Throwback Thursday: Cannes Lion Festival

I’m super excited to be bringing you a Throwback Thursday. I was committed to the Funny Friday “Punk’d” thing for a while, but I am ready for something new! If you haven’t watched the videos from our Punk’d series, you should. They’re fun.

Something else that’s fun– as the oldest member of our content clan– is to hear about video games or Nickelodeon being elements of many of our staff’s “history” or their “back in the day” commentary. It reminds me of the commercial where the kids are complaining about the old days when they’d have to wait an entire afternoon to upload a show.  It’s a great spot, check it out. It’s all relative to the period of time that you live. Stuff’s changing so fast.

I might say that one of the pleasant things about getting older (there aren’t many) is that you have the potential to be nostalgic about more things. The “when I was a kid” and in the “good old days” span a longer duration. Do you know that there are awesome 23 & 24 year old people here at the agency that don’t know who Robert Redford is and aren’t sure if they have ever heard a Fleetwood Mac song (who, by the way, I am going to see in concert tomorrow night)? I am not that old, people, and frankly it makes me sad. Robert Redford WAS Jay Gatsby, but most people under 30 would scoff at the old version of The Great Gatsby in its antiquated cinematography. It was a beautiful film in its day.

Tell me he’s not pretty. He’s a legend I’m telling you. The guy started The Sundance Film Festival for crying out loud. He is worth remembering. Leo will be a legend one day too – he’s not quite there yet.

Which brings me to the point of this article (kind of). The Cannes Lion Festival and Awards are about to take place. Here is their headline in their words:

It is the world’s greatest celebration of creative communication in all its forms.  Over seven days in June each year the whole creative industry comes together to learn from the best and celebrate the work changing the communications landscape.

That is great copy… No need to try and say it differently… This is where epic stuff happens. This is where memorable works are recognized. Their website is full of cool stuff, but the video below fits our topic of Throwback Thursday.

Art changes the communication landscape. Creativity is not a technological advancement that will become obsolete. Technology should only improve and expand the opportunities of expression of any art form.

The gentleman in this video, Gerald Scarfe, is legendary in the creative world. He is an artist to be remembered, and it’s absolutely worth your time to hear his words.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=zn1jaoZuwVM#!

Throwback and nostalgia take on a different significance when you hear it from a man who has spent his life as a creative. Collaborating with Roger Waters on the The Wall!! Are you kidding? This guy has some stuff to teach us about creating epic work: stuff that will last – the stuff of legends. He shares stories about shifts in culture and breakthroughs in mediums. He considers it a privilege to be able to create everyday and do what he loves.  I hope that we can become more of a culture that recognizes the wisdom of those who have gone before. I am afraid, however, that I see a lot of contempt from the under 30s (aka millennials) about their seniors. As if anyone older than them are obsolete, unnecessary.

We’ll be talking about Lion Winners and such in the coming days and weeks. But I wanted to whet your appetite (yes, the spelling of “whet” can be a pain in the English) and get your expectations up – to be inspired. We should always seek to be inspired. Art in all of its manifestations has the power to do that. Inspire. No matter how old it is.

So, for a fun throwback – check out this Gold Lion Winner from 1993: Galerias Department Store’s “The Naked and the Dressed,” created by Casadevall Pedreno & PRG. The spot is 20 years old, and it is still good creative.

Of course, they can get away with a lot of stuff in Europe, they push the envelope a little farther – but this works for me. It’s still edgy and clever even after all these years. I can only hope that I will still be considered edgy and clever 20 years from now. I think it’s possible to still be fun in 2023.  Fun after all, is not subject to becoming obsolete.

Cover Photo Source: Site Marca via Flickr

[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]http://testspace.thesanjosegroup.com//wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Photo-on-12-14-12-at-2.39-PM-2.jpg[/author_image] [author_info] Jennifer is Director of Content & Ideation at SJG.  I am convinced that every human being is innately creative – Picasso said the key is to remain childlike within the body of a responsible adult, or something along those lines. As the oldest member of this opinionated clan, I feel responsible to share a different perspective. Engage me – I love a good debate! [/author_info] [/author]