Ryan is Canada’s national treasure. He is funny and self-effacing – the quintessential Canadian. He’s the only guy I know who could pull off being a client and an agency at the same time. His secret sauce is humour and speed. Red tape, big budgets and too much time are often the enemy of relevance. Ryan deploys at warp 9 when a cultural moment is hot.
The Lego Para Expansion Pack
The theme of accessibility is very present at Cannes in the shortlisted work.
Mastercard Touch Card is a tactile stroke of brilliance. MC notched the edges of their suite of cards so those with low vision could distinguish them. Simple is smarter. BBDO Toronto and the Canadian Paralympic Committee were recognized for their wonderfully inclusive Lego Para Expansion Pack.
The only epidemic going viral on the Croisette is missing luggage.
Half of Cannes is luggage-less, and the run on Zara has been noteworthy. I continue to soldier on with my limited wardrobe, clinging to the illusion that someday Air Canada will return our suitcases. Call me an optimist.
The Pinterest pavillion at Cannes
The pavilions dotting Cannes.
It’s no longer solely the bastion of media players, social is flexing its muscles, Meta, Google, Twitter, TikTok, Reddit and Pinterest are in on it. There are also many unknown brands present which fuels the feeling of the establishment of a new order.
Climate anxiety
A thread woven throughout the shortlists this year is climate anxiety. Brand activism is pushing the agenda, and one of the most memorable examples was Corona’s Plastic Fishing Tournament. We dump 14 million tons of plastic in the sea. This activation paid fishermen to capture plastic and haul it out of the ocean. The hope is that the fish will someday return.
Only in Cannes
Buzzwords of the Day
Lost luggage.