Cannes is a distorted mirror. Sometimes it flatters. Sometimes it exaggerates. Sometimes it shows you exactly how deep your FOMO runs. This week, we’ll toast wins, dodge losses, exaggerate reactions, and fake humility.
Four of us reached a bit late together. (yes, we pretended that we had work to finish) - The Palais steps have already hosted their first round of ‘organic’ influencer shoots, and someone had already said, “This year feels different.” Cannes this year is split between those worshipping at the altar of AI and those holding placards saying, ‘Make Creativity Human Again’ Or someone championing the cause of ‘Copyright protection while using AI’
Cannes is predictable. Cannes has a smell.
And if you’ve been here enough, you know it.
But let’s be honest: no one comes to Cannes for the 9 AM anything. Especially when the first talk was titled ‘Human after all.’ True story.
For an Indie agency network, Cannes is both a validation checkpoint and a very expensive game of poker. You're playing at the big table, bluffing confidence, hoping your idea from Andheri west holds up against one from Amsterdam shot by Spike Jonze. Our team from the agency and brand have poured its soul (and one CD’s entire dating life) into a few campaigns. In one of them, where we are most hopeful, we turned a real insight into a massive solution, threw in a bit of tech, some social good, and a goosebump-inducing VO. Fingers crossed the jury was sober and/or sentimental when they watched ‘Pink star rating’.
Till I am convinced they were, I promise myself not to go to the Gutter Bar tonight (a lie, obviously).
But it’s Cannes. The clichés write themselves.
The real Cannes experience is less about panels and more about pretending not to care about the shortlists while casually checking the announcements 17 times/hour.
Meanwhile, On the Ground…
I’ve been reliably informed that:
- At least three CMOs have declared they’re starting “content studios within their brand teams.”
- Someone from Borivali tried to convince a Brazilian ECD that India invented empathy marketing. It almost worked.
- Someone presented a campaign powered by AI, narrated by a transgender dolphin, with a hashtag that trended in Bangladesh.
- AI is everywhere. Not just in the work, but in the small talk. “What if AI could write case films?” someone back from the glorious days of advertising, joked. I didn’t have the heart to tell him - it already has.
- Climate is back. With a vengeance. This year, at least 30% of the work claims it saved the planet, cured loneliness, and helped a small village in Peru rediscover pottery.
- We have also been told “this year’s jury is really unpredictable” by someone who says this every year.
- Reunited with a planner from Germany who’s now a ‘Creative Strategist’ (basically the same job, with a ‘Make PPTs in AI’ tool paid by his agency)
- 92% of case films this year started with ‘In a world where…’ or ‘For the first time….’. 78% of entries used a piano soundtrack.
- The Gutter Bar will clock a higher revenue in 5 days than many social media agencies do in a year.
The Indian contingent has opened its tally in style today and a huge congratulations to the winners. I have a few extra packets of mild, call me if you need one.
On the other hand, the other competition has also began - getting a dinner reservation post-9 PM. If you’re not already on ‘the list’ at La Petite Maison or L’Avenue, you better start name-dropping like your life depends on it.
Our plans, however : Spend some quality time with our lovely client friends, avoid saying “India is a market of contradictions” again, Wave with a friendly ‘Hi’ to any of the advertising celebs we spot at the next table (most people are polite enough to respond back with a smile) and not fall for that one guy who claims he can “..get your case study screened at a private jury afterparty.”
And then there’s the guilt. The kind of guilt only advertising people can feel the next morning:
- “Should I attend tomorrows 9 AM talk on neuro-inclusive branding?”
- “Or should I do the more strategic thing… and sleep off the jet lag?”
Decisions, decisions.
Jai Hind!
Also, if anyone knows where the Spotify yacht party is, WhatsApp me. I lost my wristband and desperately wanted to bump into a jury member, accidentally, out there.
