5 Things I Learned from the Cannes Festival of Creativity

Written by TikTok ANZ Creative Strategist, Ankita Shetty.

Some time has passed since Cannes Lions 2022 but the festival's enchantment is still in full effect. I had the good fortune to represent TikTok and be one of 30 creatives selected globally to attend the Cannes Creative Academy, often referred to as the world’s best classroom. The Creative Academy is a five-day immersion programme that combines inspiring sessions with industry leaders, keynotes at the Palais and networking events. Although it takes place concurrently with the Cannes Lions festival, what distinguishes the academy is the opportunity we have to engage in intimate talks, ask a tonne of questions, and receive first hand advice and life lessons from the best minds in the business. Having spent the week at the festival absorbing all that I could, here are my top five learnings from Cannes Lions 2022:

1. There is a new way to work, and it's co-creating

The key to using creativity to solve problems is to reframe the connection between brands, creative agencies, platforms, and customers. Think of it as a shift in mindset from pitching to collaborating, making to co-creating, selling to building and agency to partner. Collaboration will lead to amazing work because it gives everyone ownership and brings in diversity of thought. “A brand co-owned and co-authored by lots of people, that's cool” said Neal Arthur, Global CEO from Wieden+Kennedy. And that includes brand consumers. 

A literal product of co-creation with a consumer was the Lion winning campaign by eos shaving cream. It all started on TikTok with creator Carly Joy talking about how to "bless your f#@%ing cooch" with eos shaving cream. Not only did eos catch wind of this viral moment on TikTok, but they also partnered with Mischief to launch a limited edition product range with the creator’s words on the packing and verbatim instructions on achieving a "smooth-ass hooha”. It's clear that the way consumers are engaging with brands is changing and companies need to let go and embrace the power of co-creation with community.

Another fantastic example is the combined effort of Dell, Intel, MND Associatio, Rolls-Toyce and VMLY&R New York who won a Pharma Grand Prix for the 'I will be always be me’ campaign. Together, they created a one of a kind book that helps people living with motor neurone disease (MND) bank their voices by simply reading a story. Through collaboration, this campaign demonstrates that when brands, agencies & communities create together, they can help solve problems through creativity and improve lives.

Co-creation can only succeed once we learn to embrace the power of diversity. It's crucial to look for varied viewpoints, not just in the faces of ads but also in the make-up of marketing teams. Amber Guild, CEO of Grey NY gave us some great advice on creating inclusive spaces. She said, “If there isn’t a seat at the table, don’t just bring a foldable chair, bring a whole new table". We need to make sure that our tables are full of diverse voices that are being heard.

2. It's on brands to impact culture, not just support causes

Purpose-driven marketing has been an expectation from brands for a few years now, but these days, supporting causes isn’t enough - businesses must commit to taking action.

We can clearly see that shift from supporting causes to impacting culture from companies like Dole Sunshine Company. They partnered with Ananas Anam to create a vegan leather alternative called Piñatex by transforming their unwanted waste, in this case pineapple skins, into a sustainable alternative. It has been used by 200+ brands, including H&M, Nike and Hugo Boss. Goes to show that one person's trash can also be the same person's treasure - we just need to do look inward and do some r-evaluating. Making cultural changes in the world starts with making changes within businesses. And sometimes, to drive change, brands will need to step outside of their categories.

With culture moving at lightning speed, companies need to keep an ear to the ground and join the conversation to make an impact in a way that is true to the brand. One way to achieve this is by re-evaluating products that have been taken for granted for years like the phone camera. While camera tech has excluded people of colour, especially those with dark skin tones, Google’s real tone technology upgraded the Pixel camera to correct this historic wrong. This Grand Prix winning innovation will have a lasting impact on many underrepresented communities.

We need to think beyond the customer journey to our products and make cultural changes that have a lasting impact on the community.

