Our Chief Creative Officers went to Cannes, so you didn’t have to.

The Cannes-Lions-International-Festival-of-Creativity-Round-up-LinkedIn-post

As summer draws to a close and everyone returns from holidays, with kids back in school, it's the perfect moment to reflect on this year's Cannes Lions edition. While much has already been discussed and written, we're curious—what stood out to our Chief Creative Officers, Kristof Janssens and Jeroen Bostoen ?

In my view, the best creatives are always relentlessly searching for new and unique problems to solve, which inevitably leads to more innovative ideas.

1. Brand platforms win over small one-shots

Kristof: In today’s noisy and complex world, it's wiser to focus on a strong, single-minded narrative than to gamble one one-off ideas. A clear and consistently delivered promise is essential for achieving true effectiveness. Over the years, I've heard many teams argue that brand platforms can feel too restrictive for big creative ideas. This might be true for lazy concepts built for endless repetition, but in my experience, the most brilliant and creatively diverse work comes from brands that have been diligently building their platforms for years. The real magic happens at the intersection of strategic consistency and creative freedom. Take Heinz, for instance, which won the Grand Prix in Creative Effectiveness, but they’re not alone—brands like Mastercard, British Airways, Specsavers, Pedigree, Patagonia, Liquid Death, and even Celio’s 'Be Normal' platform all demonstrate the power of consistency.

Jeroen: Once the brand platform is firmly established, it unlocks a new level of creativity and ease for our team. With a clear direction in place, the exploration of new ideas becomes not only more exciting but also more focused. Delhaize is a prime example of this. When we repositioned Delhaize as the healthy supermarket committed to making better eating accessible to all, every creative effort naturally aligned with this vision. Initiatives like Junk Fruit, Magic Veggies, Superplus, and more recently, the Belhaize label promoting local produce, or the charming Little Lions, all stemmed from this unified brand direction.

Kristof: Defining a strong brand platform benefits sales as well. In Belgium, Volkswagen was struggling because they were primarily focused on promoting individual car models rather than building the brand itself. When our Voltage team successfully launched the "Auto van je leven" (Car of your life) platform, they reversed the negative trend, and sales began to climb once again. That’s why the case was entered it in this year’s Effie Awards.

Jeroen: It’s not always easy, though. Large brands often have diverse products and services, making it challenging to implement and maintain a unified platform. However, it's a challenge worth taking on.

In today’s noisy and complex world, it's wiser to focus on a strong, single-minded narrative than to gamble one one-off ideas.

2. Search real problems… and solve them

Kristof: In the past, many Cannes Lions entries were like concept cars in the automotive industry—inspiring, yes, but lacking substance. They had no engine, couldn’t be bought, didn’t truly exist, and often didn’t adhere to regulations. Most importantly, they weren’t solving any real problems. Over the years, I’ve seen spectacular ideas flawlessly executed, but many lacked a clear reason to exist. The emphasis was often on the concept and execution rather than on addressing a real issue. However, the focus has now shifted towards identifying and solving genuine problems—ones that give rise to more innovative ideas, like Renault’s ‘Cars to Work’ concept. The true strength of this idea lies in the problem it addresses, not in the rather modest execution. In my view, the best creatives are always relentlessly searching for new and unique problems to solve, which inevitably leads to more innovative ideas.

3. Humor is back

Jeroen: Maybe we're exaggerating a bit, but it seems humor is finally getting the serious attention it deserves. Last year, discussions highlighted how effective humor can be, suggesting we should embrace it more. This year, many speakers continued the conversation, backing it up with data—showing that sales increase when humor is used. Post-tests are positive, and there’s been a lot of serious number-crunching about fun things. It’s quite amusing, really.

Kristof: Humor has been on the decline for over a decade. In this tough world, it seems like nobody wants funny anymore. Yet, humor remains our most powerful tool to combat indifference. Brands are paying what’s known as the 'Beige Tax'—having to spend more on media to get their bland ads noticed, averaging a 7% increase in costs.

Jeroen: As an industry, we need to rediscover the art of taking things lightly because people expect more entertainment from us. So, let’s deliver. Let's experiment like true comedians, who constantly test their material in try-out shows. If a joke falls flat, they refine it or find something better. Within months, their act is polished. We can sharpen our tone of voice on platforms like social media, while others fill the space with dull performance ads. Found something that resonates? Now make it big.

4. Keep your eyes open and tap into culture

Jeroen: I love it when we can move at lightning speed—when we're fully tuned into culture, spot an opportunity, and seamlessly connect it to a client’s business. When done right, people love it too. In the past, we relied on topicals in newspapers, but now we have an entire toolbox to quickly bring an idea to life. The "Coors Lights Out" campaign is a perfect example. They brilliantly turned a damaged Coors Light ad at a baseball stadium into a limited-edition run of beer cans that sold out in no time. The excitement even led Coors to redesign the cans—a task that’s usually nearly impossible. But when it works, it’s not just effective—it’s also a lot of fun.

Kristof: Did we already say that humour works?

5. Creative commerce ideas are no longer the domain of specialized agencies.

Kristof: Everyone’s focused on boosting sales, with an emphasis on ideas that drive direct conversions. Traditionally, this has been the territory of performance consultancies, while creative agencies were relegated to the top of the funnel. But why limit ourselves? We should be reimagining the path to purchase, making it more creative in a world fixated on boring transactions. McDonald’s "After-Dinner Dinner" campaign is a perfect example. They targeted diners leaving fancy restaurants still hungry after tiny gourmet dishes, offering them burgers to satisfy their cravings. That’s smart, business-savvy thinking.

Jeroen: Clearly, ideas like these require time and effort to bring to life. You need a solid back-end system to target the right people and verify they’re the correct audience. The technical component is crucial. But we have the talent and expertise to make it happen. So, let's encourage our creatives to dream up ideas like this. It’s challenging and exciting.

I love it when we can move at lightning speed—when we're fully tuned into culture, spot an opportunity, and seamlessly connect it to a client’s business.

?