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Progress Through Creativity

Progress Through Creativity

By Lions

Across the world governments, businesses and individuals are dealing with extraordinary circumstances that are forcing all of us to challenge the status quo as we step into a new normal. But as traditional models are being upturned and everyday routines are being dismantled, small shoots of hope are emerging.

In this podcast we talk to members of our global community and explore their inspirational stories of progress.
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9. At the Intersection of Culture & Content | Rob Newlan, Vice Virtue

Progress Through CreativityJun 12, 2020

00:00
32:22
9. At the Intersection of Culture & Content | Rob Newlan, Vice Virtue

9. At the Intersection of Culture & Content | Rob Newlan, Vice Virtue

As vast populations around the world are experiencing some form of lockdown, the evolution of culture moves from being absorbed through human interaction and social groups, to something which occurs almost exclusively on digital platforms and through digital content.

Vice sits at the intersection of content and culture and has done so for many years. Two years ago Global President Rob Newlan joined Virtue and the agency-network has since seen a flurry of new client wins & Lions-winning recognition. 

However, for an agency which prides itself on keeping its finger on the pulse, how does it keep up, when the cultural environment is shifting at rapid pace?

Jun 12, 202032:22
Festival Talk | This Session Might Just Change Your Life | Jaz O'Hara

Festival Talk | This Session Might Just Change Your Life | Jaz O'Hara

Today we’re bringing you a story of how one UK-based fashion designer saw an injustice and made a decision which not only changed how she supported a social cause, but changed her worldview, her career and even the shape of her entire family.

Jaz O’Hara founded the Worldwide Tribe Charity after visiting “The Jungle” a refugee camp in Calais, France and has, since then worked to establish WiFi infrastructure for refugee camps across France and Greece, supported search-and-rescue operations in the Mediterranean Sea and provided food, clothing and other support to people across Europe and the Middle East.

Jun 11, 202015:58
8. Walk the Walk | Bozoma Saint John, Endeavor

8. Walk the Walk | Bozoma Saint John, Endeavor

Bozoma Saint John is quoted as saying “I didn’t get to a place of influence because I was quiet. None of us will have any impact or influence if we are quiet. So don’t be quiet. Be loud as hell.”

In a week where global demonstrations have taken place against police brutality and racial inequality that sentiment feels as vital and relevant now as it has ever been.

In this interview Bozoma talks frankly about the position brands are taking during this time of public outcry, how they can authentically support social causes and whether they even should if their own business doesn’t walk the walk.

Jun 05, 202044:27
Festival Talk | Brand Activism in a Hyper-Charged Society

Festival Talk | Brand Activism in a Hyper-Charged Society

At Cannes Lions in 2019 Tiffany R Warren, SVP and Chief Diversity Officer at Omnicom and Founder & President of ADCOLOR chaired a panel examining successful and unsuccessful attempts by brands to take a stand on divisive issues and discussed execution, outcomes and how to successfully embrace brand activism, in a real, impactful way.

She was joined by Wieden+Kennedy Co-president & chief creative officer Colleen Decourcy, Writer, Producer and creator of the critically acclaimed series Blackish, Grownish and Mixedish Kenya Barris and President & CEO of TBWA\Worldwide Troy Ruhanen.

Jun 03, 202037:42
7. Building the Talent of Tomorrow | Julia Goldin, Lego

7. Building the Talent of Tomorrow | Julia Goldin, Lego

Julia Goldin is the Global Chief Marketing Officer at the LEGO Group, a company whose colourful bricks have been delighting and inspiring children and adults to build, learn and play for more than 70 years. It's a brand that's truly synonymous with creativity. 

In recent years, under Julia's direction the Lego brand has been brought to life through films, video games, online content and a plethora of other mediums. Providing a truly extensive and increasingly far reaching world of entertainment and education.

May 29, 202027:52
Festival Talk | Creatives in Control | Nick Law

Festival Talk | Creatives in Control | Nick Law

Nick Law advocates the need for creatives to be in control and at the centre of decision-making. Something we should all be considering as we set out new business strategies for the months to come.

