The adrenalin is starting to wear thin as our jet lag still makes its presence known. There’s still so much to see and do, and with that we haul ourselves out of bed to get down to the Palais.
The seminar from the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation ‘Can your idea change the world’ gave us a behind-the-scenes look on the foundation’s Grand Challenges Explorations program that challenges people from all disciplines to submit ideas that could fundamentally change the world. A couple of the ideas presented were extremely world-changing and actually made us feel quite small. Did you know that a billion people in the world will never experience a clean toilet? (Think about that next time you have to use a portaloo at a concert!) If you get a chance, Google ‘bio-char’ Jason Aramburu’s idea that isn’t only a tool for sanitisation but can turn “shit into gold” - his words exactly).
SapientNitro, an agency known for their ‘connected thinking’ approach to ideas and platforms, debated the strategies and communication tactics used by both global brands and celebs in their seminar ‘Global brands vs global celebrities: who’s the smarter marketer?’. It was an interesting debate between Darren McColl, strategist on Best Job in the World, and Omar Epps, who plays Dr Eric Foreman on House, who was a surprisingly well versed marketer. He recently started up BeeYoo, “a video platform for celebrities to share their video content whilst protecting their own brand integrity and monetizing the value of their social following”. My money’s on Bieber jumping on BeeYoo soon.
With so many creative and inspiring minds around us from numerous disciplines, we’ve tasked ourselves with picking their brains for advice that’s applicable to anyone in the industry . We caught up with Sapient Nitro’s VP of global marketing strategy, Freddie Laker, and worldwide chief creative officer, Gaston Legorburu, to ask their opinion on what traits people need to succeed.
“What most people aren’t doing is trying to master technology.” Says Freddie. “And it doesn’t mean being a computer programmer or a developer but really understanding how technology can benefit you.” His predicts “10 years from now there won’t be many senior guys who don’t get tech. If you don’t get it, you’re out of the game. It’s not just about the technology, it’s about engaging where your consumers are.”
Gaston says, when judging work, what makes him excited and envious is not always the idea. “There are amazing ideas that end up on the cutting room floor all the time.” What really impresses him is the fact that the work was ever made. “I am always in awe of the fact that someone sold this idea or that a client had the courage to do this idea. Doing great work is a team sport. As a creative person, you are going to live a very frustrated life if you don’t try and enlist others to champion your ideas, or vice versa. There’s real skill in selling something in. Ideas have little value unless you do something with it.”
Being in Cannes the Festival of Creativity that highlights all the great ideas that were realised, you can’t help but wonder which deserving ideas didn’t make it.
Helen Luong, CRM Marketing Executive, Audi Australia
Sirisha Pulapaka, Commercial Channels and Customer Strategy Marketing Manager, Roads and Maritime Services
Australia’s marketing Young Lions
Young Lions: Selling ideas and turning shit to gold
20 June 2012