Worthington’s Cannes Diary – part three

Nick Worthington, executive creative director of Colenso BBDO, Auckland, is representing New Zealand on the Titanium & Integrated jury and writes exclusively for Campaign Brief, the only Australian trade press in Cannes this year. 

First I have to say the big win has to be Droga5 with the ASB.  We’re here fighting over bits of gold plate and you guys take the fucking bank. Nice work, congratulations. The inevitable question arose at the press conference as to the amount of work from America on the shortlist (and winners) with regard to the amount of American based jurors. Truth is if there was some amazing work from Asia, India or anywhere else for that matter, I’d have fought for it but there wasn’t. Kind of surprised me that some leftfield work didn’t test the jury from China or India. 

I don’t know why this is, but for the record one of the Americans was Japanese (just based in NYC) another was a veteran Singaporean also based in NYC, so it balances out a bit. 

That said,  it did feel less global than my previous judging which is something Cannes should watch out for. Go Asia is what I say. Australia and New Zealand seem to have both had vintage years, at both ends of the week, so when Lynchy does the tally I reckon per capita we Kiwis will have done ourselves proud. Even if the Aussies eclipse us on metal. 

It’s been a good one and the film jury is buzzing about the quality of the work, so I’ll be keen to see the winners there, my suspicions are that the Film Jury will embrace film in it’s broadest sense and that the TV element will become irrelevant and the film in any length on any platform will emerge as King. 

Tough times ahead for the classic media companies but golden times for the ideas and craft people I think. Kind of the way it should be in my book. 

Good luck tonight everyone, this is my last report.