How many times have you visited Cannes?
This was my first time, and after being a judge, I’m looking forward to going with less responsibility.
What was the best thing about the event?
Seeing all the best work (and meet the people who made it) in one forum.
What was the worst?
Being in a dark room the whole time, while everyone else was on the beach.
Which was the best session?
Viral Marketing. The turnout was massive because everyone’s talking about it. It helped me to organize my own thoughts: you don’t set out to do something viral; you set out to do good work. If you do it right, it can become viral – usually because the initial strategy was smart and the creative was brave. In my opinion the word viral should be replaced with ‘good idea.’
Will what you’ve seen have an impact on your own creative?
Nothing will ever be the same again. It’s inspiring, but at the same time it’s disturbing to see so much great work. I’m not sure how the experience will impact my work yet but I am definitely going to be harder to work with.
Which campaign did you absolutely adore?
Mybigball.com [the true adventures of Chad] for Sega’s videogame Super Monkey Ball Deluxe]. What’s not to like about a guy who chooses to live in a ball?
Who was the most interesting/impressive person you met?
Sérgio Valente, the president of DDB Brazil. I met him at the party they threw in honour of their Cyber Grand Prix, two gold, three silver, and four bronze Lions. Not to mention the interactive agency of the year award. Unbelievable. He told me all about how they’re breaking down walls within their agency. It starts with creative people who represent brands and work across all mediums. They farm out all the production work (which is rare in interactive) and keep their team small with just the ‘thinkers.’
Overall impressions?
I liked everything about it except the fact that the beaches were closed every day at the same time I finished judging. Who closes a beach at six o’clock?
