Bonjour!
We’re still here. The sun is still shining. The sea is still shimmering.
You know the rest: mostly sunny with a high of 26°C (79°F).
Today at the Palais
Kidulting. In a session on “How to Unleash Your Inner Child,” creative agency Quiet Storm and candy brand Haribo explores how to re-access the wild creativity of childhood. If our inner children are anything like your correspondent’s two-year-old, this would result in a roomful of delegates biting one another, trying to cram whole bagels into their mouths, and demanding that someone draw a picture of a horse. If that sounds like your kind of morning, head to the Palais at 10:30am.
A Shondaland of stock photos. Shonda Rhimes has made the world we see on television more inclusive and diverse. With #ProjectShowUs—a collaboration with Dove, Getty Images, and Girlgaze—she hopes to do the same for stock photography. At 11:30am, Rhimes takes the stage with Girlgaze’s Amanda de Cadenet to talk about an archive of 5,000+ “radically authentic” images on offer to brands and advertisers.
Everyone’s favorite zaddy. Jeff Goldblum speaks at 2:30pm on the mainstage with BETC Paris/Havas chief Stéphane Xiberras. Apparently, they’ll discuss “the future of entertainment” for a full 45 minutes in the atmospheric Lumiere Theater. Is this about an ad campaign? Doesn’t matter! See you there.
The other football. The Terrace Stage hosts a series of sessions this afternoon on “sport and the intersection with creativity.” At 4:15pm, the CMO of the NFL and three current and former players—Travis Kelce, Deion Sanders, and Richard Sherman—talk about how pros build their brands these days. Given how much praise Nike is getting this week for its “Dream Crazy” ad, will Colin Kaepernick come up?
And the winner is… Tonight’s awards are for Innovation, Radio & Audio, Mobile, Creative Effectiveness, Creative eCommerce, and Brand Experience & Activation. Intimidatingly young creatives will pick up gongs for the Young Lions competitions in Design and PR. Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels will receive the inaugural “Entertainment Person of the Year” award.
Away from the Palais
Barbie girl in a data world. If Barbie were a data analyst, how would she react if she “were charged with building an audience-driven video program?” Great question. At 10am at RTL AdConnect Beach, Damon Berger of Mattel will answer it. He’ll also address the question of how Barbie (the doll, not the data analyst) stays relevant to new generations. Perhaps a better question.
The last day at the Female Quotient. Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade are here, and the panels are plentiful on the lounge’s last day of programming. Curious guys will find lots of relevant talks, including ”remaking masculinity,” “the role of men today,” and “driving cultures of care.”
What did you actually think of the shortlists? At 4:45pm in the Wavemaker salon, Quartz’s Zach Seward hosts the final discussion about the work itself. It’s not just about drinking rosé on the beach! (Also: rosé will be available.)
Clean-living Cannes
One of the hottest parties starts at 7am. A surprise hit of the festival has been SoulCycle’s early-morning spin classes. We’re sure it’s an invigorating way to start the day; text us when you’re done and we’ll meet for brunch.
Party planner
Google’s Pride party is a great place for what might be your final happy hour in Cannes—hit the search engine’s beach house before dinner because this ends at 9pm. Nobody rocks harder than the Wall Street Journal (right?) and its “Journal House Rocks” party is on tonight, with a special musical guest at 9pm. If you’re still standing (or just waking up) at 11pm, head to the Havas Café to dance with DJ duo KCPK.
Let’s talk!
Join us on Friday for a live conference call with Jenni Avins and Jason Karaian, Quartz’s Cannes correspondents, who will dial in to recap the most notable news and buzz from Cannes this week, and what it means for marketing, advertising, media, and beyond.
If you are in New York, join Quartz at 8:00am ET for croissants and conversation ahead of the call at 8:30am (2:30pm in Cannes). RSVP here to attend in person in New York or you can join by video chat from anywhere in the world.
What everyone is talking about
Jenna Lyons’ white shirt. At Facebook Beach, former J.Crew creative director Jenna Lyons—who wore a blouse with sleeves that billowed like wind-filled sails—discussed the struggling state of retail, and how her new project with WarnerMedia will serve shoppers who don’t love “deep-diving on page 72 of white shirts on Net-a-Porter” as much as she does. The show doesn’t launch until next year, but Lyons is already producing shoppable content. After the talk, when a fan asked who made her epic shirt, she answered happily: “Valentino,” she said, adding that it’s the current season and still available (for €1,200).
