Josy Paul, Chairperson and CCO, BBDO India is no stranger to Cannes Lions, having brought home the inaugural Glass Grand Prix in 2015 for Whisper ‘Touch the Pickle’ and several other metals, post that as well. This year, he has been appointed the Jury President for the Sustainable Development Goals Lions, a category that celebrates creative solutions leaving a positive impact on the world, much like what his work has stood for over the years. In conversation with Josy on his role as Jury President, his first Cannes Lions visit years ago and the festival’s growth as the Olympics of creativity.
Q] You have been a speaker, jury member and a contender at Cannes Lions innumerable times, what is your favourite Cannes moment?
Winning that Glass Lion Grand Prix in 2015 was a turning point. But one of my personal big moments was being a speaker at Cannes Lions alongside the legendary creative leaders of BBDO and advertising’s most celebrated heroes. It was June 2012, a Thursday and Bill Clinton was to speak after us. We got a huge crowd. As an agency, we had decided that we would not focus on ourselves but shine the light on someone else’s work. I chose Mumbai Mirror’s ‘I am Mumbai’. The session proved to be more touching than I imagined. After my presentation, I had so many people come up to me and thank me for sharing the ‘Mumbai Mirror’ work and giving them a deeper understanding of the film and the cultural codes of the city. The road from the Gutter Bar to my hotel was full of well-wishers and cheering delegates. For the next three days I didn’t have to pay for my drinks or food. People were paying for everything. I never realised that ‘sharing’ can be so powerful. May be in the eyes of the world, the person who shares and gives meaning to the work is equal to the person who creates the work.
Q] This year, you are the Jury President for ‘Sustainable Development Goals’ Lions. While Prasoon Pandey and a select few before you have been bestowed with this honour, very rarely have we seen Indian advertising professionals lead the jury at Cannes, why?
India has been making her presence felt at Cannes Lions for quite some time now. Our collective work is influencing and contributing to the world of brands and creativity, with meaningful ideas that impact society. This is one of the big reasons we are seeing so many of us lead the jury at Cannes Lions. It’s just a matter of time before we see even more Indians as Jury Presidents.
Q] Sustainable Development Goals is a relatively new category at Cannes Lions, launched in 2018, what would you be looking forward to in the entries as the Jury President?
The SDG category at Cannes Lions truly has the power to influence, rearrange and impact the world. I plan to go as a pilgrim, not as a judge. I go to worship the work. I believe the work will judge me. It’s important for me to be receptive to new ideas and perspectives, rather than imposing my preconceived notions. I go there for the jury. To encourage diversity of thought and leverage the varied experiences of the jury. It’s about us as a collective. I’m looking for revelations, work that uncovers something hidden and brings it to light in a way that demands attention. Something that shifts something in us and changes us. Every year, there’s one piece of work that hits you sideways and reignites your belief in the power of ideas. I’ll be hunting for that work, that moment.
Q] We have brought home a Lion or two in this category in the past few years, but is the Indian contingent creating a dent in the category. Are we thinking of sustainability in our campaigns in a big way here?
Over the last few years, we’ve seen India contributing to this category in a big way. P&G Whisper and Leo Burnett won the Grand Prix in 2022. They’ve been doing a lot in this area. I’ve also seen the actions from other clients, institutions and agencies in India doing a lot that actively support the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Q] You are one of the most recognized personalities from India at the Cannes Lions festival, and have been travelling to Cannes year after year, how has the festival changed in the past 10 years?
I first went to Cannes in 1996. That year the categories I remember were print, outdoor, radio and film. Today Cannes Lions has over 30 categories. The festival represents - and often predicts - the changing nature of media and the idea. It’s the Olympics of creativity that leads and alters our idea of where creativity is going.
Q] What was the first ever campaign that you entered at Cannes Lions, did it win?
The first campaign we entered at Cannes Lions was a corporate film for the Essar Group which said ‘Open your mind’. This was in 2002 when I was at an agency we had just set up for Ogilvy, called ‘David’. The film did not win.
