Tracey Pilon’s Post

Susan Magrino & Mary Blanton Ogushwitz's Key Cannes Takeaways, Part 1 💡 After four days on the ground at #CannesLions, we can’t help but have a ton of takeaways and learnings to bring back to our team for exploration and implementation. So, let’s start with three big ones that continued to show up at a macro level throughout the week.    1. BRAND: Brand is everything. We learned that practices change, but principles endure. Build and strive to work with brands that people or your team would miss if they were to disappear. 2. PEOPLE: Investing in employees, trusting your audiences, and building communities - all people-centric concepts - are critical. At a festival where conversations of AI were everywhere, thought leaders went out of their way to stress how important humans are to all aspects and transactions for brands. 3. CREATIVITY: Creative and many creative tactics will be automated…creativity never can be. Continue to seek out and work with people who prioritize the ways in which brands can grow not only through tactics, but through creativity. Stay tuned for Part 2 next week where we share the biggest tactical takeaways for Marcomms & PR Professionals! #TopPRFirm #ThoughtLeadership #IndustryKnowledge #AlwaysLearning Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity

You are what you eat. And also the information (and inspiration) you consume. For me, Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity is a rich, nourishing feast that feeds both mind and spirit. It does little good for my body, though — but hey, we all walk a lot here, and that makes my Apple Watch happy. Anyway, Cannes isn't exactly a budget-friendly affair. Years ago, a great boss I had gave me this excellent piece of advice: if you're at a good point in your career and have the chance to invest in yourself, consider Cannes. Don't wait for your agency to foot the bill. The competition for those internal budgets is fierce — creative leads with specific KPIs, long-standing employees, and, let's be honest, a bit of office politics. Getting sponsored isn't exactly a guaranteed outcome. So, if you're serious about propelling yourself forward, about rewarding yourself for a year of hard work, invest some of your hard-earned Euros in this experience. After all, your personal growth is mostly your responsibility, not your employer's. Take charge of your own journey. Be the leader of your own creative evolution. There are so many options available: student passes, young professional options, special passes, and quite convenient digital passes if traveling is not your thing. Great efforts from the organizers to make the festival more accessible. Can they do more? Let's see. For me, most of the good things that have happened professionally are connected to Cannes — friends old and new from all over the world, jobs landed, promotions earned, awards received, the big frustrations, the awards not won (and the lessons I've learnt)– it's all somehow been related to that one week in June, year after year. Cannes teaches you things that are not taught anywhere else. This is like my 12th Cannes... And if you ask me where I'll be next year the third week of June... #CannesLions2024 #CannesLions #InvestInYourself #LifelongLearning #CareerDevelopment #LeadershipMindset #CreativeGrowth #CannesLessons

Cannes Lions Day 1: The first Grand Prix and Gold Lions have been awarded – so what do they tell us? Here are a few top-line thoughts from the opening day’s results in Lions Health, Outdoor, Print & Publishing and Audio & Radio: Big brands are back: Jury presidents made much of the fact that mega brands like Coke and Magnum have been producing outstanding work this year. The emphasis seems to have shifted towards ‘commercial creativity’ – rather than purpose for its own sake. Using creativity to drive business growth is absolutely on message at Lions 2024. Purpose moves centre stage: That said, there are also some potent examples of how purpose can become part of the commercial heart of a campaign. Coca Cola’s Recycle Me and Pedigree’s Adoptable both placed purpose at the centre of their winning campaigns. AI is already making its mark: Lions Juries don’t like tech for tech’s sake – but they do admire a clever AI-powered campaign. Siemens’ success in Pharma with Magnetic Stories - and an Outdoor Grand Prix for Pedigree’s adorable Adoptable - are powerful advocates for mashing AI together with great creativity. Shared success: There was plenty of success on day one for entries from the Middle East, India and Latin America. BBDO Dubai’s Child Wedding Cards looks like it will be one of the week’s high impact success stories, after picking up a Grand Prix on day one. Laughter is the best medicine: The Cannes Lions team let it be known that humour would be celebrated this year – and early award winners have shown this to be the case. Specsavers’ Misheard Version and Dramamine’s The Last Barf Bag are both worth checking out if you want to see how humour can lift even the most unlikely products and services. As Jefferson Starship might plausibly have said: “We built this city on sausage rolls”. Looking forward to a fascinating day two, with numerous entertainment and craft awards up for grabs. If you’re in Cannes, don’t forget to read the Lions Daily News…

The Effie Worldwide Global Grands are fast approaching. The lucky winners will in fact not be lucky. Effie represents the iridium standard of rewarding business effects and we see an increasing importance placed on business impact across other awards organisations. The question is, how do you get to these effects and the trophy in your cabinet? This paper from Rachel Rodgers and Shelley Yang provides inspiration and evidence that good quality audience experiences are common to award winning work. Check it out in the link in the comments. Shaun Dix, Pedr Howard, Lindsay Franke, Eleanor Thornton-Firkin, Samira Brophy, Louise Harrison, Arnaud Debia, Aurelie Jacquemin

