The marketing and brand creativity industry is at a decisive moment for its future, where the digital revolution and human inventiveness will shape a new relationship between brands and people. Impressions from Cannes Lions 2023.

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Let's face it. We all know someone, or maybe even ourselves, involved in marketing and brand creativity. Whether we work for companies or within the vast landscape of agencies, offices, producers, or consultants, it's hard to ignore the industry's significance, especially considering that global spending on advertising alone is projected to reach $727 billion in 2023 (Dentsu).

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This budget is increasingly dominated by digital channels, with China estimated to account for about 79% and Mexico's 58% of total digital spending by 2023 (IAB). However, there is a challenge, as 84% of brand communication goes unnoticed by consumers (Nielsen). It's no secret that it's difficult to compete with people's daily lives when it comes to selling something.

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Therefore, marketing and creativity initiatives that genuinely stand out manage to transcend and become part of people's conversations. According to Pablo de Arteaga from Wieden + Kennedy, the key is to be "distinctive within a sea of competitors" and participate in topics that people are talking about. This is why the industry gathers every June in Cannes to analyze the current state, challenges and reward the best in business.

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The Cannes Lions Festival is highly competitive, with around 29,000 cases competing for recognition, but only 2.5% receive prizes. The global industry, serving as the jury, converges on approximately 750 truly exceptional and effective campaigns. Being recognized with a 'Lion' award is a transformative achievement for those involved. I've experienced it myself, and it's truly an impressive experience.

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Beyond the talks, awards, and bustling atmosphere outside Hotel Martinez, the festival offers three distinct experiences for its 15,000 visitors: gaining knowledge and inspiration, competing, and seizing multinational networking opportunities.

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To distill the conclusions, I conversed with industry leaders from Mondelez, TikTok, Snapchat, Frog, and Whalar. These discussions and informal insights from work meetings confirmed that the challenge in mass consumption remains the same: standing out in a crowded market and reaching an increasingly diverse and dispersed group of people.

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However, it's not just about differentiation; it's also about establishing an intangible connection that transcends time, builds trust, and constantly improves for the benefit of both brands and consumers. Creativity is vital, going beyond traditional marketing and advertising to encompass various talents, tools, and services.

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We are witnessing a new era characterized by the democratization of creativity, where anyone can start the next consumer milestone. This transformation involves multinationals, entrepreneurs, agencies, freelancers, influencers, consumers, and artificial intelligence competing in a fair fight. It's a fundamental change in the business as we know it.

Embrace the 'Iconic'

Leading brands are returning to their essence and leveraging their iconic status to create new and creative campaigns. Instead of focusing solely on merchandising, flagship stores, and activations, these brands are elevating their packaging, characters, product formats, colors, and all the associations consumers have built over generations.

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These brands blend nostalgia, user experience, collaborations, fan engagement, and involvement in mainstream news or social media conversations to succeed in the competitive advertising landscape. We can expect campaigns where familiar products rejuvenate while preserving their core identity.

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Cases:

• Heinz's 'Draw Ketchup' campaign invites people worldwide to spontaneously draw a ketchup bottle, turning the responses into a global campaign. [Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APoGHH1Ns2M]

• Mars' 'M&M's Spokecandies on Pause' campaign generates significant impact and debate by replacing the brand's iconic spokespersons. The campaign dominates trends in the United States. [Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJLjeytlnKs]

Seize the 'Pop Culture Momentum'

According to Sofía Hernández from TikTok, the platform provides an ideal space for brands to engage with users and join the global conversation. While many brands have already established a presence on TikTok, the real challenge lies in leveraging cultural moments to drive connections and conversions, especially when targeting younger generations. Striking the right balance between situation, value proposition, and relevance in a shorter time frame is crucial.

Case:

• Doordash's 'SelfLove' campaign capitalizes on Valentine's Day, appealing to singles who do not celebrate the occasion. The campaign cleverly incorporates a hit song by Miley Cyrus and promotes a product focused on self-indulgence. [Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f90ORAVPGSc]

Focus on Mental Stability

Since the release of the groundbreaking 'Bud Light - Dylan Mulvaney campaign in March, brands have strived to support the LGBTQ+ community without turning their support into a double-edged sword. This topic will remain contentious in the coming years, given that at least one in five people under 25 globally does not identify as heterosexual.

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On the other side, the festival showcased successful campaigns that highlighted the importance of mental health and aimed to eliminate taboos surrounding related conditions, which now affect one-third of the population due to the years of the pandemic. Brands have effectively tapped into this trend, and we expect to see more campaigns addressing mental well-being.

