No Nostalgia please - Cannes Lions 2024 | 1 engl

No nostalgia, please. I first served on the jury at the Cannes Lions in 2014 for the PR Lions. Comparing today with ten years ago, it's clear things have changed. That's not ideal because the change starts with us, and we're not getting any younger. The only ones who will do so are those here on the Croisette. So, goodbye to nostalgia.

The past, however, catches up with me during the first keynote. Dentsu, with its 120-year history (20 years more than Ketchum, which celebrated its centenary last year), is represented by Yasuharu Sasaki, their Chief Creative Officer. He outlines five principles guiding their creativity and innovation in "From Innovating to Impact - 120 Years of Innovation." And my nostalgic moment is triggered by the first principle:

1. Respect the Past - to create the future

Looking back is crucial. This respect for history is deeply rooted in Japanese culture - An American agency might have phrased it differently. Here it sound wise and fitting. 

After just eight minutes, the term "story" arises for the first time - with "listen to stories of the past." Naturally, this grabs my attention. But the moment I really got goosebumps was when a campaign from the past perfectly illustrates this principle. This campaign, what a surprise, was from 2014, my first year on the jury. I'll never forget the moment we discussed it. The Brazilian next to me burst into tears, and soon, all the sports-loving men and women in the room were moved to tears after watching the campaign video. Only our American jury president was perplexed since the sport and the names were unfamiliar to her. The campaign in question is the amazing Honda campaign "Ghost Lap." 

In 1989, Ayrton Senna, still revered as a saint in Brazil, set a legendary world record in Suzuka with a Honda engine. Honda, with Dentsu's help, resurrected his spirit by transforming the recorded engine sound into a light installation, making it appear as though the "ghost of Ayrton Senna" was racing once more. An incomparable brand activation for fans, and at Cannes Lions 2024, it was showcased again at the Debussy Theater.

Well, the past is ever-present at Cannes Lions. The Cannes Lions team seemingly believes that this next generation of advertisers needs a boost from the past, so they're showcasing legendary campaigns like SuperHuman, Moldy Whopper and Cadbury's Gorilla everywhere.

Returning to Dentsu, they promised five principles, so here are the remaining ones:

2. Have an Outlier Perspective

An outsider perspective? That's interesting and highlights how unique Japan is compared to the rest of the world. In the U.S. or Europe, there aren't many outlier perspectives anymore — there are mostly group perspectives. You're either for or against something.

3. Discover New Emotions and Connections - You Have Never Experienced Before

This sounds thrilling, but consider it for a moment: connections you've never made before? Certainly. But new emotions? Paul Ekman identified the five fundamental basic emotions, explored in Pixar's wonderful film "Inside Out" (with the newly released part 2 featuring Riley entering puberty and discovering new emotions). So, what are these "new emotions" that Dentsu speaks of?

Dentsu provides two examples—both very Asian. Example one: "Hugties," a bodysuit linked electronically and sensorily to a torso. When you hug the torso, you feel your own hug through the suit. Strange, isn't it? Or BabyFace, a mask you wear over your mouth, simulating the experience of being a baby. Similar to a fat suit, it's odd but illustrates the point.

[Child's Perspective Lab] Using Baby Voice, I Cried Like a Baby - Case / photo by Dentsu

4. Mix. Augment. Make new.

Here comes the next marketing buzzword: AI, or more accurately, AR. Augmented reality is the new big thing. While clunky VR goggles weren't convincing - even if Meta would like them to be. AI brings a more exciting wave. This leads to Dentsu's fifth principle:

5. Use Technology to Augment HUMANITY

Technology should serve people, the core credo of Cannes Lions 2024. Efforts are underway to temper and contextualize the great promises and specters of AI. The AI hype is over; now, it's about practical, useful applications.

However, don't get too excited—it's all still in its infancy, and the exact benefits for humanity remain uncertain. Yet, Dentsu is already easing life for a small group of people with augmented technology and AI, demonstrated boldly live on stage:

Three Japanese individuals join via video conference, and an American participant joins live on stage. They play Rocket League, controlling virtual cars to push a ball into the goal. The three Japanese participants, suffering from muscle atrophy, control their cars using eye contact, cheek movements, and brain waves—thanks to new technologies utilized by Dentsu. They no longer develop innovations solely for aesthetic or "wow" purposes, as with "Ghost Lap," but create innovations that genuinely improve lives.

The Desire

The desire of advertisers to contribute meaningfully to the world is not new. This was evident in 2014 and at many Cannes Lions festivals before. This year, too, there is a strong desire to move beyond being mere "barkers" and "noise makers," aiming to influence the world, even if only for a small target group or a brief moment.

But then, quickly, it's back to the usual: hey, we're in Cannes, hey, we're on the Croisette—just like every other year the main motto is: party on!

For more reports, updates, trends on Cannes Lions 2024 and beyond go to Amazing Stories or check petrasammer.com