Media consumption and consumer behaviours have shifted dramatically and creativity is going to have to work overtime in this environment, to keep brands distinctive engaging and in tune with the rapidly changing climate.

May 27, 202024:29
6. With a Focus on Joy | Jaime Robinson, Joan Creative

6. With a Focus on Joy | Jaime Robinson, Joan Creative

Jaime Robinson is the co-founder and chief creative officer of Joan Creative, an independent agency based out of New York. When the business was founded four years ago they did it in the belief that they could help modernise legendary brands using weapons of cultural IQ that have made modern brands sensations.

But how do you draw upon that arsenal when the shifting sands of culture give way to a sudden earthquake?

May 22, 202029:48
Festival Talk | Marketing Departments. Who Needs Them? | Oatly

Festival Talk | Marketing Departments. Who Needs Them? | Oatly

When Swedish vegan food brand Oatly came to Cannes Lions in 2019 espousing the effectiveness of erasing their marketing department, it could have turned a lot of people off. But what Creative Directors John Schoolcraft and Martin Rinqvist laid out was, that by putting creatives at the centre of a brand, obstacles which can often block the most creative work from happening, begin to fade away.

What that meant for Oatly was that creativity became inherent to almost every single part of their brand, pushing resourcefulness to the max, making use of every inch of their packaging as a way of communicating with their customers, and even getting their CEO to perform a jingle… on his own… in the middle of a field… in the rain.

May 19, 202023:11
5. Being Human | Brad Hiranaga, General Mills

5. Being Human | Brad Hiranaga, General Mills

Brad Hiranaga is the Chief Brand Officer for General Mills, North America, whose legion of brands including Betty Crocker, Pillsbury and Old El Paso have been store cupboard staples around the world for decades. 

As a long serving ambassador of the iconic CPG business and with almost 16 years of service under his belt, Brad is now witnessing these brands go through what he can only describe as a renaissance. Where the company's focus is shifting from food that people love, to food that people need. A return to utility and really stripping things back to address a new kind of human necessity.

May 15, 202029:59
Festival Talk | The Algebra of Happiness | Scott Galloway

Festival Talk | The Algebra of Happiness | Scott Galloway

Scott Galloway has been an outspoken voice in business and the tech industry for many years. He also teaches at NYU, and one of the most popular classes in his Brand Strategy course is “The Algebra of Happiness”, a series of equations that attempt to distill observations regarding failures and successes in business, relationships, parenting, and health.

In 2019 Scott stood on the Debussy Stage at Cannes Lions and took the audience on a white-knuckle ride through this class, melding research and data with personal experiences, Professor Galloway provides observations on a life well lived.

May 12, 202029:43
4. Go Where The Puck Will Be | Chris Brandt, Chipotle

4. Go Where The Puck Will Be | Chris Brandt, Chipotle

In the last two years Chris Brandt has successfully super-charged Chipotle’s digital transformation, giving them the edge and a well-prepped advantage. He has also helped re-build trust in the brand, ensuring that food safety and fresh produce are no longer a hindrance but a point of difference.

Chipotle’s mission is ‘to cultivate a better world’ -  a tall order and a responsibility that Chris and his team have endeavored to dial up during the crisis. With no obvious end in sight, Chris and the team are determined to continue raising the bar by doing what they do best. Being real and being first and as you’re about to hear from Chris, when it comes to Chipotle, there just is no finish line.

May 08, 202028:59
Festival Talk | Love Hurts: The GSK Journey | Emma Walmsley

Festival Talk | Love Hurts: The GSK Journey | Emma Walmsley

Note: This talk took place in 2015.

In 2020 we have seen medical science be thrust into the spotlight more than ever before as COVID-19 accelerates the development of potential vaccines onto seemingly impossible timelines.

This week we're rolling back to a highly relevant talk from 2015 that explores life-changing creativity. The then CEO of GSK Consumer Healthcare Emma Walmsley took to the stage at Cannes Lions Health to explain how vital brand-love is essential for the growth and sustained success of a business.

