It’s been two years since the incident happened in person. Is this a chance to reset?
It absolutely is. And so, expect a host of emerging platforms with ad-based models; Tons of award submissions on how brands beat COVID-19 or green the planet; And signs of the new normal to justify anything and everything. Also, expect lots of references to Industry 4.0 technologies, and the specter of a coming recession, after the Sandberg meta-morphosis. Somewhere out of the fog of talks, presentations and wild restlessness, the shape of the new marketing future will emerge. This will be marketing made in the future, rather than a band-aided version of ’90s legacy thinking.
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What are the opportunities that were not there before the pandemic and are there now with Web 3?
Well, for one, the pandemic has shown that we are all one big body of humanity. somewhat like the tree of souls on the planet pandora [ Avatar]We are all linked in the same fabric of life. And so, companies and brands, and people, should start broadening their circle of empathy much wider than they do now. The pandemic has also shown that living mediated, rather than situated, is going to become more important to the experience of human life. This living will be more complex, but technology will help make it simple and efficient. We will be able to live more lives per life – pack more knowledge, experience and more diverse survival routes because of this efficiency and flexibility.
The rise of blockchain and leaderless consensus has raised expectations of people taking back the power from platforms when it comes to their personal data. I’m a little cynical about how that’s going. If Web3.0 is to truly deliver on its techno-political promise, regulators need to engage deeply with civil society and fringe corporations and set baselines. Or, like the open-source revolution, it will lead to an even greater concentration of power.
What would you say to those who comment on the Cannes Lions’ reputation as party week?
They are right, on some level. But then again, this is a week to be able to step back from your ‘box’, take in what’s really going on in the world and rethink some things. it requires Cannes Feeling very little like work, or our natural tendency would be to jump back into our boxes. Booze breaks the box, many would argue. If you’re smart, you enjoy both sides and perspectives.
MAAD performs at a Spotify-hosted evening of music at the Cannes Lions 2019. , Photo Credit: Getty Images
Your comment on the budget to attend the Cannes Lions and that it is now the opposite of inclusivity?
As far as I know, ears were always exclusive to Asians and Indians [I’ve been there since 2009], Unlike Europeans, who can mostly go to the party even if they don’t attend the actual show. Should it be more socialist? This is truly a global question. I think the organizers are trying to do multiple regional shows to bring quality to the regions. At the end of the day, the French Riviera isn’t designed for everyone and Cannes is a small city. In a typical Cannes Lions season, it’s hard to get a decent place to stay or a seat in a restaurant if you don’t book early. So, I suspect ticket prices also reflect how hungry the crowd is for the space. Digitally makes it highly efficient to work and view winners and participate in talks. But whether the efficacy is the same is questionable. You don’t go to Cannes to see the maximum amount of work in the least amount of time. You go on trying to change your perspective. It needs immersion. Apart from this, there is a party.
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What do you think about the multiple paywalls this year?
Well, it is not surprising. Everything worth reading must build paywalls in one form or another. For example, including newspapers. Organizers are waiting with bated breath for the pandemic to end. Like all affected businesses and nations, they too will need a lot of growth to recover. I certainly wish they were more sensible, so that they don’t leave out curious, hungry learners in developing and middle-income countries. Companies also need to chip in to help access.
What should be the conversation – on sustainability, inclusiveness, etc.?
well these things Desire Talk. Cannes Lions are a bit like Davos, they always dial the purity right. So why not focus on the conversations that should have happened but could not happen. For example, how well WFH bodes well for gender equality in the workplace, as women in caring roles, or mothers with young children, can now find it much easier to balance work and home. Or why the army of corporate travelers can be retired now that people don’t really need to travel much for work. Or half the expensive job profiles in expensive global cities don’t actually need to be based there [can be based in Jaunpur or Salem or Penang], or that the ‘obsolescence’ strategy of various sectors requires the intervention of an active civil society [does an iPhone really need to go slow once the new model comes in?],
Prashant Kumar is the founder of Entropia, a next-generation marketing services company, and the author of Made in Future: A Story of Marketing, Media and Content for Our Time