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In a week where jury deliberations for Cannes Lions come hot on the heels of the Tony Awards, I can’t help thinking that the drama of judging creative advertising would make a great number in a Broadway show. Because when it comes to debating award-winning creative, just like the rap in the musical Hamilton, there’s always intrigue around what goes on in “The Room Where It Happens.” As the lyrics go, everyone wants to know “how the game is played/the art of the trade/how the sausage gets made.” The metaphor speaks to creatives everywhere.
So if you’ve ever wondered what goes on in the jury rooms at Cannes and how the judges separate the best from the rest, here is a backstage tour.
The opinion is diverse – and it should be
The jury room experience is always inspiring. There’s a magic that happens when people with unique perspectives come together to discuss creativity. After all, that’s exactly how we sell the work to our clients in the first place; through dialogue, discourse and debate.
Ultimately, creativity is an opinion, so when we’re interrogating work, it’s important we hear diverse perspectives. And boy do we hear them! Creatives are nothing if not passionate and opinionated. Turns out, so are the CMOs, CEOs and every other human in the room. But that’s how it should be.
Creative evaluation always evolves
I’ve been a Cannes juror for the last three festivals and, as a new generation comes into the jury room, I’ve seen shifts in the way we evaluate work. Every year, something changes; our mindset, our culture, our approach.
Every generation looks at the world differently, holding each of us accountable in a different way. It pushes the boundaries of critical thinking.
This year, in-room emphasis has been on evaluating efficacy. We’ve been doing the research, looking up results and trying to validate that the work in front of us is having a meaningful impact.
Of course, that’s not always possible—some campaigns are in their infancy and the data isn’t yet there. Bottom line though—award-winning creative can’t just be a good idea; it’s got to have impact. It’s got to throw the spotlight onto something that changes the way people think or act. Today’s jurors are hot on this.
