Skip to content

Event Recap: A Toast to Cannes Party

The Globe and Mail Cannes party, typically reserved for the sandy beaches of the French Riviera, was instead held this year in Toronto. On June 20th the spirit of the 2022 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity was on full display as the Canadian advertising and marketing community gathered for a much-awaited reunion at our Toast to Cannes party held at Daniels Artscape Launchpad overlooking Sugar Beach.

Tracy Day, Managing Director, Creative Studio and Ad Innovation at The Globe and Mail, kicked off the evening’s festivities, inviting an esteemed and award-winning panel to the stage for a discussion on the importance and power of Canadian Creativity.

Moderated by Shannon Lewis, President of CMDC, the panel included Wain Choi, Executive Creative Director at Zulu Alpha Kilo, Susan Irving, Chief Marketing Officer at Kruger Products, Mooren Bofill, Partner and Creative Director at 123 West and Brooke Leland, Managing Partner at Jungle Media. This cross-section of the media, marketing, and creative communities, discussed a range of topics and issues, from how Covid has affected the past year of work, what it’s like in the jury room at Cannes, what the future of the advertising industry looks like, and why Canada is such a hotbed of creativity.

 

Here are 5 takeaways from the panel discussion:

  1. Empowerment and empathy lead the way: Shannon Lewis talked about how one of the buzzwords from Cannes this year is capital C Creativity, which to her is all about having a sense of empathy and how empathy, not only from a brand level but also from a leadership level can flourish into empowerment. Wain Choi, referencing the petition that got Heinz and Wonder Bread to solve their odd-numbered hotdog wiener to bun packs, talked about how it’s not only about making ads, it’s that we actually have the power to change something, to change our world, and that idea should be embraced by every client and every agency.
  2. Put the consumer first: Using an award-winning example, Susan Irving talked about Kruger’s Unapologetically Human campaign, from 2021. At the start of the pandemic, as the supply shortages were wreaking havoc on the toilet paper and paper towel business, Kruger had to pull all of their advertising and pivot to something new. All of the sudden changes in the marketplace actually served as an opportunity to put the consumer first, and talk about what we were all collectively going through.
  3. Be yourself and don’t sell yourself short: When Moreen Bofill was growing up in the ad industry, she recalled only seeing two women that looked like her, Helen Pak (SVP of Creative at Disney) and Judy John (Global CCO at Edelman). While there is still much more work to be done, she is proud to see the growing diversity within the industry, and is hopeful that it will continue to build teams that represent the culture that is within Canada, in both hiring efforts as well as mentorship efforts. Prompted with advice to give her younger self, Mo said, “If you can’t find a seat at the table, make your own table, and lean into what makes you unique.”
  4. Change with the times: Wain remarked on an idea his agency, Zulu Alpha Kilo, came up with for their client, Harry Rosen. The Green screen shirt was a shirt people could wear Monday-Friday on Zoom calls working from home, and with the push of a button could change the shirt into different patterns. Having a client being open to change and adaptability bred a truly creative campaign idea.
  5. You are much smarter than your boss: Thinking about what to tell your 25 year-old self, Brooke knows exactly what she would say: you are so much smarter than us. She believes that her younger colleagues coming up behind her are so outstanding and remarkable, that she can’t wait to be a slingshot for them and catapult them up in the industry.

The Globe and Mail kick-off to Cannes party ended on a lively note, with the advertising and marketing community toasting to continued Canadian success at the festival with glasses of French rose in hand, and knowing that Canada’s creative future is powerful and bright.

Get inspired and hear all of the takeaways from the Creativity Panel by watching the video here:

Photography and Videography by Roxton Media. 

 

The Globe and Mail has proudly been the official Cannes Lions Festival Representative in Canada for 17 years and is strongly committed to growing and empowering Canada’s creative community.

To learn more about the Cannes Lions Festival and the Canadian Young Lions competition, visit: www.globelink.ca/cannes-lions

Cannes Lions

See all Ideas & Insights
Sign up to
stay in touch!
Get the latest updates in our bi-weekly newsletter.
First name
Last name
Email
We will not share your details with any 3rd party.
Thank you,
...almost done.
You will receive an email
from us shortly.

Please click on the verification link in the email to complete the signup process.
AdChoices
We and our partners collect and use your information to enable essential site function, personalize content and ads, provide you with special offers, conduct analysis and other purposes. Cookies and similar technologies may be used. By continuing to browse this site, you agree to this processing. Learn more about our practices and your choices here.
Sign up to stay in touch!
Get the latest Globe Media Group updates in your inbox.
First name
Last name
Email
We will not share your details with any 3rd party.
Thank you,... almost done!
You will receive an email from us shortly.

Please click on the verification link in the email to complete the signup process.
.pf-footer{ margin-top: 100px !important; background-color: #485157 !important; width:100% !important; padding: 15px 0px !important; } .pf-footer p { text-align: center !important; width: 100% !important; color: #fff !important; } img#pf-header-img { width: 100% !important; margin-bottom: 50px !important; } .pf-footer.print-footer a { color: #fff !important; } h1#pf-title { padding: 15px; } div#pf-src { padding: 15px; } div#pf-content { padding: 0px 15px; }