Cannes diary: technology + great storytelling = evolution of creativity

Digital Cinema Media’s marketing director, Zoe Jones, reports from Cannes this week where – with a small headache – she has seen some fantastic examples of how creativity is evolving through the clever use of technology – from a prototype pair of bifocal 3D glasses to audio watermarking.

In 1954, an international group of cinema screen advertising contractors gathered together in Venice to celebrate great ads. Inspired by the International Film Festival, which had been staged in Cannes since the late 1940s, they felt that the makers of cinema ads should receive similar recognition to their colleagues in the feature film industry.

To promote the cinema medium, the Screen Advertising World Association (SAWA) therefore established the International Advertising Film Festival. The first Festival took place in Venice in September 1954 with 187 film entries from the 14 countries competing.

The Lion of Piazza San Marcos in Venice formed the inspiration for the coveted Lion trophy. The second Festival was held in Monte Carlo and then in Cannes in 1956 which became the festival’s permanent home in 1984.

This year, from 16-22 June, around 11,000 members from 90 countries will come together to be inspired at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. Coming back this week I’m struck by the sheer scale of this global event which seems to take over more and more of Cannes every year.

From the Palais to the Gutter Bar (where I spent a little too long last night) it’s great to see so many diverse companies and countries coming together with the common ground of creativity.

In its 60th year, creativity remains the core focus at Cannes, and a common theme from the talks I’ve seen already seems to be how technology linked with great storytelling is driving the evolution of creativity.

As Sir John Hegarty, this year’s Film jury president, says in an interview with Shots magazine: “The idea of executing a great story now has ten times the value it had 20 years ago because it goes into social media and people start talking about it.”

At the SAWA seminar yesterday afternoon, Finch showcased a prototype of a new bifocal pair of 3D glasses that enable the cinemagoer to watch two different creatives at the same time.

This was brilliantly brought to life by the depiction of a lottery winner the day before and the day after his numbers came up. A great example of a technical innovation enabling brands to tell their stories in new and innovative ways.

Our very own Commercial Director, Joe Evea, ended the seminar, along with AJ Simpson from Yummi Media Group, by demonstrating how the little screen can interact with the big screen via audio watermarking and image recognition technology. Deepening engagement and extending brands’ interaction opportunities beyond the big screen opens up a new world of creative possibilities before and after the movies.

Apps – and what were thought to be tech but are now media companies – seem more prominent than ever this year. Google once again has its own beach, as does Microsoft, and Tumblr has secured the coveted sponsorship of the Gutter Bar (which I will try and avoid tonight!).

For the rest of the week I look forward to more inspiring sessions, seeing some great work and meeting creative people from around the globe either at the Palais or over a glass or two of the local rosé!