Oliver McAteer’s Post

Cannes week. It's a pulse on what society is thumbs-upping in our industry and a guide on where brands and marketers are headed next. It's fun, it's inspiring, it's a concentration of the best work and talent in our industry and it can be overwhelming. Here are our top tips for making it through and making it productive… 🤝 Look at the directory and see who will be there in advance and throughout the week. Reach out to people directly for meet ups. 📲 Make your Whatsapp number visible. It's an on the fly kind of week. 🌎 The work is everywhere. Yes, peruse but it's going to be announced, celebrated, and in your face for the next 6 months. Instead of focusing on the work, focus on the people there. 🍦 Soft serve pistachio is chef's kiss 🤌🏼 and totally acceptable as a lunch/sugar/calorie boost on the run. It also makes for a more interesting meeting destination. There's a limit to how many coffees / roses one can ingest. 👀 Lurk around the Carlton and the Hotel Martinez. JK, lurking and pouncing is lame. If cocktail hours and hosted meet-ups are your thing then fantastic. And if not, find ways to network that are true to you. We always found that reaching out to people prior and then coordinating with them via text made for the most natural conversations. 👯♀️ Work with an external recruiter! We can guide you towards who's there, who's open to meeting candidates, and possibly even make an introduction. 😎 Take advantage of the pre/post festival days. If you're there early or later than the festival then it's a much more relaxed time to catch people. Lastly, enjoy, have fun, and wear comfortable shoes 👟 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity Talya Frost Meghan O'Neil

For those of you navigating the whirlwind that is the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity this week, here are some tippy tips from us at Alfonsina

Reflecting on this year’s festival, beyond the glitz and glamour. 🧡 Here are some of my key takeaways after observing, (over)hearing, and experiencing human interactions in #Cannes during the festival, where various cultures, strong personalities, and ambitions meet: 1. Treat everyone with respect and kindness, regardless of their status. Character is often revealed in how we treat others. 2. Honesty, authenticity, and vulnerability are crucial in building genuine connections. 3. Uphold professionalism and integrity at all times. Respect others’ time, efforts, and work, and honor your words and commitments. Without integrity we have nothing. 4. Never compromise on self-respect and know your worth. If you’re not valued, withdraw gracefully. 5. Support each other—it’s the recipe for shared success. We’re all in this together. 6. Challenge the hierarchies—don’t let yours or anyones else’s stardom, wealth, or power influence your behavior. We’re all human beings fulfilling different roles and deserving of equal respect, be it the waiter, the receptionist, or the talent. Let’s embrace kindness as a guiding principle in our interactions, both at festivals and most importantly in our everyday lives. 🧡 ROSA FAIZZAD® Festival de Cannes

What I wish I had known as a Cannes first-timer 👇🏾. Setting out solo and blissfully ignorant, I learned valuable findings, from where to find plantain for fellow foodies 🍌🤌🏾 to pre-networking tips to alleviate nerves. I hope these insights help others embarking on their first time in Cannes this year.   💡 Planned rest - Remember to schedule time for rest. It's easy to get caught up in the excitement and inspiration of your first visit to Cannes. However, planning downtime, gathering your thoughts, and avoiding burning out is equally important. Setting clear goals and intentions will help you stay focused and not stretch yourself too thin. 💡What to wear - Think cool, comfortable, and convenient when packing. Leave the blazers (I packed 5!) and heels at home to free up space. It gets hot, so trust that a portable electric fan will be the most valuable thing in your suitcase! 💡 Where to eat - For fellow foodies, be aware that reservations are often a must – the best spots are always packed! To make the most of your culinary experience, book/plan your meals in advance. Look out for fringe events with free-flowing breakfast, lunch, and dinner. My favourite spot was Inkwell Beach – they offer exceptional all day lunches and stimulating panel conversations. For those who love discovering hidden gems, head to La Bocca, a beautiful town off the main strip. Here, you'll find treasures like North African butchers who have all the seasonings, gems like PLANTAIN!, and a variety of seasoned and fresh meats. Perfect for anyone like me who enjoys a home-cooked meal vibe. 💡Pre-networking - Connect with like-minded individuals through Cannes communities like 'Women in Cannes' or use LinkedIn to reach out to peers beforehand. Arranging meet-ups with familiar faces can help ease initial nerves and potentially lead to valuable connections that could enhance your Cannes experience. 💡 Digital connecting - Utilise savvy virtual contact-sharing apps such as Blinq  - a great tool to quickly connect and exchange contact/social details with new contacts rather than carrying around business cards. 💡 Have fun and go with the flow - Lastly embrace spontaneity and savour every moment. If you cannot resist a meticulously planned itinerary (like me!), remember to let go sometimes. Cannes offers unforgettable experiences that unfold naturally. So, connect, enjoy yourself, and create lasting memories! Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity

