What a week!
I just came back from London, where I had the pleasure of presenting data for this year’s edition of Cannes Lions. The festival of creativity is basically the Academy Awards for ad agencies and marketers. It was founded it 1954 and was inspired by the film festival in Cannes.
Due to the current Covid-19 restrictions this year’s festival didn’t take place as a physical festival in Cannes. Instead, the festival livestreamed Lions Live from all over the world. The award show was broadcasted from Cannes and hosted by Juan Senor, while BBC-presenter Tina Daheley hosted The Debrief from the London studio, and I presented the trends and dynamics happening in every lion from the Data Studio in London.
Tina Daheley and me in the London studio of Cannes Lions Live 2021. (24 June 2021)
The first job I did for Cannes Lions were short and snappy video interviews called “21 for 21” earlier this year. But being presenting live from such a cool location was whole other experience.
There were some amazing campaigns winning awards, some which almost made me cry, others gave me goosebumps. Creativity at its best! And one trend being going away from pure advertisment to enabling action, wether to fight gender inbalances, rights for transgender people, helping people to register as voters, making a stand against racism or child abuse, to raising awareness for climate change.
With some of the amazing talented (content) people behind Cannes Lions on 23 June, my birthday!
All the content delivered for Cannes Lions can be watched on demand on the Cannes Lions platform. It costs less than your daily espresso but gives you plenty of insights and inspiration to apply your creativity or just hear from the most creative minds around the world, including Hollywood actress Reese Witherspoon, musician Wyclef Jean, or author Yuval Harari.
I did a regular video dairy for the Swiss publication Werbewoche. Here are the videos from the rehearsal day to mid-production and the wrap-up:
Presenting real-time data from the Data Studio during Lions Live on 24 June 2021.
Many thanks to Modissa for this super cool outfit!
And still posing in that great outfit from Modissa.
The studio with the best view over London.
And when you get home and find the local newspaper on your kitchen table… ;)
