Unlike last year when Cannes Lions would clearly break out Lion’s Health preceded by the seven-day Festival itself, this year the Festival itself has been made eight days, beginning from June 18. The Day four of the Festival was once again filled with some of the most inspiring names in the global advertising and entertainment industry deliberate on what sparks an idea that can move people.
Google connected the dots once again between storytelling and technology, and this year through the virtual reality (VR) lens. The company’s Vice President of VR, Clay Bavo said that VR will touch everything and not just gaming. Bavo made a case that technology would have an impact on travel, communication, storytelling, art, how people think and how people remember things.
Hollywood Superstar Will Smith also reminded everyone that no matter how many times storytelling is stressed on, it is never enough. Smith said that any great work requires compelling narrative if others are to believe it. And once that is in place, commercial success will follow. It was also important to understand the reason behind that work, and that had to be part of the story itself.
He also pointed out that in the age of technology, people could not be cheated and creative professionals would do well to remember that. “Use smoke and mirrors in marketing is over. You have to be truthful.”
If being truthful or genuine was one advice, the second one heard at the Festival was to transform.
Bob Greenberg, Founder & Chairman, R/GA divulged that the award winning agency roughly itself every nine years to stay relevant. Much of this could be credited to the disruption created by technology. Recalling the company’s journey to transition, he said, “In 1977, we were working with camera developed by the Navy and software from jey-propulsion lab to pioneer computer assisted filmmaking. In 1986, we embraced digital video and then in 1995, we reinvented ourselves as an interactive agency because it was clear that the internet was becoming really important. In 2004, computer literacy was widespread to so we moved towards creating brand experiences. In 2013, we became a company for the connected age.”