Cases:

• Unilever's 'Cost of Beauty' campaign celebrates the 20th anniversary of the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty by addressing the beauty standards imposed by social networks and their impact on children and adolescents. The campaign is emotionally impactful. [Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ngESNoacxM]

• ITV and Calm's 'The Last Photo' campaign raises awareness about the silent nature of suicide by revealing the last images captured by those who have taken their own lives. [Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEIXQJnMKAY]

Collaborations & Alliances

Like leading fashion houses, mass consumer brands increasingly collaborate with direct competitors and products from other categories to create new lifestyles. As Bhavesh Unadkat from Frog states, not competing and collaborating with competitors will leave brands behind, as FMCG companies cannot build themselves; they need to partner with their ecosystem.

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While collaborations have already taken place in complementary innovations, sustainability initiatives, and gender representation in advertising, new alliances are emerging to foster closeness with consumers and drive sales.

Cases:

• Mondelez's 'Oreo Cheat Cookies' campaign transforms the iconic cookie to connect with the passion and dynamics of gamers. [Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tHH70CJf80]

• Partners Life's 'The Last Performance' campaign raises awareness about their insurance products by leveraging the characters from a popular police action series. [Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWKWMcjA-68]

Embrace the Power of Artificial Intelligence

The most visited, discussed, and analyzed topic during the festival revolves around the transformational impact of Generative Artificial Intelligence on marketing and creativity. By 2030, Forrester predicts that AI will replace around 7.5% of agency positions, totaling approximately 33,000 jobs in the United States alone.

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Various developers from corporations, technology companies, and creative agencies are exploring the potential applications of AI, including content generation, campaign development, product design, virtual assistants, consumer segmentation, video creation, social media management, customer service, data analysis, and insights development.

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While AI offers scalability and helps mitigate burnout, it is essential to remember that good creativity possesses a soul, as stated by Sir John Hegarty, one of the world's most influential advertising creatives. However, using AI to enhance campaigns, personalize creativity, understand consumer needs, and facilitate real-time interactions is a prominent focus.

Cases:

• Mondelez's 'Shah Rukh Khan-My-Ad Cadbury' campaign uses AI to generate customized ads for small businesses in India featuring the image of the renowned Bollywood actor. [Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WECsbqAQSk&t=2s]

• Hunger Station's 'Subconscious Order' campaign utilizes AI to streamline food delivery order confirmations. [Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuAQ3UyyjaU]

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Influencer's Tipping Point

The impact of content creators, or social media influencers, on marketing and creativity is impossible to ignore. The influencer industry is currently valued at around $17 billion, and an increasing number of adolescents expressing their desire to be part of it, regardless of their career aspirations.

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With TikTok boasting 1.6 billion users, including a substantial proportion of daily active users, incorporating influencer strategies is crucial. Building effective relationships among agencies, clients, influencers, and platforms presents opportunities and challenges, particularly in real-time execution.

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Brands must recognize that collaborating with content creators requires a shift in mindset. According to Sofía Hernández from TikTok, 41% of users trust products they see on the platform. Additionally, authentic relationships have a stronger influence on Centennials, who seek genuine connections rather than overproduced content, as stated by Rob Wilk from SnapChat.

Case:

• Samsung's 'Flipvertising' campaign engaged TikTok influencer Dylan Page in a contest where participants had to figure out how to be targeted by digital advertising to win a phone. This initiative sparked conversations among influencers. [Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XKtKqa4voE]

Real Value in Real Life

Redefining the purpose of brands and delivering products or services that genuinely improve users' lives is gaining importance. It's no longer just about taking a stand on sensitive societal or cultural issues. Advertisers are adjusting their core strategies in today's polarizing global climate to demonstrate authentic connections with their target audience's everyday experiences.

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This new era of communication demands authenticity, rejecting stereotypes, unrealistic portrayals, and deepfakes. Brands are expected to reflect real life as it is, playing a meaningful role in consumers' daily routines.

Cases:

• Renault's 'Plug-Inn' campaign addresses the lack of charging stations for electric cars by incorporating elements of hospitality and the sharing economy. [Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYnExAdLQpA]

• Corona's 'Extra Lime' campaign tackles the issue of lemons in China by creating an economic system that promotes social improvement through their combination. [Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JO7vAisaRtw]

• Ikea's 'Second Best' campaign emphasizes the importance of family and their habits, placing furniture as a secondary consideration. [Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heWqsC4e2vA]

It will be intriguing to witness the future of this industry, where ordinary individuals, famous influencers, and Artificial Intelligence may receive prestigious awards at Cannes Lions for creating groundbreaking campaigns outside the conventional model. This future may already be unfolding before us as trends evolve rapidly. What seems contemporary today may be deemed outdated tomorrow.

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