Cannes Ad Fest: Indian creativity is peaking

There is a shift to solve problem, to take on a challenge or issue and address it head-on

I've had a ringside view of the Cannes Ad Fest for years now. And I must admit that I find Indian creativity in a happy position this year. To be sure, the trend was visible to me for a few years now, but this year I believe that Indian creativity is peaking.

My basis for this assessment is the quality of work that has been entered this year. In particular, a few pieces that have my heart going out to them. And good news is that they have already won in the categories that have been declared so far.

These include McCann's 'Immunity Charm', Leo Burnett's 'Roads that Honk', Taproot's 'Adidas Odds' and Ogilvy's 'Savlon Healthy Hands Chalk Sticks'. Add to this JWT's '#MyDaughterWill' and I am confident that India will do well this year. I'm saying this because I see these pieces winning across categories through the week. And don't be surprised if these campaigns carry India to a respectable total; possibly even help India surpass its tally of around 27-28 metals bagged last
year. That will be the best for Indian creativity.

Why I remain excited about these pieces is because of the sheer quality and strength of the ideas that are at their core. Traditionally, India has been known for its craft and execution abilities at the Cannes Ad Fest. I see that trend changing now.

There is a shift, yes, a definitive shift to solve a problem, to take on a challenge or issue and address it head-on. And the good thing is this trend is no longer visible only in the work presented in categories such as the Glass Lions, which is a segment that rewards work that sets out to address gender inequality and injustice. It is spreading across categories. Last year as well as this year, we saw how well India did in the health-care category with work for palliative care, for instance.  

This year, I see more categories picking up the cue of cause-related advertising and marketing. Take Leo Burnett's 'Roads that Honk', which is the only piece of work to make the cut in the Innovation Lions category.

It is no secret that Indian roads are among the most unsafe in the world and if you are navigating a precarious highway with blind turns then God save you. What I liked about Leo Burnett's campaign for HP Lubricants was their attempt to address the issue of road safety in an interesting way. And the best part is that it is impactful. Basically, what the agency and its client did was to install a pole with an incoming vehicle alert mechanism at a hairpin bend along the Jammu-Srinagar highway. This warns drivers of an incoming vehicle at a blind turn thus averting a mishap. There is no better feeling than saving an individual's life. This is a brilliant idea, indeed.

Ogilvy's 'Savlon Healthy Hands Chalk Sticks' is another one of my favourites. You have chalk sticks infused with soap to address the issue of hand hygiene in schools. Children do wash their hands before eating, but rarely do they clean their hands with soap. The Savlon campaign was unique and brilliant because no one has done something like this before. It is very functional, where the chalk stick performs its job of helping a child write on his or her slate during class and during lunch break it can be used as a soap. This is a very impactful campaign that has clicked in all schools where it has been introduced. 

'Adidas Odds' and 'Immunity Charm', of course, are endearing pieces of work. The first one focusing on a pair of shoes — two lefts or two rights — for athletes with one foot. But there is no blatant product selling here; instead the campaign captures the journey of India's first blade-runner — Major D P Singh — in all its stark glory. 'Immunity Charm' has been much feted at the festival and rightly so for the simple idea of using a cultural symbol in an interesting way to tackle the issue of child vaccination. 

JWT's '#MyDaughterWill', on the other hand, talks about the sticky issue of a daughter's right to perform the funeral rites of her parents, denied to her due to her gender in the Hindu faith. Clearly, Indian agencies are making giants leaps.

The author is founder and chief creative officer of Hyper Collective Creative Technologies