Nicolas Hostettler

Day 3 of the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. Here's an M&C Saatchi Group South Africa Brutally Simple wrap. Jacques Burger will also be sharing his perspectives. > IN A WORD < Storytelling. We kicked-off the day with an M&C Saatchi Group event with former BBC news producer Sam McAlister famed for managing to orchestrate the explosive Prince Andrew interview which she wrote a book on (and has subsequently been turned into the hit Netflix show Scoop). Candid, sharp, engaging. Key takeout: powerful storytelling comes down to bringing fact - or in our world an 'insight'- and emotion together. Obvious of course, but not easy to pull off when you see how much work is out there that is devoid of any emotion at all. > IN A QUOTE < "If everyone is using the same tools, the difference maker will be creativity." - Alex Schultz, CMO and Vice-president of Analytics, META Unlike the talk before Alex's where senior execs from Google took the main stage for boring and unashamed sales pitch (it was really, really bad), this talk was a lot more honest and candid on what AI will bring, and the role of creativity. So yes, AI is going to be delivering spectacular and efficient output, but ultimately it will come down to how it contributes to the story you're telling. So yes creative minds are still (very much) needed. > IN A PIECE OF WORK < The Plastic Forecast. This is a great piece of work that again demonstrates the power of bringing fact and emotion together to tell a story. It's from our M&C Saatchi Group AUNZ office, and it has picked up a Silver Lion so far year. https://lnkd.in/dm_pUQ3j

31

3 Kommentare

Day 2 of the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity ranks as one of the most interesting and insightful. Here's my M&C Saatchi Group South Africa Brutally Simple recap. Don't forget to check-out Jacques Burger's perspective and recap as well. > IN A WORD < Fundamentals If you were at Cannes yesterday it was a powerful reminder of getting the fundamentals right. Mark Pritchard (CMO P&G) talked about "everyday creativity" and the power of fining those small human moments that invoke feeling and to focus on how your brand contributes to that feeling. Obvious right? But rarely practiced. The CMO of JP Morgan Stanley Chase reflected on the journey of being purpose led - a simple observation: you know purpose is working "when people act on it when no-one is looking". And really useful research and data from EY on the need to re-define (and remind!) the C-suit on the role of brand - and that to get there we need a simpler, clearer language in marketing. But probably the most incisive and fundamental perspective was from Mark Ritson: "Before even beginning to get to a strategy, let alone the tactics, have you taken the time to diagnose the market?" > IN A QUOTE < "It turned out telling a good story was better than showing a giant call to action." - Laura Jones, CMO InstaCard Critical insights for all marketing and business decisions makers came from Laura Jones' talk sharing her journey on building the case for brand at Instcart (the multi-billion dollar delivery brand), taking Instacart from a "transactional product" to an "inspirational brand". And yes, with absolute empirical evidence demonstrated to the business the significant value the shift from being performance led (and they are a tech business) to being brand led has had on the bottom line. I'll be pulling this case study together to share widely! > IN A PIECE OF WORK < Dove do it again. Following on from my post yesterday, they consistently take their timeless message to market, in a powerfully timely way. This is powerful and important work👇

14

2 Kommentare

Lazy Cannes Lions: Outdoor category (Part 6/6)  For people who don't have time to watch all the case studies. There's a total of 47 medals, but please enjoy. No one moves snow like Griselda by Netflix: Use of Humour (Bronze) Griselda, a Netflix show about a Colombian narco story, created an OOH ambient ad of a snowplough truck with the tagline: No one moves snow like Griselda, during the snowiest time of the year. Genius. Napkins of Rights by FLIC Florida Immigrant Coalition: Breakthrough on a Budget (Bronze) Any immigrants, need to learn more about their rights. Beautifully designed napkins with immigrant rights can be found at their community restaurants, and places they trust. Hand lettering and designs inspired by the same look as restaurant signage and branding. Et Le Buuuuuud by Budweiser: Market Disruption (Bronze) Ice hockey in Montreal is dominated by Molson's beer. To get into the conversation of this sport, Budweiser rebranded to Buuuuuuuuuuud, which plays on the French word "buuuuuuut" for "Goooooooooal." Each time someone scores, squeeze backs and commentators scream "Buuuuuuuuud!" The Cruise Heist by Netflix: Market Disruption (Bronze) Berlin, a Netflix Money Heist show, launched a stunt to "steal" famous Brazilian MCs' jewellery on Neymar's one-time event cruise. When the stolen jewellery news broke out, Netflix revealed that the Berlin character stole them and the stolen jewellery was displayed on OOH media. The jewellery was "returned" after. Plug-Inn For Business by Renault: Market Disruption (Bronze) There are far too few charging stations for electric cars in France. Renault created a system where any household can be a charging station, so drivers have more access to stations and homeowners in rural areas can make money. Genius.

