Beach parties, sea breeze, talents under the spotlight… here comes the 2018 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. It’s my third time taking part ub this global getaway for conference-goers and lovers of multi-continental creativity. Cannes, a town full of exotica, isn’t only a sunny place for shady people. Here are some of the things that caught my eye this year.
Future-proof machine la jetée
During the 12-hour flight from Shanghai to Nice, I spent some quiet time on the film Blade Runner 2049 in the cabinet. Once walking out from the dock, I discovered this little support vehicle, which looked so alike the cine-machine. Hi, future here I came!
Say it with logos
If you have an iconic brand on hand, it could be a half-win situation. If you have the power to turn your logo “upside down”, it makes a true statement relevant to everyone. In some cases, millennials are attracted by the brands that proactively makes a stance on a public issue. (Nike on marriage equality. McDonald’s on women’s day. KFC on crisis management.)
YouTube joins the music-streaming business
It was the second day when YouTube officially announced the launch of its music streaming service. (The next night on a different stage, Spotify was named Media Brand of the Year). Will the latecomer become the new game-changer in the music business? How can the indie musicians and music explorers both benefit from the new platform? (One thing can be sure, it's not such exciting news to me, since these platforms have no access to China.)
Look at Japan, another exclusive music market. L.D.H. (Love, Dream, Happiness. Yes, a blunt name) made a presentation of how it runs a business that helps its artists to grow organically, and ended with a well-directed Samurai Dance as a vivid credential.
Mark Kong is executive creative director of FCB Greater China