Day two of our Cannes expedition has been a busy one indeed!
On our quest for creative knowledge and inspiration we listened to speakers ranging from Evan Spiegel of Snapchat to Marilyn Manson, to Jefferson Hack to Adrien Grenier, to the Slo’ Mo’ guys! A varied bunch I’m sure you’ll all agree!
With so much crammed in we’ve decided to each summarise our favourite learning or take-out! The key themes of the day were ‘authenticity’, ‘privacy vs public’ and ‘collaboration’.
Evan Spiegel – CEO of Snapchat
Evan referenced Snapchat as a more traditional type of communication when compared to Facebook or Twitter – this is because nothing is documented to keep or look back at – much like an good old fashioned verbal conversation. This also links to their new vision for advertising on the Discover part of the platform where the ads show in the middle of the content rather than pre roll – just like the TV model.
The Power of #Now: Connecting People in a Transparent World. Hosted by Twitter
Chris Moody (VP of Data Strategy, Twitter) talked about the different ways in which brands and people can harness power by tapping into the right moment. Of course, there will always be those “lightning bolt” moments which cannot be predicted (e.g. #THEDRESS – its black and blue right?!) but there are also lots of everyday moments which brands can take advantage of to be more culturally connected. A great example of this is the #THETWEETINGPOTHOLE which fuelled governmental change, just by harnessing the perfect moment, maximising the power of the tweet.
Grey 9th annual music seminar, featuring Marilyn Manson
The large auditorium filled up and there was a nervous chatter before Manson took to the stage. A swarm of hitherto unseen paparazzi lined the front of the stage ready to catch a glimpse of the self-proclaimed ‘anti-christ’.
Whilst Manson’s appearance (disappointingly sans make-up) and persona may have been the draw for the large crowds, this rock-star knew what he was talking about.
Manson touched on the need to develop a personal brand, but to ensure it always evolved. This approach means you are always attracting a new audience and growing your fan base. A running trend of the day was authenticity. Manson’s view was that you should never become a caricature of yourself as people do not buy into brands or people they see as fake. The reason Manson sees himself as the last true rockstar is because he still maintains an air of mystery. He argued that modern performers feel a need to share everything on social media and that this dilutes their brand.
Finally a fun fact, did you know Manson does not get ‘butterflies’ before going on stage, instead he gets ‘moths’.
Collaboration for the greater good, featuring Adrian Grenier
Celebrity endorsement of not-for-profit brands was the main topic of conversation for this seminar. Adrian Grenier who collaborates with brands, said brands must partner with charities to fuel social change. When he gets asked to endorse a brand he makes sure he digs deeper, challenges their actions and sees if he believes in what they stand for. This is what all celebrities should do rather than endorse brands that they have no education about. Without education, this makes their power useless. Authenticity is key!
Until tomorrow,
Vicky, Nicola, Rosie and Lee
