Creative: Cannes - Judgment Day

Forty-four international judges will sort through 5,757 film entries, 9,040 press and poster entries, 1,048 cyber entries and 502 media entries at this year's International Advertising Festival at Cannes. Adweek asked three U.S. jurors how they make their judgment calls. FILM: Jim Ferguson As chief creative officer at Young & Rubicam in New York, Jim Ferguson supervised the production of 300 TV spots last year. This week, as a judge of film entries at Cannes, Ferguson will view a good chunk of the 5,757 commercials, a staggering task. Undaunted, Ferguson says he'll simply go with what he likes. Adweek: To prepare, have you gone to past judges for advice? Ferguson: [DDB's Bob] Scarpelli is a good friend of mine. He judged a couple of years ago. [He told me to] be prepared for a lot of shenanigans. It's not all about the work. Adweek: There's a lot of politicking and ear-bending that goes on. How do you deal with that? Ferguson: I'm pretty strong-willed. I have a reputation as somebody who doesn't bend easy I'm not the type who can be persuaded to do something I don't want to do. Adweek: How do you approach Cannes as opposed to the Andys or the Kellys, which you've also judged? Ferguson: Like a consumer. I'm just going to sit there and enjoy it, hope that I see something I like. That's probably the easiest way. I'm pretty unsophisticated in my approach as a judge. Adweek: What makes an ad great? Ferguson: Does it touch an emotion? Does it feel like it would motivate a consumer to do something? That's how I'll look at it. Do I like it? I don't know if that's a criteria, but you get pretty good at what you do. Do I find it funny, not funny? Does it stand out? Adweek: Was it a good year for creativity, a so-so year or have you seen better? Ferguson: It's all running together for me. I don't think it has been that great. It has not been that bad. Adweek: What stuff stands out? I like "Whassup." I mean, it caught on. I don't know how good it was. But I'll tell you what--it caught on, didn't it? Whassup! It won the Clios. I liked it. I thought it was funny. I mean, as a consumer sitting there looking at it, I laughed my ass off. I holler it to myself: "Whassup? Nothin'!" Adweek: How do you compare Cannes to The One Show or the D&AD? Ferguson: Cannes is the only one that is pure international advertising For guys like me, it's your only chance just to be an ad guy. You go there, you sit in a dark room, you watch hundreds of commercials, you make notes, you talk to your friends about it. You discuss things. Everybody is there to discuss advertising, and it's fun. Adweek: This year, there are about 5,700 entries--about a thousand more in the TV category. Should there be a ceiling on entries? Ferguson: No, if you think it's good, and you want to throw the dice Adweek: Do you think there are a thousand more great ads this year? Ferguson: Probably not. The economy is good, and people are just more likely to enter. Maybe people just need to set their standards a little higher and think, "Can this actually win at Cannes?" Adweek: Any favorite memories or moments from past Cannes trips? Ferguson: It's a thrill when you win a gold. It's a great feeling because they give so few away. And then you think, "My God, I've got a shot at the grand prize." It's a wonderful feeling. You always want to repeat it. --Andrew McMains FILM: Cheryl Berman One of the authors of Disney's jingle, "Celebrate the Future Hand in Hand," Cheryl Berman likes advertising that makes consumers feel a part of something larger. In her 23 years in advertising, the chairman and chief creative officer of Leo Burnett U.S.A. has received Lions for humorous and touching ads for McDonald's, Hallmark and United. Berman will be bringing those sensibilities to the jury room. Adweek: What do you look for? Berman: That instant emotional connection. Is it a good story? Does it stay with you? As opposed to just a good joke, which you laugh about and don't remember the next day. I look at how it affects consumers, not just advertising aficionados. And, obviously we're going to be dealing with a lot of cultures, possibly things that we don't understand, and I want to go into it open-minded. Americans have a tendency to overexplain things. We're afraid people aren't listening, so we have to say it three times. Other countries, especially in Europe, are more respectful of consumers because their consumers are more interested in advertising. Adweek: So you're expecting more subtlety in the foreign work? Berman: To be honest, we'll see a whole bunch of entertainment. Which is actually very fun. But I will look at it as entertainment for the sake of conveying an idea. Some ads that fail for me are very funny or contemporary, but don't have anything to do with the brand. We create a problem when we reward work that isn't really a smart thing to recommend to your client. Adweek: What will do well this year? Berman: Nike's "Morning After." Everybody went through the millennium. It makes you want to be a part of that brand. And it makes you feel