Bringing the creativity back at Cannes Lions

Next week the advertising world will descend on the French Riviera for the annual Cannes Lions. In this cross-posting Mat Baxter questions the money agencies spend on the event and whether it is hurting client’s trust in agencies.
As a first-time judge for the upcoming Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, here is my pre-gala verdict: This annual celebration of the best advertising in the world has lost its way.

I say this with all due respect to the many thousands of people who will descend on the Palais des Festivals et des on the southeast coast of France next week. Unfortunately, a good deal of them will spend enormous sums of their employers’ T&E budgets drinking and partying with people they could drink and party with here in the U.S. any day of the week.

Don’t get me wrong. I have nothing against Kim Kardashian, Iggy Pop or Will Smith. It’s just that I doubt anyone in my company will learn from this particular trio anything useful that would translate to their daily work for some of the world’s biggest brand marketers. Marketers whose competitive challenges have never been greater.

Sarah Jessica Parker speaking at Cannes at few years ago.