Ash Hopper: Dissecting the Cyber Lions

Over the past seven days I’ve had the privilege of being part of the Cannes Cyber Jury for the second time in my career. Sitting alongside 24 of your peers (and idols) discussing aspects of the work and hearing a variety of opinions and analysis is an invaluable source of inspiration. As a juror you get a privileged view of the thinking behind some of the world’s best work. Irrespective of whether it’s an entry, shortlist or winner, Cannes is the best place to see what the industry is doing and understand what the best minds in the business define as industry leading work.

We discussed many aspects of the work and didn’t allow the case studies to seduce us. We were also conscious that with digital being infused into every category in Cannes, Cyber Lions must recognise work that was uniquely digital.  We poked and prodded our way through a staggering amount of work over seven days looking for the perfect mix of idea, technology, media, message and execution. Work that was little more than novelty was quickly dismissed in favour of work that had a deeper sense of purpose and focus on brand behavior.

The two Grand Prix winners were described by jury chairman, Iain Tait, as “bookends to the industry” - at one end a simple piece of communications work and at the other end an ambitious technology platform.  Going one step further, I’d characterise the types of work entered as falling into two categories:  ‘The brand as user’ and ‘The brand as a developer’.   The brand user is one that accesses platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to deliver messages to consumers in a traditional communications sense. The brand as a developer has a deeper connection with technology and the leading example of this approach is the Nike Fuel Band which is not only a product, but an ecosystem and one that provides an API for others to develop applications around the Fuel Band platform itself.

There were other standout pieces of work, notably ‘The Liberation’ for the fashion retailer ONLY. Through a beautifully crafted user experience, it integrated a product catalogue with an interactive film, creating an emotive piece of online retailing. The Dove Ad Makeover which put media buying into the hands of its Facebook fan base was a great example of a brand with a strong purpose in social media and understood the relationship it had with its fans.  It’s worth spending a few days reviewing all winners, as well as the shortlist. While it’s not a formula for next year’s success, it signals the direction the industry is heading.

Lastly, while the festival has its share of detractors, I feel obliged to say many are ill-informed or have dated views that hark back to another era of advertising. True to its word, the festival has evolved and the increased presence of business leaders from the world’s largest companies suggests that you’d be a fool to dismiss such an audience.

Ashadi Hopper
National Creative Director, Digital & Direct
JWT Australia/New Zealand