Data is not killing creativity: Blue 449 on ‘upping the game’ for clients
Creativity lies at the heart of Cannes Lions but it can easily be drowned out by the noise of data, analytics, and Artificial Intelligence (AI). But there is no reason why the two should be enemies, according to Blue 449 Australia’s CEO, John Preston. He says Blue 449 has invested heavily in analysts who “sit right next to creative thinkers and strategists”.
Speaking on day four of Cannes Lions, in a five-part video series in association with Publicis, Preston explains why companies need to “up their game” if they want to keep up with client expectations.
“Clients are transforming. They’re going through a radical change in their business, technology, and the use of data. Secondly, consumers are changing the way they consume media in a way we have never seen before. It’s really important that we create some big ideas that contribute to that data story to help our clients grow,” he says.
Speaking about his experience in Cannes, David Ehlers, CEO at Blue 449, US and Publicis Media Canada, says he has learnt a lot from “speaking with different partners” about creative projects.
“We’ve talked about augmented reality, virtual reality, and Google home assistant, trying to figure out new ways to connect with consumers and engage with them on new and meaningful platforms that haven’t even been designed yet. I think that’s the great part of Cannes – looking to the future and [seeing] how we can harness that for our clients.”
Watch the full video above.