#MADnotes

Random notes on Marketing, Advertising and Digital

[themadvertiser]

Cannes 2016 / Bonus Lesson: Take risks to stand out.

“It takes the same amount of energy to do great as it does to justify average.” - David Droga

And we’re an industry that spends much time justifying average. Often the biggest budgets generate greater fear of mistake and a smaller share of audacity.

Telling our users what they already know, is nice and inoffensive, but also extremely dangerous, because its not breaking through and it’s not really doing anything for your brand. It’s the kind of stuff that might not get you fired, but it’s also the sort of stuff that burns a lot of money.

Clients are often afraid, like a small kid in class. Scared of losing their jobs, scared of not getting that promotion. It’s the agency’s job to educate the client. To keep pushing and teaching until they’re not afraid anymore. Great creativity is within reach of any brand or agency, but it does require an investment of time, bravery and trust.

If you take risks, it could create controversy, people can ridicule you…but what’s the alternative? The alternative is that you do stuff and no one even cares, and you’re totally irrelevant. The safest thing you can do is be brave and take chances. That’s the way you grow brands.

“If you stand for something, you will always find some people for you and some against you. If you stand for nothing, you will find nobody against you, and nobody for you.” -Bill Bernbach

[themadvertiser]

Cannes 2016 / Lesson #6: Modern creativity demands collaboration.

Kill the rockstars! It's not about the lonely ad man working at night anymore. Technology and the world are too complex today. You won’t be able to solve big problems without collaboration. Don’t be afraid to admit you have no idea what you’re doing and need help from someone who does.

Great work will always be a result of great creative partnerships. And partnership means going on a journey together, working side by side, sharing a mutual ambition, creating briefs and coming up with solutions together and empowering everyone to participate.

Evolve the agency-client relationship into a unified creative team, a creative partnership. A new way of working together.

[themadvertiser]

Cannes 2016 / Lesson #5: Strategy is knowing what not to do.

“The average US consumer is exposed to 6,000 brand messages daily. Brands invite themselves to conversations where they don’t belong, where they are not relevant, not useful, not interesting, adding no value. …it’s just noise.” - Wendy Clark

We’re pursuing a goal of just more channels and more content. A quantity game. But more cannot be a strategy. With so many touchpoints today we have to find the critical ones and put our money there.

Start with a big idea that holds everything together and choose the right medium. An idea can’t be media neutral, it has to first appear somewhere. A book, a painting, a building…

KEY STRATEGY QUESTIONS

1. What trends from the past motivate action?

2. What are your winning aspirations?

3. Where will you play? (Market, Customers, Region Products, Platforms, Business Model)

4. How will you win?

5. What capabilities are needed?

6. How will you measure success?

[themadvertiser]

Cannes 2016 / Lesson #4: Agencies need more diversity.

How many of you are the bearded white guy in sneakers?

Sitting in a room with like-minded people is the worst thing in the world for creativity, but that is generally how advertising agencies like to operate. Great work is increasingly dependent on diversity. Diversity of cultures, diversity of interests, diversity of age, and so on. Diversity is not a moral issue, nor something that looks good on the photo, it is a creative advantage.

Your team should be as diverse as the users you’re trying to reach. Look outside of the ad world, find cultural experts. Bring unusual perspectives and diverse talents to work with you. Be open to the ideas of those who know much less than you (they may really know much more).

Check out this project that aims to increase diversity in the ad industry: http://www.25fortyproject.com/

—

Inspired by the DigitasLBi, DDB North America and M&C Saatchi talks at Cannes Lions 2016.

[themadvertiser]

Cannes 2016 / Lesson #3: Purpose is a lot like a love.

Some brands are already doing beautiful love letters (ads, manifestos, etc) that can touch people's emotions. But afterwards people want you to show your love, to put your money where your mouth is. Purpose, like love, should be about showing, not just talking about it.

Companies that not only articulate a higher or broader purpose but who also walk-the-walk by behaving in ways that demonstrate their true commitment. Discover the important human truths, set your purpose and then act on it. Be the change, walk the talk.

But purpose does not necessarily refer to social responsibility. Most of the times it just means something bigger than your product functionality but smaller than solving world hunger.

Use creativity to help a cultural change that makes a difference for the future.

