Debrief

It's strange. Since being back we've talked a lot about Cannes. But we've hardly discussed the competition. Perhaps it's because there's a certain amount of trepidation about what you produce when you're so sure on an idea and then hear no feedback. To work so cut off, unable to test your idea, completely out of your typical working context. And ultimately to have only a handful of rough run outs rescued from the competition booth as proof that you were there, the evidence that you did in fact produce work that day. But today, I found the print offs. I brought them to work. And we started to discuss it. And had a proper chance to see what won. Our brief was to create a DPS print ad to raise awareness of Pump Aid. As part of our task we had to include a direct debit form on the ad (something that when initially mentioned threw most of those sat in the briefing room). Australia took Gold. But I have to be honest and say hats off to Silver and Bronze winners below, Italy and the UAE respectively. Two great ideas. 

Cannes retrospective: competition day

Cannes - Competition Day from Casey Hennessy on Vimeo.

Cannes on camera

Sifting through

Monday morning. Try to regain some semblance of normality apres Cannes. But first indulge in a spot reflection. I wish I could do this every day of my life from now on. Maybe I'm not a man, but I'm an acTOR.

Come to Cannes, it's alkaseltzer for your creative soul

It's fair to say my reportage has been pretty shoddy. That's maybe because there's just too much to say. There's a lot happening here all the time. Most of the week has been spent sat in the dark. And not out of necessity (though sometimes...). But it's not all bad. Whilst we've been there in the dark, we've heard some pretty inspired thinking. There's a section in the programme where all the judges tell their Cannes story. It's only short. And no, before you roll your eyes and think 'how self-indulgent' they're not. One guy tells us about how, back home he had befriended a street dog. His agency adopted the dog. And then, when it came to Cannes, they brought the dog with them and he went up on stage to collect a lion. Cats and dogs on stage together, who knew it could work. Anyway, I digress. My point is one of the stories, well more sentiments, that seems to crop up time after time is that Cannes is your refresher. It's what keeps you going the for next 364 days. Again, some cynics out there might say 'Well it's just because it's one big piss-up'. Yes, yes it is. But when you're not sitting in a darkened hotel room recovering, you are, as I said, sitting in a darkened seminar room (some of which are the most spectacular lecture theatres I've seen) imbibing what can ONLY be described as alkaseltzer for the creative soul. And it's not because we're going round bumming some self-indulgent sham award entries. There's some seriously good work here. There's some even better ideas. And there's a limitless amount of pasion, which would make anyone- even those totally cynical about awards- proud to be a part of this industry. We sure do know how to play hard ( and everyone knows that). But what people may forget is boy do we know how to work hard too. And love every minute that we do it too. So that's an overview. Specific details, the nitty, the gritty, I'll regail you with later, but for now my friends, sio nara.

T-Minus 4 and a bit hours

Yep, the day of reckoning is upon us. We're the first Young Lions category up to compete. I feel like we should e jogging on the spot, limbering up and generally stretching in our  hotel room. It's a very odd feeling. Preparing, attempting to prepare for this. 


So we get our brief today at half 5. And these are the preparations so far. Catch up on a much missed sleep as possible. Put together a shopping list for 24 hours of thinking and working. Then I think we're just about set to go get this brief done.