scale and spectacle – ‘The Spillway’ by Sky Media, Accenture Song, Dentsu X and The Story for Range Rover British racing driver Jessica Hawkins gives the new Range Rover Sport a proper off-road test by trying to scale Europe’s largest dam, the Kárahnjúkar Spillway, in eastern Iceland. And of course, the whole thing unfolds with the death-defying grandeur of a big-budget action film. https://lnkd.in/eBkrRCHd Got a favourite they missed out? #heinz #rangeroversport #alzheimerawareness #britishairways #bestof2023

Cannes is only one month away! I´m excited that both I and Teads returns to La Croisette for Cannes 2024. This year, we are dedicated to crafting deeper consumer connections by harnessing the power of CTV, unleashing exceptional creativity, and delivering trusted cookieless solutions. CTV: We're elevating how brands communicate, crafting and delivering premium messages in a brand-safe environment that captivates audiences and creates impactful brand experiences across all screens. Creativity: Our focus is on carving memorable brand stories with exceptional creativity, insights, and context. Cookieless: In a privacy-conscious world, we empower brand success and enable publishers to reach and monetize audiences at scale with our proven, high-performing cookieless solutions. If you are also going, inbox me and lets meet up! :)