Right the wrongs (Skins “Official Non-Sponsor of FIFA”)

Fight the injustices (Always #LikeAGirl, Ariel #sharetheload)

Show a different norm (AXE “Find Your Magic”).

[themadvertiser]

Cannes 2016 / Lesson #2: Weaknesses are your greatest strengths.

In marketing, our strengths are generic; it’s our weaknesses that define our character, differentiating us from others.

Too often, we try and focus on our strengths to build brands, yet these strengths are well known, category table-stakes (all beer is refreshing). In a world yearning for authenticity, why do brands consistently portray superficial and positive images?

Let’s learn a life lesson from Batman who found his strengths by embracing his vulnerabilities. Vulnerability is key to human connection. All humans are attracted to weakness. If brands show vulnerability, it will be easier for users to trust them, precisely because they’re putting themselves at risk. Vulnerability makes brands more relatable.

Users will become more favorably disposed to a product when negative information is added to an otherwise only positive description.

When developing ideas start from your weakest point. Embrace your flaws, be vulnerable and let users empathize with you. Don’t hide your weaknesses, amplify them! Celebrate your imperfections.

—

Inspired by the Cummin&Partners talk: “If Batman was an Adman: Why your weaknesses are your greatest strength”

[themadvertiser]

Cannes 2016 / Lesson #1: Technology killed cheating.

You can't hide anything anymore, there are too many people with phones and social media.

Transparency is no longer a choice, but how brands deal with it is. Be honest. Don’t edit the truth, tell the consumer the whole story upfront. They’ll discover it anyway, whether by you or other sources. Users are not stupid. They have a brain and they know they’re being marketed to.

In a transparent world, the product or service is the message. You don’t need to make it up, you just need to amplify it. Making users happy with better products and services is the advertising of the future.

An example of radical transparency: http://www.patagonia.com/us/footprint

—

Inspired by the Will Smith talk at Cannes Lions 2016.

[themadvertiser]

Cannes 2015 Day 7 / Heston Blumenthal

HESTON BLUMETHAL TALKS ABOUT THE IMPLICATIONS OF DETERMINED DISRUPTIVENESS

Every creation, every discovery that has changed the world has come from non-linear thinking. Non-linear thinking is what makes the world advance. 

But then what happens is that we build a model, a structure to explain what we’ve done. That structure then becomes education. And education (linear, conformist) is killing creativity. 

You're told what to learn, you don't get to ask question. 

Why? Why shouldn’t you ask questions. Curiosity is the essence of creativity.

Question everything. Ask why? 

Perfection also kills creativity. The fear of failure... In a discovery world, failure is learning. A non-judgemental world. 

Do the opposite of what you were taught in school.

[themadvertiser]

Cannes 2015 Day 6 / Leadership Workshop

Bob Isherwood: Leadership Workshop

Followship, not leadership. 

It's very hard to be a leader in the creative industry. 

Creatives don't want to be lead others. But they may follow... 

Be the person people will want to follow. Be inspirational. (having better work also helps). 

Creative people are not about jobs anymore, they're about callings. 

Setting the dream is very important. Aim for the stars. 

Exceptional leaders raise the bar and remove the noise. 

  They have a clear vision, a clear purpose and clear goals. 

A vision gives context (the ability to decide wich decision is important and the confidence to keep going). 

A vision inspires people and let them make decisions by themselves. 

A vision is not a purpose. 

A vision says ‘I know what is going to look like when it’s done’. 

A purpose says ‘I know why I’m doing this, what problem we are solving’.

McClaren's vision: "Make the car go faster” (it’s brilliant because it works for everyone in the company). 

When you're a leader is not about you anymore, is about your team. 

Your job is to make other people's work better. 

You have to create an environment where people feel protected and not afraid.

[themadvertiser]

Cannes 2015 Day 6 / One Twenty Three West

GOOD AT YOUR JOB? STOP DOING IT FOR SOMEONE ELSE.

Hosted by ONE TWENTY THREE WEST

If you’re at the top of your game, the time to start your own ad/design/digital firm is probably now. Because you’re giving your best years to build a company that likely won’t be there for you in 15 years from now.

These were the lessons learned from recent startup One Twenty Three West from Vancouver, Canada. After only two years in business they have over 20 clients, have been named one of the top 10 agencies in Canada, won awards such as a Cyber Lion for their 123w.ca website and are now speaking at The Cannes Festival of Creativity for the second year in a row.

