Top 10 lessons learned at Cannes Lions

I just returned from Cannes Lions: a weeklong gathering of many of the top creative minds in communications, advertising and marketing. The digital revolution is at the center of the conversation here at Cannes. As Adobe does for digital advertising what we’ve already done for digital marketing, the discussion at Cannes is clearly relevant to our daily focus.

http://blogs.adobe.com/conversations/files/2011/07/Cannes-2011-012.jpg

Here are my top 10 lessons learned as a Cannes Lions neophyte:

1. Don’t ever schedule a 9 am meeting with anybody you actually want to talk to.

2. The digital conversation among the movers and the shakers at Cannes is shaping advertising and publishing.

3. The world’s leading digital experiences would truly be lackluster without Adobe.

4. The blend of creative/art and measurement/science is creating big opportunities. With our creative legacy and strength in digital measuring and monetizing, Adobe empowers brands to better express themselves like no one else can.

5. The advertising industry of tomorrow is dependent on a strong digital strategy that includes social and mobile.

6. When they say Cannes is a social event – believe them.

7. People at Cannes get the power of data – smart creative leads are looking at the ways digital innovation shapes better experiences.

8. Data-driven insights around digital campaigns are creating new disciplines in social and mobile and so much more is yet to be discovered.

9. Top discussion of the week is the creative-scorned “traditional vs. digital” debate.

10. Creative innovation that steps up to the challenge of digital deserves to be recognized in a category all its own – like our first ever creative effectiveness award at Cannes Lions.

Number 10 was probably the highlight of my trip. With Adobe’s focus to help our customers not only create and deliver their content, but also measure and optimize its effectiveness, we were proud to sponsor this brand new category. Kudos to all the contestants who were able to prove the ROI and business impact of their creative campaigns.

http://blogs.adobe.com/conversations/files/2011/07/creative-effectiveness.jpg

Meeting with the top ad execs and discussing the future of digital advertising and publishing, I see incredible opportunities for our partners and customers to create new playbooks of business success in the digital landscape. The industry is watching to see what’s next and we are excited to help brands better express themselves though digital experiences.

Already looking forward to Cannes 2012,
–Brad