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

On Cannes, Part 2. To get the most out of your Cannes experience, a few pointers from someone who has been there, done that, many times (me below, keynoting on my favorite topic - brand narrative and storytelling, in the world of the ephemeral web): 1. Look at the Work - take a day, or two, to really look at the work. It's a trope to believe that all the inspo, comes from listening to panel discussions about how long walks on the beach fuel someone's creativity. No doubt, it does. But, pass on a few and take the time, to really look at the work. Absorb it, study it, learn about how it was made. Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity does an amazing job of exhibiting all of the award entries, so take the time to explore. 2. Schedule Key Meetings, Ahead of Time - Cannes publishes a list of all the attendees. Rarely are most key players in our industry, gathered in one place for so long. Do take the time to set up one on one meetings, with the folks that really matter to you. Equal parts, business and inspiration. 3. Avoid the Gutter Bar - yes, I've been there. I know the scene. If you do go, leave by 22:00. Late nights and hangovers, are better left for your time back home. Make the most of Cannes - and the dollars being spent on you to attend - by being on your best form, well-rested and clear-eyed to properly digest all that Cannes has to offer. 4. Take Notes, Share Notes - if you take notes as if you're in Uni, you'll better absorb the material being shared. You'll be more present in the moment, engrossed in the creative discussions happening all about you. Yes, your friends and colleagues back home will delight in seeing you holding a Rose at a beach party...but they'll be forever indebted, if you impart some wisdom and help them better understand, what was discussed. SHARE your notes. Nothing creates better absorption of material, than sharing your pov and takeaways, with your colleagues and mates. Record to share, and apply your pov - because your take on the event, is value-added indeed. Ok...more soon! SOCIALDEVIANT #Cannes #Creativity #Lessons #Advertising #CreativeAwards

Authenticity creates the connection; the craft enables us to lead the dance. Authenticity is the baseline, not the end goal with all my work. Without authenticity you'll never be truly connect to yourself or your audience. This prevents us shifting their hearts and minds and to feel that connection that creates what I call ‘the invisible dance’ between audience and presenter. There are great tools I use that once a connection has been built we can look to play and influence the experience of the room. One such cutting edge tool that is something I named ‘Suspended Presence’. The space between the words holds as much potency as the words themselves. It allows the Audience to share an experience with a Speaker, to not just listen but to feel something and for this feeling to be stored in their body. Emotions are the result of an experience and remember experiences enrich the brain more than knowledge. ‘Suspended Presence’, is the ability of a masterful Speaker to take ownership of the space and not surrender it. How long they spend in this space is entirely up to their own intuition, level of skill and the depth of connection they have created. When using ‘Suspended Presence’ the Speaker doesn’t need to hold eye contact with the audience to achieve this, the more its practiced and Mastered the more flexibility they have to flex their craft. Is it possible that a Speaker could suspend presence long enough to walk back of stage, sip from a glass of water and then return to ‘Resolve the Sentence’? Yes, absolutely, but the Speaker would need to be deeply present, competent and and intentional. ‘Suspended Presence’ is simply one unique tool that separates a Speaker from others and builds a meaningful experience, and not to forget, have fun. Speakers, both experienced and new can find this technique both incredibly unsettling and powerful as they battle with their conditioning that says they’re not worthy to ‘Take Up Space’. However, take up space you must, and not only take it up but not surrender it. ‘Suspended Presence’ is a tool that when used well can enhance your message ‘Beyond The Words’. Using a tool, such as this can pave the way for a new style of Presenting, a tool that is not just unique and new, but pushes the boundaries of the beloved craft and develops a far deeper connection with your Audience that I believe every presenter and audience desire. Our brains crave novelty so the more tools you have that are unique and meaningful the greater the experience. To discuss joining the upcoming program ‘The Authenticity Frequency’ please use this link to book a call https://lnkd.in/gnkFUX48 Andrew

