Ndubuisi Uchea’s Post

Is it time for Cannes Lions to have a Multicultural Category? Like many of you, every year when I leave the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity, I leave inspired. And since I’ve had the honor to judge a few times in my career, I’m always challenged to do my part to move the industry forward. First, I would like to give credit where credit is due. Cannes Lions has done well when it comes to supporting and encouraging diversity and inclusion, especially for people of color. This year I saw more folks that looked like me strolling La Croisette than ever before. This is thanks in part to Inkwell founder, Adrianne Smith and the Cannes Do Initiative, and recently Peter Ukhurebor of BLK@ and Imani Laners’ The Impact of Color Cannes.  Kudos when it comes to agencies, brands and companies bringing in talent from the entertainment, music and sports industries respectively. But with all of that, I find it lacking in The Work itself. At the end of the day, isn’t that what we are celebrating? Having a dedicated multicultural category would go a long way to set the stage for more entries that have truly targeted multicultural creative, strategic consumer insights, PR, media, activations and data executions. This also applies to the opportunity for multicultural agencies, brands and media companies that unceremoniously contribute so much to the industry, to be seen on the world stage. Many Bronze, Silver, Gold and even Grand Prix Lions have been taken home that have borrowed, tapped into or have been influenced by trends that were created from multicultural communities. It’s past time to give multicultural the opportunity to get its flowers. Or better yet…it’s Lions. #CannesLions2024 #CannesLions #Creativity #CannesDo #BlackAtCannes

' Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity is still the only truly global celebration of the absolute best work that our industry is capable of, and in my view it’s a must-attend for everybody. I coach and advise a number of leaders of small to midsize agencies and holding companies, and for their business development and agency growth goals, I always recommend attending Cannes, even (and especially) if they’ve never been. It’s the one week of the year where you can find pretty much everybody in our industry and everybody on the client side all in the one place, so for biz-dev goals, it’s like shooting fish in a barrel. Plus, you don’t have to rent a beach to get noticed. Demonstrate precisely what Cannes celebrates -- extremely ingenious strategy + highly creative execution -- and you can impose yourself on the landscape of Cannes to generate buzz, chatter and media coverage to further those goals.' I talk to Barbara Lippert for MediaPost: https://lnkd.in/eBHPavim

As I prepare for another Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, I am filled with anticipation and excitement. If not for the pandemic pause, this would be my 25th year attending this incredible event. Like all of you, I am so happy the festival is back and bigger and better than ever, and I can’t wait to hear from some of the industry’s sharpest minds and most creative thinkers this week. Cannes is the perfect place to see everyone and do everything, all at once. From servicing DiGennaro Communications’s global roster of leading brands. publishers, platforms and agencies to swapping ideas with journalists and industry peers, it is a hub where connections are made and ideas come to life. With so many of our clients and other friends on the ground, Cannes is that rare chance to engage face-to-face—and the collective power of the guests at Cannes, like at the annual POSSIBLE conference this past April in Miami, means lots of opportunities for deal-making. If you’re feeling a little overwhelmed about it all (and who isn’t?), here are a few tips I’ve come to find useful over the years: 1) Survey the Croisette Early. Do a dry run before it gets too crowded. Check out all the activations and set-ups. This year will bring some changes due to construction, so it’s essential to stay updated. 2) It’s All About Logistics. Cannes is a very walkable city, but staying on top of all the where’s and when’s will save you a lot of time and hassle. 3) Go Off the Beaten Path. While everyone at Cannes seems to compete for the same five restaurants, I encourage you to be adventurous. The side streets offer fantastic dining options—after all, you can never go wrong with frites, profiteroles and, of course, rosé! 4) Be Prepared. You never know whom you’ll run into or find yourself sitting by. While old-school business cards might seem a relic of the past, they still do the trick when it comes to rapid-fire networking. 5) Embrace Spontaneity. While it’s tempting to overcommit, the most magical moments very often come from simply bumping into people. Be sure to leave space in your calendar for those spontaneous opportunities. This is shaping up to be the biggest Cannes Lions ever. If you can’t make it, be sure to follow #TeamDGC’s live coverage on Instagram and Twitter, Inc. X, and daily recaps of all the highlights here on LinkedIn. And if you are going to be on the ground, I look forward to seeing you there. Bon semaine! #CannesLions2024 #Innovation #Creativity #Marketing #Advertising #Media #Tech #Brands #TeamDGC #DGCannes2024

Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, we need to talk… Year after year you have challenged me to be bold, be creative, be effective, be efficient. Immerse myself in the business, build strong agency partnerships, and fuel my strategic thinking. For a long time, I believed that self-improvement was the key to joining the elite conversations at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. After years of learning from industry giants like Peter Field, Mark Ritson Byron Sharp Orlando Wood James Hurman I felt ready to be part of that dialogue. But Cannes, we seriously need to talk. The reality is that attending to the “Athens of marketing and creative effectiveness” remains a distant dream for many of us as the cost of participation is prohibitively expensive. To my fellow marketers who feel the same: I HEAR YOU! We are expected to push the boundaries of creativity and effectiveness, yet we are often left out when it matters most. And to Cannes, you are truly an inspiration for many of us, but when talking about consumer centricity, you need to revisit your business model to give us some entry level. Common, be creative 😊! Until we can meet physically, I will continue to advocate from the distance the spirit of Cannes Lions—effectiveness’s, boldness, creativity—as a state of mind. Looking forward to meet in the upcoming years, Gaby #MarketingLife #CannesLions #CreativeExcellence #IndustryChallenges #StayConnected #MarketingCommunity

The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity countdown is ON, and I am so excited to attend for the first time! I am attending: ✔ Self-funded (no sponsors or cohorts) ✔ I-N-D-E-P-E-N-D-E-N-T (no company or agency affiliations) in my Webby voice. (IYKYK) This industry experience started with a split decision and a lot of planning! Last year while sitting in on a virtual "Cannes Recap" at my former agency, I was desperately uninspired by the report back. Last year there was so much culture to be experienced and shared back to aspiring advertising talent young and old (which would have proven inspirational and educational for the entire agency), including the induction of Spike Lee as the first ever Creator Maker of the Year. Yet, not a sentence about culture, DEI, or diverse initiatives. As the national #ERG lead for Onyx, I was embarrassed and as a Black employee, I was disappointed. Fueled by my desire to know more and experience Cannes for myself, and with the help of some close colleagues hyping me up in the Teams chat, I decided before the 60-minute event concluded that I would get to Cannes in 2024 to curate the experience I desired....and I am 2 days out! For those not going and feeling FOMO, I will be sharing my hot takes from culture-shifters in the industry but use this post as motivation and as a CTA to start planning your Cannes 2025 RIGHT NOW! Support is always great so be ready to apply for initiatives like The Black Network and Cannes Can: Diversity Collective next year. However, my PSA for life (career opps included): don't wait for anyone to pick you, send you, or get you where you need and deserve to go! Who else is going? Let's meet IRL. (The first timers What's App is LIT!) #diversityinadvertising #powermoves #inclusiveadvertising #DEIisNotDead #BlackCreatives #representationmatters #seeitbelieveit #timingandpositioning

On Cannes, Part One. I'm not attending Cannes this year (we've won some huge accounts quite recently and have arms full at the moment, in a good way). But I've attended in the past, countless times, and spoken/keynoted on several occasions. Career highlights, for sure. It's an amazing festival of creativity, run and managed by incredibly talented, kind humans (Philip Thomas Paul Kemp-Robertson Steve Latham and many more). Leading up to next week, I aim to post a few tips for ensuring a highly successful week, for those who plan to attend. Tip #1 - make sure you connect with the giants of our industry. They, like you, are there to listen and learn. Don't be shy. They have a treasure trove of knowledge and if you time it just right, they might even be willing to share. Here's just a few of our industry's giants, and a few personal heroes, that I had the pleasure to spend time with during a few stints at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity: Sir John Hegarty (a dear friend and former colleague, and the most brilliant thinker I know) Sir Martin Sorrel (a new introduction. was worth it) Michael Conrad (a former Burnett colleague, genius creative and the finest human alive) David Bell (a friend and colleague, and the most strategic, and decent, person you'll ever meet) SOCIALDEVIANT #connections #creativity #lessons

The Croisette is calling, and soon the creative world will descend on the Riviera for the annual pilgrimage that is the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. But with all the buzzwords, sponsored beaches and rosé-fueled networking, it's easy to lose sight of what really matters: standout creative work that delivers results and inspires. Whether you're attending the festival this year or, like me, back home watching the action from the virtual sidelines, I believe it's important to approach Cannes with intentionality. The week is noisy, and it's easy to get distracted. (IYKYK.) But this event is still about spotlighting the best creative output of the past year. At the end of the day, we ought to rise above the racket and focus on the work—work that pushes boundaries, sparks dialogue and connects with people on an emotional level. Of course, the top minds in the business will be there, and as always, I look forward to hearing what they've got to say. With all the conferences that have sprung up in our business, Cannes remains an unparalleled platform for addressing the most urgent issues facing marketing, media, tech and the culture. For one week every June, you can bet all eyes and ears are trained on this town. Cannes is ultimately what you take away from it. As for me, I plan to follow all the coverage I can devour and come away a little smarter and a whole lot more inspired. #CannesLions #Creativity #Innovation #Marketing #Advertising #Media #Tech #Inspiration #Impact