8 REASONS TO START YOUR OWN AGENCY

You’ve realized that the people who hired you are the problem.

You hate everyone. Even the nice people.

Your company’s say it’s about the work. But you know it’s about the money - just not for you.

You spend more time in meetings and dealing with internal politics than doing the work.

You’re not doing the things that made you great.

You’re focused but your agency isn’t.

You’re not learning anymore.

You realize it’s easier to start something new than fix something old.

5 BORING PEOPLE YOU NEED:

The CFO.

The Lawyer.

The Accountant.

The Banker.

The Insurance Broker.

BUILDING THE BRAND

Find Blue Water (Blue Ocean Strategy) and focus on what you’re good at.

Test it before you go live (with key clients, partners, employees, etc…).

Tip: No Portfolio (always present your portfolio in person, not digitally).

Press is free. And a thousand times better than any ad. Make press a priority.

Your space is the best intro to your story.

SET CONCRET GOALS

Happiness (your team’s personal goals and dreams).

Awards (1 Cannes Lion, 1 Effie, etc…).

Revenue (base, target, stretch).

Press (mainstream media, industry articles).

TOOLS

Estimates: Quotient

Timesheets: Harvest

Billing: Xero

Computer + Internet + Printer + Smartphone = Agency

[themadvertiser]

Cannes 2015 Day 6 / Pablo Del Campo

Creative consistency, despite everything.

Pablo del Campo, Worldwide Creative Director, Del Campo Saatchi & Saatchi

The importance of defining clear focus and clear goals, understanding the limits, and taking advantage of unexpected opportunities like local, regional or global crisis. 

Cannes is a unique opportunity to get attention, but you have to go step by step and always with a measurable goal. 

First you have to draw the attention of your main client, even if you have to challenge them with other clients work. But usually the big money clients don't trust new agencies. 

Find a small client to do great work and always aim for PR attention. Even if they don't have a lot of money, they just have to have a lot of media. 

Generally the impact is greater when there are no expectations. 

Example: Buenos Aires Zoo 

First, creative visibility was about print. 

Then, creative visibility was about film. 

Now, creative is about real innovation that can win in several categories. 

The ideas that are winning this year are winning in several categories. 

Why aim for the one soccer medal when you can win 8 like Michael Phelps? 

Your ideas have to be bigger than ads. 

Ideas that can play in different platforms. 

Move from storytelling to storydoing.

[themadvertiser]

Cannes 2015 Day 5 / Liz Keihner, IBM

The Internet of Things: Designing for Magical Moments of Truth

Liz Keihner, Senior Design Manager, IBMiX Interactive Experience

Product Design vs Design Thinking 

Take 1 minute to design a vase. 

Take 1 minute to design a better way for people to enjoy flowers in their home. Design an experience not a product. 

PROCESS 

Understand Users 

Explore 

Prototype 

Evaluate 

UNDERSTAND USERS 

When learning about users, it is nearly impossible to know anything meaningful without talking to people. 

Gain empathy to develop actionable insights to create a better product and give users a delightful experience.

EMPATHY MAP 

Have Sponsor Users, real people that help you design experiences.

Anatomy of a Needs Statement. 

(who? the user) needs a way to (what? do something that addresses their need) so that (wow! the user benefits directly).

OTHER TOOLS 

Stakeholder Map 

Scenario Map 

Story Map 

Wireframe 

Technical Prototype 

Feedback Grid 

Prioritization Grid

[themadvertiser]

Cannes 2015 Day 5 / Ben Jones, Google

Ben Jones, Creative Director, ArtCopyCode team, Google

What will advertising be in 5 years? What can we do in the next 3-6 months?

There's use to be media scarcity and consumer intention abundance. 

But now we have consumer intention scarcity and media/information abundance. 

Creativity in real time.

Intersect brands with real time cultural phenomena. 

 But these real time moments (oscars, sport, etc...) usually last for 10 minutes (Google search data). 

Example: EA Sports Madden GIFERATOR 

Big ideas are a story engine to take the most of real time moments.