Along with the other 99.9% of people and brands in the marketing-advertising industry not represented at the event, the Cannes festival passed me by last week. Which is a shame, as I didn’t even get round to designing my annual t-shirt. So, it's a bit of an afterthought this year. Not my best work by some distance, a bit cliched and derivative, to be honest. However, this entry does give me a chance to reflect on my milestone 27th consecutive year not attending the festival. Which, given the number of categories and winners this year, you would think would be worthy of a metallic lion-shaped prize of some kind. While I have nothing against these or any other awards, what has bugged me for a number of years is how agency groups can spend millions of dollars on an elite party and entertainment schedule, go home with paid-for awards of various descriptions, making sure they have bought enough replica statues to display in global offices that had precisely nothing to do with the ‘winning work’, and then go back to HQ to issue directives to their regions and markets as to how many people they need cut in order to balance costs and deliver annual synergy targets. I never bought into the trickle down economics of these events. In my experience it is an event for the few, paid for by the many. Nothing ever trickled down to the people or the clients in most markets. No benefits, no rewards, no investment, just costs and redundancies, because those flights, hotel rooms, parties and award entries don't fund themselves. Of course this is just my experience, other experiences are equally valid, I am sure. Happy Monday. Peace ✌

PJ Pereira, you KNOW I agree. ...to an extent. BUT, I think we all have to come to terms with the fact that Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity is now three things simultaneously: 1) A global creative awards show. Or, rather THE global creative awards show. 2) A global Media and Marketing conference. 3) A global celebration of and for the advertising, marketing and media community (with the big players all flexing their big budgets to throw big parties). In my opinion, none of these exist to the detriment of the other. I also think ALL OF US could do a better job of engaging in all three aspects. If you're in the Palais to give or accept awards, set some business meetings that broaden your knowledge, expand your relationships, and stretch your understanding of what's possible. If you're at MediaLink Beach to open or close deals, walk the twenty-five yards to the Palais and catch a panel or an awards ceremony. If you're just here for the pickleball at Stagwell Sport Beach, or to see Arcade Fire at Spotify House, how do I get your job? But if your job has you here for awards and meetings, don't be shy about rewarding yourself with some of the fun. Let's not fight what Cannes has become, let's make the most of it. See you all on the Croisette, and in meetings, and in the Palais, and, yes, probably at the bar. p.s. I think it's worth noting that while scheduling conflicts are real, in my 20+ years of attending awards ceremonies in the Palais, I have never once seen it at any less than way over capacity, standing room only.

I'm sitting and watching the Met Gala live stream while working, here's what it taught me about B2B Tech PR..... . just kidding 🤓 I wouldn't do that to you! Part of the reason I moved from New Zealand to LA was my dream of walking the Met Gala stairs and I can happily say I'm now (geographically) closer to this achieving this!!! People find creative inspiration in many different formats. For me, a massive one is engaging in pop culture events like the Met Gala or GRAMMYs. Yes, I'm a pop culture nerd and get excited by celeb culture. But more importantly I find ways to flex my creativity around them. Creativity is like a muscle you have to flex and grow in order to continue improving and that's why I challenge myself to brainstorm ideas around these events... for fun! For example: The Mark Hotel is a hotspot for celebs to prepare for the big night. Could a brand collab with the hotel to design the entrance way mat stars walk out on? How do you go about finding creative inspiration? I'm always on the hunt to find new ways to flex the creative brain muscle 🤠 PS: i'm desperately awaiting Ariana Grande to step foot on this carpet and she better not let me down!!! #creative #creativity #MetGala #PR #publicrelations