3

The Michelin Star story. A great brand activation before brand activations were even a thing? Or just a bloody good idea? Either way, it's a great story. The Michelin Tyre company, seeking to boost demand for automobiles and thereby tyres, introduced the Michelin Guide. Initially intended as a free handbook for motorists offering practical information like maps, tyre repair tips, and hotel listings, it evolved to include restaurant reviews and ratings. To encourage people to travel and use their cars more (and therefore wear their tyres down quicker) Michelin introduced the star rating system in 1926, initially awarding stars to restaurants across the length and breadth of France. The guide was meticulously researched, with anonymous inspectors visiting restaurants to assess their quality. And just like that, today's restaurant food critic was born. The stars soon became a symbol of culinary excellence, coveted by chefs and sought after by diners. The brilliance of this brand activation lay in its synergy with Michelin's core business. By associating Michelin tyres with fine dining and travel experiences, the company effectively positioned itself as a purveyor not just of tyres, but of a lifestyle of luxury, exploration, and sophistication. It created a strong emotional connection with consumers, who began to perceive Michelin not just as a tyre manufacturer, but as a trusted authority on quality and taste. Over time, the Michelin Guide became one of the most prestigious culinary accolades globally, expanding beyond France to cover cities and regions worldwide. Not bad for a company that makes tyres.

33

6 Kommentare

Remember when we were sold the idea of being able to ping customers your ad (harass them) when they're near your restaurant/store/location? It never really took off did it (well, Tinder did)? Really like how this has given the power of digital tracking back to the consumer - getting their buy in rather than pestering them. Feels smart and modern. I like where this is going. #positiveadvertising #digital #digitalOOH #adidas #DOOH

14

3 Kommentare

Is writing LinkedIn posts with #AI while walking your dog possible? And is it any good? Answer: Yes and no. Last week, I posted about #WPP's partnership with #Google and context windows. I drafted that post using the #ChatGPT-4 voice-enabled app on my phone while walking my dog, Baldwin. Cringy? Cool? I guess it depends on your POV. One thing is certain: I found the process of getting to something I was willing to share isn't instantaneous or flawless. First, in terms of speed, I worked with the AI for about 30 minutes. So it wasn’t just prompt-it-once-and-forget-it. And I made many, many revisions. It’s just that my revisions came in the form of voice direction, and then ChatGPT revised the copy. For example, I spent several cycles telling the AI to reorganize the post so it introduced the WPP/Google partnership and appropriately tied it to the importance of context windows. (More on that in a moment.) I changed phrases like "WPP investing in Google" to "WPP partnering with Google" to more accurately represent the collaboration. And I directed the AI to revise clichéd terms such as "in the realm of" for less, ahem, robotic expressions. This is only a small sampling of the many updates I made as I walked Baldwin. In reality, I was functioning more like a creative director refining a script than simply writing. However, even after these revisions, and after I posted it, a savvy engineer pointed out a significant inaccuracy in my original post about context windows. It was something I hadn't fully understood — and ChatGPT-4 didn’t either. What’s my point? My walk with AI and Baldwin is an example of how AI is transforming writing. But it’s not necessarily easy or flawless or even faster than good old-fashioned DIY copywriting. So why use it? As creatives, I believe we can’t bury our heads in the pre-AI sand. The WPP/Google partnership is a significant moment for the advertising industry. Most companies, large and small, will incorporate AI into their operations. Whether you’re a copywriter or a planner, a manager or an individual contributor, AI is coming to a screen near you (if it’s not already there). And we need to be prepared. We need to learn to not only use it, but learn how to leverage it to make our work better — instead of letting our fear of it make us less employable. Generative AI, however, doesn’t work like a calculator, even though it has turned the universe of language into a constellation of numbers. Realizing that using AI is not just about accelerating my writing but also about ensuring my work meets my high standards for creativity and strategic thought was a breakthrough. Yes, you can use AI to assist your work too, even when you’re walking your dog. And it might take a lot of cycles to get the work to a good place. Knowing how to use AI — and understanding its limitations — will be crucial. The bottom line is you’re still the boss of your creative efforts. Take that, AI. 🙄

6

8 Kommentare

Ad agencies, advertising themselves. N.W. Ayer, 1937. "When all is said and done, the business of Advertising is not only to sell the product, but to portray the personality of a business." #advertising #adsforadagencies

