Prashant Kumar, a former Cannes Lions jury member, on what to anticipate in 2022 and why the pageant is greater than its ‘party week’ repute
Prashant Kumar, a former Cannes Lions jury member, on what to anticipate in 2022 and why the pageant is greater than its ‘party week’ repute
It’s been two years because the occasion came about in particular person. Is this an opportunity for a reset?
It completely is. And due to this fact, anticipate plenty of rising platforms with ad-based fashions; tonnes of award submissions on how manufacturers beat COVID-19 or greened the planet; and allusions to the brand new regular to justify something and every part. Also, anticipate a post-Sandberg Meta-morphosis, a number of references to trade 4.0 applied sciences, and the darkish shadows of the incoming recession. Somewhere from the fog of talks, submissions and the wild bacchanalia will emerge the form of the brand new advertising and marketing future. It shall be a advertising and marketing made in future quite than a band-aided model of the legacy considering of the 90s.
What are the alternatives that weren’t there pre-pandemic and at the moment are with Web 3?
Well, for one, the pandemic has proven that we’re all one massive physique of humanity. Somewhat just like the tree of souls on the planet of Pandora [ Avatar], we’re all related in a single material of life. And therefore, corporations and types, and other people should begin drawing their circle of empathy a lot wider than they’ve up to now. The pandemic has additionally proven that mediated dwelling, quite than located dwelling, goes to develop into extra pivotal to the human dwelling expertise. This dwelling shall be extra complicated, however expertise will assist make it easy and environment friendly. We will be capable of reside extra life per life — pack extra data, experiences, and extra numerous survival pathways on account of this effectivity and suppleness.
The rise of blockchain and leaderless consensus have raised hopes for passing again the ability to the individuals from platforms in the case of their particular person knowledge. I’m barely cynical about how that one goes. If Web3.0 has to actually reside to its techno-political promise, regulators want deeper engagement with the civil society and frontier firms and lay down the baselines. Or, similar to the open-source revolution, it’ll result in an excellent higher focus of energy.
What would you say to individuals who touch upon Cannes Lions’ repute as a celebration week?
They are proper, at some stage. But then, it’s per week to go away your ‘box’ behind, take on this planet and all that’s actually happening, and be capable of rethink a couple of issues. It does require Cannes to really feel so much much less like work, or our pure tendency can be to leap again into our bins. Booze breaks the field, many would argue. If you’re good, you take pleasure in each events and views.
MAAD performs at a Spotify-hosted night of music at Cannes Lions 2019.
| Photo Credit: Getty Images
Your touch upon the budgets to attend Cannes Lions and that it’s the reverse of inclusivity now?
Cannes was all the time unique, particularly for Asians and Indians so far as I’ve identified [I’ve been there since 2009]. Unlike Europeans, who can largely drive right down to social gathering, even when they don’t attend the precise exhibits. Should it’s extra socialist? That’s a world query, actually. I feel the organisers have been attempting to do a string of regional exhibits to carry the standard to the areas. At the top of the day, the French Riviera isn’t designed for everybody and Cannes is a small city. In a traditional Cannes Lions season, for those who didn’t ebook early, it’s robust to get an honest place to remain, or a seat on the eating places. So, I think that the ticket costs additionally mirror how a lot urge for food for the group the place has. Digital makes it extremely environment friendly to view the work and the winners, and to attend the talks. But whether or not the efficacy is similar is uncertain. You don’t go to Cannes to see most work in minimal time. You go to attempt change your views. That wants immersion. Plus, there’s social gathering.
What do you consider the various paywalls in place this 12 months?
Well, it’s not stunning. All issues price perusing should erect some type of paywalls. Including newspapers, as an example. Organisers have waited with bated breath for the pandemic to recover from. They have a lot progress to recuperate, as with all affected companies and nations. I might absolutely need them to be extra discerning, so that they don’t pass over the curious, hungry learners in growing and mid-income nations. Companies have to chip in to assist with entry, too.
What are the conversations that ought to be had — on sustainability, inclusivity, and so on?
Well, these items will get talked about. Cannes Lions is a bit like Davos, they all the time dial the fitting correctness. So why don’t we give attention to conversations that ought to be had, however could not occur. For occasion, how nice is WFH for gender equality within the office, as ladies in a caretaker position, or moms with younger youngsters can now discover it so much simpler to stability work and residential. Or why the armies of company flyers may be retired now, as individuals actually don’t have to journey that a lot for work. Or half of the costly job profiles in costly international cities do not likely must be based mostly there [can be based in Jaunpur or Salem or Penang]. Or that ‘obsolescence’ technique of various sectors wants an lively civil society intervention [does an iPhone really need to go slow once the new model comes in?].
Prashant Kumar is the founding father of Entropia, a next-gen advertising and marketing providers firm, and is the writer of Made in Future: A Story of Marketing, Media, and Content for Our Time
Source: www.thehindu.com
