As I first entered the festival, clutching my canvas bag in one hand and a too-hot-to-drink latte in the other, I had no idea what the day had in store for me. After quickly trying to get a feel for the expansive layout of beaches and cabanas that trickled down the road, I walked down the steps to the basement of Palais I. Here I strolled up and down aisles showcasing the amazing talent that had been entered into this year’s competition, some of which I later saw reappear on the awards stage that night. After getting my fill of advertisements, I proceeded to attend my first talk which was “Conversations that Shape Culture,” curated by the Head of Global Brand Strategy for Twitter and the Head of Trends for Contagious. Contagious analyzed 1,856 Twitter campaigns that were entered into Cannes Lions, and pulled insights into how brands can break through the Twitter noise to successfully engage consumers. The depth of audience research and examples shown as well as the captivating speakers kept this talk lively and upbeat, which made it one of my favorite ones I attended. Targeting niche areas of consumers and going beyond first impressions are ideas that were analyzed and that I found particularly interesting, “Future Proofing Creativity” was a lighthearted conversation between the Adobe Chief Products Officer and Host of the Design Matters Podcast on the concept of the future outlook in creative fields. Since in two years I will be on the job market, this particularly resonated with me, especially as they delved into the idea that the consumer now holds the power that companies once held over consumers in the past. I didn’t feel keenly towards the conversation style after that presentation, but “Welcome to a Brandless World” changed my mind. The witty banter explaining how conventional branding is dead and the role that product, people, and purpose have was equally as engaging as it was interesting. “Creating a New World of Tiffany” opened my eyes to the challenge of a brand with a certain image becoming modernized and utilizing consumers emotional connection with them to revamp their image. The unconventional advertising methods shown such as painting taxis and flower shops sparked my interest in this seminar. Ending my stretch of seminars with “A Circle Big Enough for Us All” left me inspired and impressed by Target’s vision of inclusivity and accessibility. By creating ‘Cat and Jack,’ a brand for children of all sizes and capabilities, it shows how the consideration the designers have and how the work the employees craft contributes to the voice of a company. Leaving that talk inspired, I bounced from the Terrace, to Awards Show, and then to Google Beach for some light networking before ending up in my bed.
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