great about being alive and a part of something. I think [Budweiser's] "Whassup" will do great. Adweek: Will it cross borders? Berman: You know, interestingly enough, I just came back from a global advertising conference in Zurich, where I saw people from South America and Scandinavia laughing at it. It surprised me, but people seem to appreciate it. Another one that will do well is Ameritrade's "Let's Light This Candle," because, once again, Stuart's become part of the vernacular. We all know those people. It makes Ameritrade approachable and human. I also think the work for [Japanese TV show] Wowow will do well. The Delta-Lloyd insurance work from the Netherlands is very funny. There's also the Guinness ad with the snail race. The appeal is somewhat cultural, but I think it'll be discussed. Adweek: What about Burnett ads? Berman: It'll be interesting see if our Heinz work transfers. It's a global campaign that has done well in some markets and won a number of awards. But I think food in general is not quite as far up on the list at awards shows as it used to be. Adweek: Are you looking forward to the long hours on the jury? Berman: It will be great to hear how other cultures respond, to hear some differing points of view. I don't think people realize how great the minds are in this industry. I'd love to debate [about the winners]. I probably look for more humanity in advertising, more emotionally involving situations. I've often had disagreements with people about it, because sometimes the human stuff doesn't go over as well. --Mallorre Dill PRESS & POSTER: David Lubars He doesn't go to many awards shows anymore. But David Lubars could not pass up the ad fest in Cannes this year, especially since he had to turn down jury duty in 1998, shortly after leaving his position as CEO, BBDO West, to join Fallon, Minneapolis. These days, Lubars, president and creative director at Fallon, displays a few Lions on his office shelves, garnered over 18 years in the ad business, for clients such as Miller, Apple, Pioneer, Aquafina, Keds and L. A. Cellular. Adweek: What do you expect from your first experience as a judge at Cannes? Lubars: The world is getting smaller, and universal ideas are the future of our business. The most successful things at Cannes are not culturally specific. It's universal emotions or humor. That's what's exciting about Cannes. It has to work in a totally pan-human way. Adweek: There are a record number of print and poster entries this year. How will you approach the judging? Lubars: There are thousands to look at, and it's important the ads really snap people's heads back. You should get it in a second. That is huge because that's how consumers react, too. Adweek: How do you judge TV differently from print? Lubars: I don't. They're different media, but timeless creative ideas can go across any medium. Digital, too. You get hit emotionally, you feel something and that's usually successful if it's a good message. Again, whether it comes from Brazil or Poland, everybody should be able to respond to it. It shouldn't be about the old conflict of the production vs. the idea. The ad has to be a great idea; it can't win just because it was well produced and it had some fizzy effects. Adweek: What will do well? Lubars: The things that travel across all cultures. For example, the "Whassup" guys. Even though it's an Afro American-centric kind of inside thing here, everybody can relate to schmucky guys sitting around watching games and being stupid. That should play. I'm hoping our [EDS] "Cat Herders" commercial will do well. Because, again, people around the world love western culture. There's a funny visual joke to it. I think Nike's "Morning After" will be great, because that Y2K thing was universal. There's a Levi's spot from the U.K., in which a couple is getting dressed as if they're undressing each other. I remember thinking that was pretty cool. The Guinness work from the U.K. I like a lot. The Budget stuff is very funny, universal, with a neat message. Adweek: How about print? Lubars: I don't really know what's going on in print around the world. We'll see. Adweek: How will you approach judging? Lubars: The work has got to communicate a point and make me think about something I didn't think about before. Or it helps change my mind. Something I didn't know. An ad designed to just be creative and pretty to look at will not win. It's got to be an ad that sells something, or communicates something. It can't just be some creative jerk-off. You can quote me on that. So it's a combination of [selling and communicating] and the work being done in a creative way that really brings it home. That's what this business is about. Adweek: What are you most looking forward to? Lubars: Seeing my peers from around the world. It's always good to compare notes with people you respect. And maybe I'll do some recruiting. --Mallorre Dill

Brand Marketing

Creative: Cannes - Judgment Day

Adweek Staff

About

Subscriptions

Events

Publications

WORK SMARTER - LEARN, GROW AND BE INSPIRED.

Subscribe today!

Adweek Staff