"F*#k this line, let's go to the yachts"

(heard in a line up to one of Spotify's oversubscribed events on the beach)

I've been reading people suggest that Cannes represents everything that is wrong with the industry. Excess. Drinking. Parties. Celebrity. Exclusivity. It's true I witnessed all of that. And to be honest, being in the south of France, during Fête de la Musique, amongst a crowd of inspired creative minds, global executives and determined young digital talent, I'd have been disappointed not to.

It's hard to convince people that haven't been during the Festival of Creativity a.k.a Cannes Lions that a lot of hard work goes on. It is a major investment for any company to send people to represent them. And if those people are smart enough to realize they are the lucky few, and wish to return, they will work hard to get a result. That starts with standard morning breakfast meetings or preparation and continues into multiple meetings, demonstrations, lunches, keynotes and sessions. Into the evening, cocktail hours start, then dinners, then the parties, after parties and common meeting spots in a variety of locations from the Carlton Hotel Terrace to the Gutter Bar for those with the stamina. You never get enough sleep. Never. Some of these daily events take place in hotel suites, beach cabanas, restaurants and of course yachts. But understanding the layout of Cannes and proximity, it makes sense to concentrate the beach front and port to host locations so the 15,000 people can walk everywhere. Regardless of the heat and humidity.

Dressing for Cannes is just as tricky. You are there for business, but it's the beach, you likely take your shoes off to board the yachts, Cannes has its own brand of chic style and it's 29°C/84°F with 88% humidity. For some folks they embrace meetings in shorts and flip flops or light dresses and sandals while others sweat through their business attire on day 1 and spend their next paycheck updating their wardrobe for the rest of the week to pastel colored, floral printed linen from some of the fashion industry's most iconic brands. 

The point is, the festival isn't an accident, a display of excess or excuse to escape. It's a very deliberate event, that attracts some of the best and inspiring minds in the industry and uniquely for a few days you have access to all of them. Cannes requires planning, a strategy for outcomes, a well packed suitcase, ability to operate on a few hours sleep and an open mind.

Unlike last year, there was less focus on advertising technology. With all the conversation on brand safety and fraud, it seems out of place now. If the technology cannot help here, it's outdated. Simple. Speculation leading up to the event touted Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) would be a central conversation. But they were not. Not yet. In fact many companies are still attempting to convince brands that 360 video is VR if you happen to view it through a headset. It's not. The common theme dominating conversation at this year's Cannes was data. In various iterations. Location data. Purchase data. Behavioral data. Trend data. Experience data. Creative data. Registration data. Attention data. Intent data. Then there is the long tail of "proprietary", "exclusive", "1st party", "2nd party", "3rd party", "deterministic", "probabilistic" and "earned" data that hide behind these terms to avoid disclosing the precise nature of their origin, permission or uniqueness amongst competitors. 

The industry has now accepted and adopted some generally known facts;

1. Mobile is the first screen
2. Data is extremely powerful if used correctly
3. The consumer must come first
4. Ads must create experiences to earn attention 
5. Ideas drive engagement, not formats, buying platforms or industry proxies like clicks or viewability

There was a certain confidence in the air too. Brand marketers seem more in control of their immediate future. They've learned a little from testing new partners. Their creative agencies are finally starting to take responsibility for new platforms and devices. Media companies are providing more transparency. Data companies are separating into the good and bad actor categories. And advertising technology platforms or companies must be transparent and support 3rd party validation or measurement.

2017 seems like a year with a lot more change to come. Especially with the continued disruption in related industries and our own.

And for those dismissive of global events like Cannes that are able to bring together the most influential, brightest and inspired minds to decide how we will address this disruption together, are quite frankly proving why it's more important than ever. The status quo will not hold. We must step out of our comfort zone. And while we might step onto a yacht, with a glass of rose, don't be fooled. The determined mind is a dangerous one. Especially if armed with the ability to create. For in that world, comes new opportunity, new ideas and new people.

And I look forward to learning about them and meeting them all next year. Au revoir.