Move over engagement, storytelling, and technology. The theme for Cannes Lions 2015 was – Social Good
Speaker after speaker emphasized the importance of companies and brands having a higher purpose. An important criterion for award selection this year was the societal impact of the campaigns and their role in driving business. Creativity for the sake of creativity was not awarded. Creativity with a social purpose was.
Look at the award winning campaigns this year. Most of them dealt with the use communications to solve a problem and bring about a change. The issues ranged from self-esteem amongst women, wide spread anaemia in Cambodia, water shortage in Africa, insufficient blood donations in Romania, domestic violence in Lebanon, drone attacks in Pakistan, football violence in Brazil, cyclists safety in the UK and so on. In each case, a looming problem was either solved or a step taken towards increasing awareness and initiating action in that area. Several of these campaigns resulted in a measurable impact. This was seen through decrease in anaemia cases in Cambodia, fund collection to build 5 bore wells in Africa,
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legislature against domestic violence in Lebanon, 80 per cent increase in blood donations in Romania and a 300 per cent increase in the government’s blood donation budget
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and similar results. In some cases, issues were thrown up and conversations started. A good example of this is P&G’s “like a girl” campaign.
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“Understand the status quo, challenge the status quo, change the status quo” announced the President of the Design Jury, Andy Payne, Global Chief Creative Officer, Interbrand while announcing the Grand Prix.
“Start marketing for people” said Keith Weed, CMO of Unilever. “Brands with a purpose, do better than the others,” he said giving the example of Unilever brands Lifebuoy and Dove. “A creative is person who uses his talent to change things..who can mould life” said Amir Kassaei, Chief Creative Officer, DDB Worldwide, who made a passionate appeal to the industry to become relevant to ordinary people and impact their lives. “Your company should have a higher purpose…Purposeful brands have an advantage” announced Andean Cluster, Head of Global Marketing, Avon. “Find out your brand’s higher purpose before creating content said MarcLandsberg, CEO, Social Deviant giving the example of Nike’s higher purpose – celebrate the inner athlete in every person.
One question however arises. Do these awards and this emphasis on social good, highlight a change for the industry? Is this a precursor for the times to come when all brands will work towards impacting humanity and using this route to increase sales? Or is it what AmirKassaei said, merely an industry using NGOs to win awards? While the leading brands like Unilever and Proctor and Gamble have evolved towards this mind set, will the other brands and their management, most of whom have a short term commercial focus ever jump into this bandwagon? The answers I guess, only time will tell.