An indoor peek at Outdoor judging (Day 2)
VictorNg did such a great job with his daily reports from the Clio Awardsjudging this year that we cheekily couldn’t resist asking him again inCannes. Victor, Euro RSCG Singapore’s Executive Creative Director is sitting on theOutdoor Lions jury and this is his DAY TWO report.
Back in the jury room, we greeted one another during the morning round of coffee. It has been delightfully civil, even cordial.
It might just stay that way, if the personalities in the room are as they suggest. Maybe the organisers doped the coffee with valium but everyone appeared so nice and relaxed.
Wait a minute. No twists or drama? No popping veins and flying spittle?No swearing in one’s mother tongue, undecipherable to others? Is thischurch camp? What kind of B-grade sequel is this?
The venerableAkira knows best. With a glint in his eye and a cryptic smile, heleaned in and said, “Tomorrow, will be a long day.”
I surveyedthe room as the beeping scanners went into overdrive mode. Rock-godJuror doesn’t say much but knows exactly what’s he’s looking for,blitzing through the entries decisively. Sagely Juror pondered overevery piece, thoroughly considering his assessment as if ready toexplain to the creators of the every entry why it was in or out.Hollywood Juror breezed through the work in his debonair best, nothingshocks or stops him anymore.
And the work we were looking at?A lot of good stuff, despite the fall in entry numbers. Agencies willalways enter their very best work, especially for an important showlike Cannes. The quality has little relation to the quantity.
Whilewe’re on creative quality, there were a few familiar ideas in the wakeof landmark work from previous years. Five years after Adidas gave theworld Vertical Football, I’m surprised to see entries with a VerticalBed, Vertical Car, Vertical Office and Vertical Valentine. Ditto forall billboards that involve clever use of shadows — ala McDonald’sbrilliant breakfast sundial billboard.
Some ads have already been sentenced, most of them never had a case to begin with. Up next, Act 3: Sorting The Shortlist.