Australia’s embarrassing no-show in the Cyber Lions can partly be explained by a lack of technology literate executives at a senior level in agencies, Aussie juror Ashadi Hopper said today.
“There is a lack of technologists at a senior level in agencies in Australia, and the entries at Cannes from Australia have been dominated by ad agencies,” he said.
“Most of entries we’ve seen from Australia have been advertising led. But the work that’s winning at Cannes has been technology led,” he said.
“The way agencies are structured in Australia, does not help our cause.”
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However, he added that some of Australia’s digital work was strong, but was focused in the area of “traditional digital”. He singled out Share a Coke as one Australian campaign with world class digital credentials.
Australia didn’t feature at all on the Cyber Lions shortlist.
New Zealand managed a brace of finalists, although neither Colenso BBDO or String Theory Auckland failed to convert their chances into lions.