🎈 The excitement is palpable as we prepare to host the SMARTIES GERMANY AWARDS '23 in the DACH region for the very first time! Adding to this significant milestone, we have the distinct privilege to introduce our first-ever jury panel member, Karin Ross, CEO, from GroupM Germany.  🔥Known for a relentless pursuit of innovation, as well as a keen understanding of the evolving marketing landscape, she embodies the excellence we strive to celebrate. Her in-depth understanding of the field and commitment to excellence will play a crucial role in recognizing the top campaigns & teams in the DACH region together.💫 📍On-time submission ends on September 22, 2023. Check out our exciting categories! Submission Link 👉 https://lnkd.in/d2gKaQv9 Mark Waechter I Karin Ross I Elvin Altun Noyan I Selin İlgen Küpçü I Müge Bilge Akkocoglu I Peggy Anne Salz I Laura Coyle #shapethefuture #shapethefutureofmarketing #empoweringmarketers #futureofmarketingexcellence #creativity #innovation #technoglogy #digitalmarketing #AWARDS #SMARTIESGERMANYAWARDS’23 #DACH #marketingawards #WARCindex #mmaBII #modernmarketing #jurymember #SMARTIESAWARDSJURY #impact

Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, we need to talk… Year after year you have challenged me to be bold, be creative, be effective, be efficient. Immerse myself in the business, build strong agency partnerships, and fuel my strategic thinking. For a long time, I believed that self-improvement was the key to joining the elite conversations at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. After years of learning from industry giants like Peter Field, Mark Ritson Byron Sharp Orlando Wood James Hurman I felt ready to be part of that dialogue. But Cannes, we seriously need to talk. The reality is that attending to the “Athens of marketing and creative effectiveness” remains a distant dream for many of us as the cost of participation is prohibitively expensive. To my fellow marketers who feel the same: I HEAR YOU! We are expected to push the boundaries of creativity and effectiveness, yet we are often left out when it matters most. And to Cannes, you are truly an inspiration for many of us, but when talking about consumer centricity, you need to revisit your business model to give us some entry level. Common, be creative 😊! Until we can meet physically, I will continue to advocate from the distance the spirit of Cannes Lions—effectiveness’s, boldness, creativity—as a state of mind. Looking forward to meet in the upcoming years, Gaby #MarketingLife #CannesLions #CreativeExcellence #IndustryChallenges #StayConnected #MarketingCommunity

Recapping key insights from the Marketing & Strategy Club - LBS virtual conference on Trends for Tomorrow. Professor Freek Vermeulen's Strategy-Making predictions were bold. We have been on a De-diversification wave since the 1980s as companies shifted their focus to creating more value and shareholders reverted to diversifying their own portfolios rather through investment in conglomerates. But with corporations looking to strategically expand into new products, services, or markets to reduce risk in current volatile markets/economies and capture new opportunities will bring the return of diversification. James Calvert (M&C Saatchi), Michael Ross (LBS Executive Fellow) and Alastair Banks (Optix Solutions) brought their SME, Large Enterprise and Academia experience to discuss the impact of Generative AI within Marketing, how they see it changing their industries and how careers and jobs will evolve in the age of Gen AI. Perhaps most interesting is that it’s not going to be Artificial Intelligence that will take your job, but rather someone who knows AI really well. Thanks to all our speakers and team for making this a success. #londonbusinessschool #strategy #marketing #GenAI

T minus a few days until I'm heading to the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity! This event has become an annual adventure filled with business, creativity, media, and marketing.     For the second year in a row, my family is coming along, and I'm super excited to see other executives also bringing their young adult children. It's such a fantastic opportunity for them to see the world through our lens of networking and idea exchange on a global scale. The "Each one teach one" philosophy really shines here. My kids, now high schoolers, learned so much last year as creators, young investors, and curious minds. They attended talks and brand experiences while I was busy working—it was the perfect setup!    The Cannes Lions Festival is incredibly significant as it brings together the most creative minds and influential leaders in media and marketing. My goal is to dive deep into the latest trends, make meaningful connections, and bring fresh, innovative ideas back to my work.    Balancing work and family during this trip is really important to me; just as it is when I'm at home. A goal of mine in 2024 was to be consistent with my routine and how present I am for my family whether traveling or working from home. While I'll be wrapped up in professional activities, my family will get to explore and soak in the festival's diverse offerings. It's a win-win, creating a memorable and enriching experience for all of us.    #CannesLions #WomenInMarketing #MarketingSolutions #BusinessGrowth #BusinessGoals #BrandBuilding #WorkingMom #WomenInMedia #ThePathRedefined

Every year, Cannes Lions brings the advertising and communications industry together to celebrate the world's best work, and this year is going to be no different. From valuable insights and groundbreaking ideas to world-class networking, the week-long event has it all! If you're going to Cannes, don't forget to meet Shubham A Mishra (Co-Founder/Global CEO), Neel Pandya (CEO, EMEA & APAC), and Rishi D. (Managing Director), and learn more about how AI can augment your creative marketing. #CannesLions #PixisAI #MarketingAI

This one is for the young ones who want to go to the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity and compete. In the Netherlands we collaborate with JongeHonden | YoungDogs, We Are RA*W, Young in Media (YIM) and bvA next selecting the best teams to participate. Do check their socials for information. And prepare yourself by attending this masterclass. This is a free Zoom webinar designed to help prospective competitors make the best of their creativity and set them on the path to the Palais. Yes, the one in Cannes, France. 🦁 🦁 🦁 We'll be covering questions such as "What are the Young Lions Competitions?" and "What does it take to win a Lion?". In addition, there will be talks on topics like Creative Bravery hosted by industry leaders from across the globe. We will have plenty of time for Q&A to allow competitors to have their burning questions answered. Join us at 12:00pm GMT (13:00 in NL) on 5 February for ‘Empower your Creative Process, Conquer Fear and Thrive in Young Lions Competitions 2024’ – a virtual Masterclass event consisting of talks and a Q&A covering creative bravery, breaking norms and future proofing your creative career. https://lnkd.in/eWTdxsvp This webinar is open to anyone working in the creative communications industry who is 30 or under. This is a chance to learn more about the competitions and potentially compete.