Cannes: Media’s Synecdoche

I think Cannes has become a synecdoche as well to many of us in media Itamp8217s different than Vegas amp8211 which serves as host to so many conferences and life events that no one industry nor one person Sinatra Elvis Wynn can lay claim to itCannes has become an intersection an opportunity and a process that links media marketing and entertainment to each other I could say the Lions are about advertising MIPCOM is about TV and the Cannes Film Festival is about movies amp8211 but that would short change how the three interactWith these three amazing events Cannes has become a representation of creativityI left the south of France last week marveling over the continued artistry of Titanium Lion winner Doveamp8217s marketing and chuckling over the darling of the festival Melbourne Metro Trainamp8217s weirdly endearing multiple Lionwinning Dumb Ways to Die campaignThe most compelling and lasting impression is that the Lions understand that their festival is about more than awarding creators of excellent work but about creating an environment that rewards all who attend by allowing a flexibility around what creativity meansFor example the Lions is now a conference that embraces technology Not just digital distribution it used to be the digital upfront but a place where players like Salesforcecom PubMatic ZEFR and many others are welcome to claim their own piece of this amp8220mental real estateamp8221The media is even shifting its focus from the horse race of awardwinners and losers to the broader story of the conference itself USA Today ran a story this week headlined amp8220Death and Tech Two Hot Topics at Cannes Ad Festamp8221 The former was a reference to the Melbourne campaign and other contenders that featured the Grim Reaper in some way The latter amp8220scores of advertising festival attendees and speakers who work in techamp8221Those executives didnamp8217t come to go to the gutter bar not that thereamp8217s anything wrong with that They came for the substantial learning and meeting and discovery that now routinely take place at Cannes For example the NY Post made its first appearance at Cannes amp8211 covering the events on the ground and hosting a Friday amp8220Best of Cannesamp8221 recap of the week which showcased the amp8220power and process of the headlineamp8221Companies such as Maker Studios came for the experience of getting together with brands and marketers that encourage and often precipitate innovations imaginative deals and gamechanging new perspectivesMediaLink was proud to be the creator sponsor and programmer of the 2nd Annual TechTalk Whether it was Conde Nast Entertainment or Machinima on the stage it was a format that allowed innovative amp8220startupsamp8221 of different shapes and sizes to have a voiceI think itamp8217s fitting that these presentations took place in the Young Lions Zone on the Lower Level of the PalaisBecause technology is not a strategy itamp8217s a foundation for expression across mediaBut thereamp8217s more to Cannes than technology amp8211 thereamp8217s also people Nothing expresses the talent that harnesses technology and creativity better than David Sableamp8217s Friday night dinner which itself has become a synecdoche for the collegiality and collaboration in the marketing industryCannes is now more than a series of conferences Itamp8217s a confluence of people and ideasWith that it has evolved into more of a thing than a place for Madison Avenue Hollywood and amp8211 now amp8211 Silicon ValleyThe opinions and points of view expressed in this commentary are exclusively the views of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaBizBloggerscom management or associated bloggers MediaBizBloggers is an open thought leadership platform and readers may share their comments and opinions in response to all commentaries

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Cannes: Media’s Synecdoche

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Michael Kassan

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Cannes: Media’s Synecdoche

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Michael Kassan

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