11

1 Kommentar

So grateful to Miriam Plon Sauer at AKQA for given me the opportunity to talk about the Past | Present | future of Fellow progress and Strategy for humans (which was term inspired by a presentation given by Miriam). I was asked at the end of the call about a belief that was harmful to people who work in strategy? My response was simple really, the most harmful belief you can have is the belief that you are what you do. Simply this means saying "I am a strategist". It's harmful because over identification means that we attach our identity to our job, and if we do our job well, we are a "good" and if we do our job badly we are a "bad" person. Our identity and value is determined by how well we feel we did in our job. I think it harmful to over-identify with any high performance role, because... we play so many roles in our life, our job is just one of them. I suggested a different approach which is more aligned with behaviour, instead I say something like "I do strategy", by shifting to a behaviour we enable ourselves to remove our identity from action, we can be good or bad at a task, without it determining our identity. You can also caveat it so that the statement becomes more aligned with the circumstances. So rather than saying " I am a strategist" say this instead.... "I do strategy, sometimes I do it well, sometimes I don't. Yet I always try to give my possible best, given the time and resources available" For bonus points you can also say: "...and when I do strategy I focus on learning and growing, regardless of immediate outcomes. Each experience teaches me something valuable." Identity is who you are. Behaviour is what you do. It's a simple distinction, yet working with our imagination, it's easy to confuse the two. Be well

36

6 Kommentare

Can #AI tell stories? In any case, you can play with AI... and rediscover world literature. For example, with the AI-supported game #Playbrary. Tip for all storytellers - definitely give it a try, this is what storytelling can look like: https://playbrary.ai/

5

THE WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM'S FUTURE OF JOBS REPORT PUTS CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION AS THE MOST VALUABLE SKILLS NEEDED TO STAY RELEVANT IN THE WORKFORCE AND THRIVE DURING A TIME OF ACCELERATING CHANGE. The reason is simple. A creative mind looks at a complex problem and finds a non-linear solution. The kind of solution that a critical thinker or even AI never would. The kind of solution that enables the progress that all businesses in every industry need to make to succeed. So, what are you doing to future proof your team? To increase their powers of creative thinking? We’re all born creative. But life, society, education, evolution, suppresses it, until it gets forgotten about. But it’s there. It just needs sparking back into life. My Creativity Masterclass Workshop, based on my best selling ‘Creative Nudge’ book, (co-written with @kevchesters) will teach you the 9 principles needed to approach your life and work with a more creative mind set, that I developed over a 30 year career as an award winning Chief Creative Officer. Each principle is underpinned with a series of practical, actionable ’nudges’ to help you build them into your every day behaviours. Details at MCreativeIndustries.com or DM me on LinkedIn. #creativity #bemorecreative #creativetraining #creativeskills #creativitymatters #industrytraining #creativityworkshop #weareallborncreative #mcreativeindustries #ideasworthsharing #education

10

Good Day, Humans – https://lnkd.in/dy5YCwBR – is a generative AI podcast experiment and personal project. While I don’t think AI will ever match the depth of real people interacting and expressing themselves, I believe there’s a place for well-produced audio content humans produce in collaboration with AI. This is only my first episode, and I’m excited to experiment with different formats and topics, exploring the possibilities for creating solid content that wouldn’t otherwise be feasible to produce by just one person without the help of AI. #Artificialintelligence #AI #Podcast #AIpodcast #Creativity #Innovation #GenerativeAI

45

11 Kommentare

The Branding Wave That Lifted Me #TrendyBranding #BrandEvolution #MakeitPop Struggling to evolve your branding from bland to iconic? I feel you. 🔥 I'll unveil the tactics that transformed my brand's presence. Stay tuned! 👉 First, analyze the #culture around your brand. Spot the wave and ride it by incorporating elements into your identity. 👉 Then, inject #personality; your brand's story should be as compelling as a blockbuster. 👉 Next, #interact with trends, but don't lose your core values; it's about balance. Use visuals and language that resonate with your audience's current lifestyle. 👉 Finally, continuously gather #feedback and adapt. Remember, evolving doesn't mean losing yourself—it means staying relevant.

1

There is a powerful conflict raging in brand management. The conflict is a paradox that most brands have not yet solved: it is a paradox of Do-It-Myself vs. Do-It-For-Me. #brandmanagement #brandstrategy https://lnkd.in/g8EB96Ez

Breaking Social Barriers: In today’s world, many struggle to approach others and form new friendships. Klick makes it easier with features like the "Online Button" and automated introductions, helping you connect effortlessly. #Klick #BreakingBarriers #RealConnections

9

Modern technology

4

Ad agencies, advertising themselves. Sudler, Hennessey & Lubalin, 1962. "A prolific pencil is no substitute for a unique advertising idea. Creativity is an art not a technique." #advertising #adsforadagencies

16

Not all brand partnerships are created equal! Understanding the difference between influencers and creators is key to a successful campaign. Nadia Bubennikova from Famesters - Influencer Marketing Agency explains the key difference https://lnkd.in/gDeMWw9i Influencers leverage their large followings to drive brand awareness and purchasing decisions. Creators, on the other hand, focus on building communities and passionate followings around their unique content.Who's the right fit for you? #guestpost #influencermarketing #marketing #brandawareness #influencers #creators #martech #martechedge #content #marketingcampaign

11