Three Lessons from the Festival of Creativity: My Cannes Lions Experience
Attending the Cannes Lions Creative Academy as one of 30 people under 30 from around the globe was a dream come true. It truly is one of the most inspiring places an advertiser can attend, and I hope all ad creatives get the opportunity to go at least once in their career.
I only became an Art Director after joining Create Health 2.5 years ago, so a lot of what I’ve learned that enabled me to get to Cannes and become a certified young lion, has come from the exceptional talent and nurturing culture of the team here at Create Health.
The festival setting of Cannes gave it the wow factor. Surrounded by gorgeous beaches, designer shops, patisseries, cafes and French culture makes it feel like even more of a privilege to be there – although we didn’t have much time for sightseeing!
The attendees were one of my biggest concerns before the festival, with no idea what to expect I thought there was a chance it could have had a culture of elitism fuelled by egos and competitive-natured people. But that wasn’t the case. I was in a class of 30 people from all corners of the Earth with all kinds of backgrounds and they were some of the most admirable, respectable people I’ve ever met. I left in awe of all of them and feel so lucky to call them my friends after one transformational week of knowing them.
Being in the Creative Academy meant we also had a lot of 1-2-1 time with industry giants who were amazingly supportive, down to Earth, and generous people each with a diverse range of unique life experiences and perspectives. People on the whole were incredibly friendly, open and kind. I felt safe in the company of 20,000 people who share the same passion and motivation for incredible creativity that drives progress. There were a couple of instances where I felt less safe while walking home late at night due to a few drunk locals – but unfortunately, I think that’s somewhat expected when you’re a female travelling solo.
My first impression of the festival was shock at how big and well-established it is. There aren’t enough hours in the day to see everything you want to so we quickly had to adjust to constant FOMO while also trying to appreciate and be present for every moment. The festival was in its 71st year so every detail had been considered – for example the signs on the back of toilet doors directing you where to go for help if you’re feeling overstimulated and in need of some quiet time or help. I also learned quickly that a lot of people wear a lot of white and Rosé is the go-to drink of choice for pretty much everyone throughout the week.
3 Key takeaways:
Taste remains critically important in the age of AI-driven creativity because it serves as the human element that guides, refines, and elevates the creative process. Taste helps you create work that resonates on an emotional level with audiences.
Sometimes the solution to a problem lies not in directly addressing the issue itself, but in altering your perspective or approach to it. A lot of the best award-winning work took this approach and often the outcome is far more interesting and unexpected than a logical solution.
As creatives, we must dig deeper. Ask the hard questions. Seek to understand. Curiosity leads to the discovery of unique connections between seemingly unrelated concepts, which is the essence of creative thinking.
Being part of a cohort of 30 young people as part of the rigorous Creative Academy was a huge opportunity for both personal and professional growth and I took away a couple of unexpected self-reflections and personal lessons too. I’m naturally a quieter personality type and in an environment where making an impression in a short amount of time is key, as well as forging new connections during a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, I felt that perhaps being a more shy member of the cohort meant I was being overlooked, not contributing enough or not making the most of the opportunity. However, I learned towards the end of the week that people hadn’t thought of me as quiet or shy and I hadn’t been overlooked. Instead, people thought I was reflective, a deep thinker and someone who listens before they speak. I felt seen and accepted for who I am, and I will remember that for the rest of my life.
To conclude, firstly, do everything in your power to see, live and experience as much as possible – this is how you develop taste which will be your edge against AI. Secondly, changing the perception of a problem is sometimes better than trying to solve it. Thirdly, Stay curious. And finally, stay true to yourself, always.