3. The future of storytelling is evolving

A Lion is a symbol of creative achievement and Robert Lambrechts, CCO of Pereira O’Dell and Entertainment Lions juror gave us an insight into what makes a winner. He said, “5 years ago, great stories were good enough to win at Cannes. Today, everyone has good stories so to stand out and win, there needs to be more - a leap from logic”.

This thought process should begin well before the brainstorm. When you are on the hunt for creative inspiration, the advice is to look beyond ads. We need to dive head first into culture and look at unconventional spaces - could be the news, video games or TikTok (shameless plug). Telling your brand stories in an unusual format, using unique genres or conveying messages through new platforms and worlds will drive creative innovation.

One new world that everyone is talking about at Cannes and beyond is the Metaverse and Web3. Conversations are fueled with equal parts of excitement & confusion, which means there is an incredible opportunity for brands to experiment in storytelling through new and interactive ways. Some notable winners include GreenPeace LosSantos +3°C, which illustrated the effects of climate change in the world of Grand Theft Auto and Australian Open's world-first NFT art collection, linked to real time match data from the championship.

While I’m personally thrilled about the Metaverse and the decentralised web, the one takeaway is that it doesn’t matter if we love it or hate it, we should take time to learn about it. And more importantly, if we do decide to explore this new technology, we should do so ethically by prioritising inclusivity, diversity, and safety.

4. Put fun on your task list

It couldn't have been expressed any more succinctly than Ryan Reynolds did when he declared, "Ads should be fun”. Looking at some of the award-winning work which largely highlights serious issues, it is easy to forget that there is a space for joy in advertising.

One of the most effective ways to have fun is by humanising your brand. This can help brands better connect with their consumers and communities in a light hearted and genuine way. For instance, check out the brands on TikTok that have found success by letting go of some of their guardrails, embracing authenticity and having fun.

Two standout Lion winning campaigns that used humour were Jif peanut butter’s 'Mumble rap' and Skittles’ 'Apologize the rainbow'. By not taking your brand seriously all the time, you get to play in new territories and win the hearts of new communities. And that’s not to say that ads can’t be funny while still addressing important subjects. The Entertainment category's Grand Prix winner is the perfect example - Eat a Swede is a film that employs humour to convey a message about the climate crisis and sustainability.

Play goes beyond campaign ideas and should be included in our workplaces. Julia Goldin, CMO of Lego, told us that "Play is fundamental to creativity. For children, it cultivates valuable creative skills. As adults, it help our brains break out of well-trodden thought process to make new connections". So don’t forget to add fun and play to the mix as it aids with the skills we need for problem solving, creativity and critical thinking.

5. Go beyond your job title

From a personal development standpoint, the one thing that was consistently echoed through the academy was the the power of being a multi-hyphenated creative. Some of the biggest celebrities that graced the festival this year are all polymaths. Paris Hilton is a business owner, DJ, actress, model and investor. Issa Rae is a writer, producer, actor, director and comedian. Ryan Reynolds is an actor, chief creative officer and business owner.

Each skill brings different value to the table and that unique perspective will help you stand out as well as your work. Spend time learning and adding different skill sets to your belt and you too can become a polymath. The best advice we got was from MJ DePalma, the Global Director of Cultural & Inclusive Business Impact at Microsoft. She emphasised “Don’t be a know it all, be a learn it all”.

Andrea Bell from WGSN also provided us with insight into Gen Z, the "self taught generation" during a keynote on the main stage. 35% of Gen Z use TikTok to find new skills. Whether or not you belong to that generation, your inherent curiosity to upskill will advance your career and infuse passion into your work.

To put all these lessons into practice, the first thing we need to do is embrace experimentation and failure. This year's trip to Cannes left me feeling incredibly inspired and stoked to collaborate more effectively, work on meaningful projects, discover new worlds, make a difference in the community, and develop as a multifaceted professional in the business.

Until next year, a big thank you to TikTok for giving me the chance of a lifetime to attend the Cannes Creative Academy!