Tips on Media Lion hunting

This year Cannes Lions were based upon a more strategically biased marketing system with some results-oriented marking. Gimmicks don't crack this kind of interrogation.

Fundamentally four sections were marked, 40% weight went to strategy, 20% each to creative media, integration and efficiency. Under such criteria why shouldn't, arguably, the best marketer in the world win Cannes Lions?

However, if the general level of submissions is a reflection of the media around the world, then South Africa still has a long way to go.

Fundamentally, few people actually seemed to have read the brief with many just "trying it on". One has to wonder if the people who submitted such entries listen to their clients' briefs and respond appropriately because nothing could have been simpler than explaining the objectives, showing the insight, developing the strategy with reasoning and enhancing with the media creative integration and results. No such luck.

The cobblers' shoes you might say but it's just not good enough. If we can't sell ourselves who is going to buy?

I judged some 500-600 entries over 4 ½ days, and let me tell you it isn't easy, and when you see the same hackneyed phrases and advertising buzz words being used from around the globe, despair starts to set in. In many cases if you changed the name at the top of the written submission with another, frankly, it would not have been noticed, as many submissions were so bland and full of those kind of words. They just became flotsam in the mind.

Thank God the cream rose to the top! Clear precise argument demonstrated simply with some bold earth-breaking, changing-the-rule, media creativity backed by solid strategic thinking based on sound insight.

The results sections were weak overall and with many entrants just saying the client liked it. And that was for 20% of the mark!

So some advice for next year:
1. Read the brief.
2. Keep it simple and short.
3. Use a video to explain.
4. Get yourself out of the ad jargon.
5. Test your submission on some trusted industry peer in your country who if possible has been a judge.

Overall I was extremely proud of the awards given because they seriously were good.

At the presentation ceremony the depth and investigation into each submission that we went into did not come through. The editing of some of the video/board material left a lot to be desired. Even I couldn't recognise who was winning some of those 2 ½ kg Lions. It was also clear that organisers didn't want to tell the delegates that we refused to award 3-4 Lions categories.

So those who complained about the winners should just understand the criteria and secondly try and fill the vacuum of information with the right knowledge and not just garbage hearsay that got sucked in on the way.