What everyone isn’t talking about. We noted in Tuesday’s newsletter that none of the Titanium Lions shortlist addressed climate change. Yesterday, UK-based climate change activist group Extinction Rebellion made an impromptu appearance in Cannes, with some activists getting arrested outside the Palais. The group’s stunts stand out in part because of exceptional branding, with cohesive visual messaging and simple, memorable designs and demands.
Woke-washing and busted trust. The ad industry is in danger of overpromising and underdelivering on issues like diversity, according to Unilever CEO Alan Jope. “Woke-washing,” he said, is threatening to “destroy trust in our industry, when it’s already in short supply.” He’s not wrong: An Edelman study released this week found that more than half of people surveyed think that too many brands use societal issues as a marketing ploy. For a literal and figurative breath of fresh air, check out Goals House, the UN venue focused on the Sustainability Development Goals, perched on a hill overlooking Cannes. (The expansive view, and sense of true purpose, are rewards for a gut-churning 20-minute drive there.)
Easier said than done. “I have a responsibility to prevent the bad, so the good can keep happening.” That’s how Facebook’s Sheryl Sandberg described the social network’s “tough year” at the Palais, as well as in other sessions along the Croisette yesterday. Facebook’s apology tour—for data breaches, election interference, and other issues—is complicated in Cannes by a screening of forthcoming Netflix documentary The Great Hack (today at 1:15pm at Cinema Les Arcades). Additional awkwardness will be avoided, however, by Alexander Nix of Cambridge Analytica abruptly cancelling his appearance at the festival today, amid a backlash by delegates.
Chart interlude
O Canada. Last year, Canada became the largest country to legalize cannabis. Adam Miron, co-founder and brand chief of Quebec-based cannabis producer Hexo (which this week announced a joint venture with beermaker Molson’s) is at the Palais today to talk about “fighting stigma” in the industry. If consumer curiosity about CBD is any indication, mainstream adoption may come sooner than you think.
Seen and heard
“I’m told that there’s a boat here that takes me to a boat I need to get to.”—a delegate checking in at Facebook beach
30-minutes-is-plenty-of-time panel of the day: The State of the World and its Impact on Business
“The next thing is going to be about designing what’s invisible.”—Rei Inamoto, founding partner of IxCO and jury president for the Digital Craft Lions, on creative design as AI and voice become more prominent
The evolution of confidence, in three acts:
- “To start with, for anybody who knows me, which is nobody here…”—Pranav Yadav, US CEO of Neuro-Insight, opening a panel at the Palais
- “This is one of the highlights of my mediocre career.”—ad tech exec at a panel on the conference fringe
- “Not to toot my own horn, but I f***ing crushed it.”—one delegate to another at a beach house
“I don’t need a tampon ad. I need a tampon.”—a delegate on what’s missing from the Palais swag bags
Pay no attention to the squealing tourists on inner tubes behind the stage…
Haiku of the day
We are sad to learn
the 80s are “retro” and
90s are “throwback.”
News from around the world
Xi Jinping arrived in North Korea. His visit marks the first time a Chinese leader has set foot in the country in 14 years. In his meeting with Kim Jong Un, Xi is expected to try to help move diplomacy along, before the Chinese president meets other world leaders at the G20 summit next week.
Iran said it shot down a US spy drone. The Revolutionary Guard said the RQ-4 Global Hawk entered Iranian airspace in a southern province, near the Strait of Hormuz.. The US has denied that any of its drones entered Iranian territory.
The US debated slavery reparations. The House of Representatives held hearings on HR 40, a bill that would set up a committee to research the concept, drawing testimony from presidential contender Cory Booker, actor Danny Glover, and writer Ta-Nehisi Coates. Democratic leaders say they plan to hold a vote on the bill.
Matters of debate
Sexual harassment training doesn’t work. Companies focus more on reducing liability than creating a safer working environment.
It’s better for the world if Facebook remains free. Users in developed countries subsidize services in the developing world.
Choosing a conscientious partner improves your health. Pairing up with an organized planner makes you live longer.
Surprising discoveries
Drugs kept an “attack squirrel” aggressive. However, the Alabama sheriff’s office reported, “There was no safe way to test the squirrel for meth.”
An Egyptian TV anchor made a telling gaffe. As media outlets carried suspiciously similar reports on former president Mohammed Morsi’s death, one newsreader read out “This was sent by a Samsung device.”
Van Gogh’s possible suicide weapon was sold at auction. Though its authenticity is questionable, the revolver sold for €162,500 ($182,000).
Our best wishes for an inspiring day at the festival. Please send us any news, tips, doll-sized data reports, and zaddy sightings. Haiku by Daianna from Thoughtful Works. Consult our Cannes cheat sheet for details about all the boats, beach huts, villas, and cabanas around town.