Last week we heard about how Lego has cultivated and maintained brand love throughout its almost 80 year existence, but when your business is based on products which serve very functional purposes, and often with complex restrictions on what you can and cannot say, how do you develop that same brand-love to build loyalty, trust and emotional connections with your consumers?

May 05, 202020:13
3. A Sexual (Wellness) Awakening | Cynthia Chen, RB

3. A Sexual (Wellness) Awakening | Cynthia Chen, RB

Cynthia Chen is the General Manager for RB, the global consumer health and hygiene company whose brands include well known household brands such as Dettol, Lysol and Durex. Throughout her career Cynthia has boomeranged between China and North America, giving her a solid view of those two major markets and their very different consumers. A career which has taken her from marketing cookies to KY and everything in between.

As a healthcare company in the midst of a pandemic, RB's role as a critical helper has never been more urgent. When you're one of the companies whose products are in such high demand, how do you quickly provide those products and also stem the tide of panic buying and fear that's emerging? And as all routes to commerce become digital, how do you quickly adjust your sales and marketing teams to accommodate the new digital reset?

May 01, 202026:39
Festival Talk | Building Brand Love With Purpose, Brick By Brick | Lego

Festival Talk | Building Brand Love With Purpose, Brick By Brick | Lego

Lego Group’s Chief Marketing Officer Julia Goldin took to the stage in the Debussy Theatre and explained how, from its inception in 1938, Lego was built on the power of learning through play, and how now, in a world where 65% of children entering primary school will eventually work in jobs which currently don’t exist, the ability to learn, unlearn and relearn is a vital skill to have, and one baked into the Lego brick itself.

But with more choices for play, learning and entertainment than ever, how does a brand whose core product has remained relatively unchanged from its original 1930's creation, remain relevant whilst still staying true to its original purpose?

Apr 28, 202024:15
2. Kindness and Capitalism | Jess Greenwood

2. Kindness and Capitalism | Jess Greenwood

Jess Greenwood is the newly appointed Global Chief Marketing Officer at R/GA, the international agency and multi-Lions winning transformation consultancy.

Getting to grips with a new role is always challenging, but how do your priorities need to shift when a global pandemic hits, your clients' needs change overnight and certain advice and approaches become outdated within weeks or even days within being given?

Jess talks about the early signs of change and new opportunity, something that is not easy to talk about given the sensitivities around the current climate.

Apr 24, 202027:59
Festival Talk | Creativity Can Help Save The Walruses | Alan Jope

Festival Talk | Creativity Can Help Save The Walruses | Alan Jope

In the current climate it is fast becoming business-critical that companies and brands shift their focus from selling to serving and solving, a theme which many speakers predicted at Cannes Lions 2019. One speaker in particular made headlines due to his company’s hardline stance on the need for its brands to deliver genuine purpose to its customers. Unilever’s CEO Alan Jope took the stage to make the pledge that if any brand under Unilever’s umbrella failed to serve a broader purpose, it would no longer be a part of the company. He also condemned brands for cashing in on purpose, claiming that the industry is being polluted by brands that fail to deliver on their promise and values. Something that, as we start to think about the world beyond this crisis, will be front of mind as we redefine the role of brand on the road to recovery and renewal.

Apr 21, 202021:13
1. A Glass Half-Full | Ricardo Dias, Ambev

1. A Glass Half-Full | Ricardo Dias, Ambev

Ricardo Dias is the vice-president of marketing at Ambev Brazil which, over the past few years has been steadily raising its game, climbing the creative rankings and picking up Lions for a spread of creative work following a dramatic transformation of their internal culture. Ricardo and the Brazilian team were one of the first in the world to take action to the global crisis and respond to a problem which we're all facing now, and this problem doesn't just affect beer sales and customer revenues, but human life.

In this episode, Ricardo talks to Simon Cook, Managing Director of Cannes Lions, about the story behind their decision to shift their production from beer to hand sanitiser, practical advice and thoughts on the future that awaits us.

Apr 12, 202029:04