REAL TIME MESSAGE = BIG IDEA + SOCIAL CONTEXT

User Generated Content

Use lesser people with deeper/meaningful stories, instead of the normal meaningless social UGC campaigns with lots and lots of participants.

Example:

I AM THE NEW CREATIVE

Art Directors are becoming animators. Print designers are becoming web designers. Illustrators are also photographers, who are editors who also shoot film. These are the New Creatives, and Adobe is celebrating their work with a new campaign that makes them the face of our marketing—both literally and figuratively.

[themadvertiser]

Cannes 2015 Day 5 / ACT Responsible Exhibition

ACT Responsible Exhibition

A few days after the 9/11terrorist attacks a team of employees from AdForum.com decided to launch ACT (Advertising Community Together). The online message: “It’s our business to help” called the worldwide advertising community to act against terrorism. The initiative became a non-profit association managed by a team of volunteers with the financial support of major players in the industry. 

These were the campaigns I still remember from the exhibition:

Raising the Roof - "Not Sorry" - Leo Burnett Toronto

The Beach Wanted Ad - Y&R Paris

Every 6 seconds.

[themadvertiser]

Cannes 2015 Day 5 / Simon Wells, Crisis Negotiator

WORKSHOP: LISTENING TO KIDNAPPERS, TERRORISTS AND EACH OTHER

Simon Wells, former police officer and crisis negotiator.

The world has witnessed some horrific incidents over the recent years, particularly in the past few months. These incidents have included kidnappings and other acts of terrorism. Behavioural Science research has been used to better understand why people act in these ways but also how to communicate with them and try to influence their behaviour. This research can also have a significant impact on how we talk and listen to each other in the workplace.

How to create empathy and a good first impression.

First impressions are very important for humans. 

It's about the other person not about you or your problems. 

So be an interested person, not an interesting person.

Listeners are the best sellers. 

TIP: summarize back the important stuff people tell you. 

Listening Skills:

Focus 

Respond 

Encourage 

O.A.R.S (Open ended question: Affirmation : Respond : Summarise) 

3A’s - Autonomy:Acceptance:Adaptation 

2E’s - Empathy:Evocation 

Be prepared for important conversations.

Always take the time to think of the person you're going to meet. Do your research. 

Create an atmosphere that gives you more ability to listen (time, no interruptions, not loud). 

Have a plan for bad first impressions. What's plan B? 

Remember that it’s not what you say, it's what the other person hears. 

[themadvertiser]

Cannes 2015 Day 5 / New Directors' Showcase

NEW DIRECTORS’ SHOWCASE: CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF SUPPORTING NEW TALENT

Each year, one of the most heavily guarded secrets of the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity is the opening presentation of the Saatchi & Saatchi New Directors' Showcase. For 25 years Saatchi & Saatchi have championed the best new directing talent by showcasing their work at Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.

Since it was introduced in 1991, the New Directors' Showcase has introduced the ad world to many talents who have gone on to do big things in commercials and well beyond -- directors Daniel Kleinman, Jonathan Glazer, Spike Jonze, Michel Gondry, Floria Sigismondi, Dougal Wilson, Jake Scott and more. So Saatchi has tapped 25 of those directors to create a new, experimental film that opened this year's event.

Here are my 3 favorite films:

Ben Knight "Denali" Photographer Ben Moon and his dog Denali had an incredible bond that became almost spiritual when each suffered life-threatening illnesses. This film by Ben Knight captures that connection brilliantly.

Eric Kissack "The Gunfighter" An unseen narrator, voiced by Nick Offerman, reveals the inner thoughts of a saloon full of lying, cheating sexual deviants in this comical Western comedy.

Kyungmin Woo "JohnnyExpress" It's 2150. Johnny is a space delivery man bringing packages to aliens all around the universe. But things go horribly and hilariously wrong on a visit to this poor planet.

[themadvertiser]

Cannes 2015 Day 4 / LEGO Workshop

WORKSHOP: CO-CREATING THE FUTURE

The Creativity of the Crowd

The world’s most successful companies are harnessing the power of consumer involvement, co-creating the future of brands, in collaboration with the people that care the most.

The fundamental idea behind LEGO Ideas

“If you have an apple and I have an apple and we exchange these apples then you and I will still each have one apple. But if you have an idea and I have an idea and we exchange these ideas, then each of us will have two ideas.” - George Bernard Shaw