In just a few short weeks, people within your agency will be heading to Cannes (June 21-27) for that illustrious advertising adventure known as the Cannes Lions. There, the people who aren’t you will rub elbows and sip alcoholy things and eat on the Riviera and attend conferences and damn that has got to annoy the heck out of you. Many agencies, we’ve been hearing, are cutting way back on the event this year. Maybe that’s because full registration costs $3,581.81 (which we found out by registering for the thing).
But still, there will be a large number of adverati flying east for the event of events while many of you sit in your offices or on your couches, wondering what the hell they’re doing there amidst all the cutbacks, layoffs and other bullshit that has filled the last year.
So we’re trying to get a feel for which agencies are entering work, how much and what it costs to be involved. Here’s what we know so far:
To attend the full event, a pass for one person costs about $3500. That doesn’t include lodging, which we hear can run as high as, well, thousands. Average though is about $300-500 a night for a single occupancy room (though we hear you have to get those rooms early). Then add food and the so-called $30 beers, cab rides, airfare, toothbrush and on top of it all the anti-credit card aura of the thing and well we’re playing some major ball. Yeah, bring cash.
And we haven’t even entered our work yet. Let’s do that now. Entries vary in cost from $427 all the way up to $1,586.53 (based on currency conversion site XE). Here’s what each Lion entry costs — just one (15% tax, as listed by the Lions folks, has been added):
Film: $983
Press: $543
Outdoor: $543
Direct: $603
Media: $602
Cyber: $543
Radio: $427 (cheapest!)
Promo: $602
Titanium and Integrated: $1586
Design: $602
PR: $602
That’s a lot of scratch for one little entry. And there can only be one winner folks.
Note: Help us figure out how many people/entries your agency is sending by e-mailing agencyspy at gmail dot com.
Note 2: Wrath of Cannes is free to enter and free to attend, minus the cost of drinks, which will be low. Just sayin.
More: “Canned? Creative? Come to Wrath of Cannes”