Having just judged the direct lions it seems the digital conquest of the disciplines continues apace. Lord knows why none of us bothered to enter? What is clear is that the best work contains a strong “digital direct” component. In 2011 you’re just not doing your job if your work doesn’t involve an engage the people it hopes to move. One thing really did strike me in judging this category though. A lot of pure digital work is just too fucking complicated. Where once we were bombarded by 3000 ads a day, now we’re strafed with 6023 “opportunities to engage”. If engaging requires you to photograph a QR code to reveal a symbol to find on a map to get the coordinates to find the laughing dog to eat the sandwich to drop the mashup of the googlefacerecognition ARG database of the man in the moon, then your audience will be baffled and awards judges will shout NEXT.
In fact even simple interactions are rendered pointless when the most pointless media innovation in history, the QR code comes into play. One disable entry in Direct this year was a giant QR code made from loyalty cards which when photographed revealed an image of ….. the same loyalty card. It’s possibly the only time in a judging room I’ve wanted to find the people responsible and have them shot.
There was a lot if great work though. Coke’s friendship machine from Argentina, the Israeli chocolate bar who’s line “always with you” was brought to life by literally tracking down Israeli backpackers in Nepal and giving them a chocolatey reminder of home are two fine examples.
The Grand Prix (in Direct and Promo) though really stood out. Rom a failing Romanian chocolate bar who’s national flag livery was being ignored by disaffected youth. With the bravery of the last chance saloon, the bar went American and launched a deliberately patronising American TV ad. Romania went nuts and all of a sudden a brand identity liberated a national identity. This was more than the knowing shenanigans of a Burger King, it was marketing connecting powerfully with national consciousness. Apparently when Romania won it’s first Bronze lion the President re- presented it back to the winning agency on TV. As Cannes President Terry Savage said yesterday, what will he do with a double Grand Prix?