✨ First Impressions at Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity ✨ If this was your first or second time, please share your POV in the comments.⤵ Attending the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity for the first time has been an incredible experience. This event, renowned as the largest annual advertising gathering, promised a wealth of insights and opportunities to network with the brightest minds in our industry. 🕶 However, amidst the excitement, I couldn't help but notice the overwhelming presence of celebrities. While it's exciting for some to see familiar faces, it often felt like the essence of the festival—creativity and industry insights—was overshadowed. The abundance of celebrity appearances seemed to shift the focus away from the core purpose: to learn, share, and grow as professionals in advertising. For many, that was why they were there, and to each their own. From this observation, and after reviewing the overwhelming amount of individual apps, programming emails, group chat recos, and LinkedIn posts I resolved to do the following: 1️⃣ Prioritize panel discussions and workshops: Featuring industry leaders and experts who are known for providing actionable insights and thought-provoking discussions vs. outside-of-the-industry theory. 2️⃣ Attend the more intimate networking events: Smaller, focused gatherings where I could connect more meaningfully without the distraction of celebrity fanfare. 3️⃣ Navigated to talks that highlighted emerging or disruptive Talent: I love to hear from up-and-coming creatives whose fresh and atypical perspectives can inspire and invigorate the industry. 🔆 Cannes Lions has the potential to be a beacon of creativity and innovation, a place where industry professionals can come together to celebrate and advance the art of advertising, but you have to decide that is what you will get from the experience -- if that is what you want. 📣 General industry PSA: Let’s bring back the essence of creativity over celebrity to marketing and advertising. #CannesLions #CannesxCulture #CreativityOverCelebrity #Advertising #Marketing #RandsRecap #Networking #IndustryInsights #FirstTimer #AdIndustry

Did you know that last Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity no one was awarded the 'Grand Prix for Good'? Indeed, it was the only category at Cannes not to have work deemed 'good' enough to win a Lion. We believe the industry can do better, and this year we aim to highlight some of the work that is trying to do 'good' with our 'Walk the Work: The Responsible Edit' tours. Spaces are filling up fast, so if you'd like to sign up to a tour, or indeed sit down and grab a coffee with Responsible Marketing Agency, please click on the link in the comments below. Alice Brady Aina Fuller #canneslions2024 #responsiblemarketing #responsiblemedia #sustainablemarketing

Five days until kick off for the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. This will be my 12th consecutive Festival and each year there are more and more ‘Top Tips’ from the Jurors, team, and repeat festival attendees on how to “do Cannes”. Of course it would be remiss of me to offer anything other than the most #Effective tips - so here are my Top Tips on how to have an Effective #CannesLions. 1. Plan your diary - arrange breakfast, lunch, dinner, coffees, afternoon cocktails, post dinner drinks, early morning swims, parties, Festival sessions (and of course don’t forget to diarise 15.15-15.45 Thursday 20 June https://lnkd.in/eBthy4yb) - its not everyday you will get to see me taking on the role of an Inglorious B***ard CEO (seriously), whilst we unpack brand new findings from a comprehensive study into levels of alignment across the CEO/CFO/CMO trifecta… 2. Get ready for your diary to not go at all to plan. 3. Carry portable phone charges - see point above - everybody's day becomes fluid (some fluidity more down to rose consumption than others) - get ready to reschedule, rebook and reset. 4. Plan at least two days post #CannesLions to do your follow up, not just resetting your liver, but your reaching out to those new and old contacts you bumped into on the Croisette and nailing those potential new business opportunities. 5. Flat comfortable shoes are a must - its been said before, but that doesn’t make it any less effective. The Croissette is just under 1.5miles long, and whilst you won’t need to head to the end of it, and back, every time.. you will be making multiple trips up and down throughout the day. Day in day out. Comfortable shoes, trust me… 6. And as a corollary to the above, a bike is even bigger win…. 7. Check out the work in the basement - when else do you get time to see the BEST creativity from all over the world in the one place. Take it - and question it, what worked, how do you think it worked, review and learn. 8. Check out the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity #CreativeEffectiveness Awards show - I’m honoured to be a Cannes Lions Effectiveness master, and to have helped pull the criteria together for its launch back in 2011. Fast forward to 2024 and its an effective way of seeing at a glance commercial creativity at work. 9. Talk to everyone, The Effectiveness Partnership is a UK-based business and we have built our worldwide client base through sometimes serendipitous conversations on the Croisette. 🌍 10. Talk to me. We have helped deliver hundreds actually frankly 1000's of effectiveness cases across #CannesLions, #Effies, WARC, IPA (Institute of Practitioners in Advertising) and more. And we do this by upskilling your team and embedding cultures of effectiveness in clients and agency teams. Message me - it will be the most effective thing you do across the 5 days of the Festival.