7 KEY TAKEAWAYS

D&AD2016

1ADVERTISING FOR GOODOne of the key themes demonstrated at the festival was the increasing need for brands to do well in the world. It’s no longer acceptable to simply be a cool brand that sells products people like; we need to make a difference in people’s lives and be useful. As you know from the Meaningful Brands study, it’s brand first, products second. All of this year’s award-worthy work was genuinely relevant, brave, and inspiring. It’s work that moves our industry forward in a meaningful way.

Two great examples include: “Security Moms” from Ogilvy Brazil, which aims to stop violence in football stadiums, and “Love Has No Labels” from R/GA, which challenges our views on all forms of love.

2NEXT GENERATIONBenoit Vancauwenberghe, creative director at 20something, pointed out the unique nuances of millennials: they are driven by FOMO (fear of missing out), experience is the center of their lives, and their geographical spread is the cloud. It’s no wonder they gravitate toward platforms like Periscope and Snapchat that offer instant access.

It’s important to put these platforms in the hands of people who understand them best. Instead of using young talent for lesser tasks, agencies should give them greater responsibility. When innovation is the currency of our industry, we should recognize youth for what they are: a source for new ideas.

Hear more from Benoit and see how Havas Chicago embraces youth through The Annex.

3BACKLASH BRANDSFollowing Protein World’s controversial “Are you beach body ready?” campaign, there has been a lot of debate as to whether brands that incite extreme consumer reactions actually work or if they simply offend. The conclusion at D&AD seemed to be that yes, they do work—if, and only if, they have something genuinely interesting to say and remain relevant to their fans.

It’s about being bold rather than creating controversy for the sake of controversy.

Think: Thinx‘s analogous ad campaign or Equinox’s “Commit to Something” campaign.

4THE REITERATION OF STORYTELLINGIn 1991, people looked forward to watching TV ads as much as they looked forward to watching the programs themselves. Nowadays, that phenomenon is far from true, and we need to finally address it directly. Thanks to oversaturation, fragmentation, and the rise in popularity of ad blockers, it is the responsibility of advertisers and artists to tell compelling visual stories that work seamlessly across mediums—and that viewers can’t get enough of.

Sip on Beyoncé’s Lemonade to get a taste of visual storytelling, and check out a recent piece by Havas Media’s Tom Goodwin to learn why adblocking could be the best thing for our industry.

5VIRTUAL REALITYOne of the main attractions at D&AD was the virtual reality demonstration—further proof that VR has our industry raptured.

But we’re still figuring out how to make it meaningful. With 28 million people expected to have purchased a VR headset in just two years, it’s clear that this tech isn’t going anywhere and will have profound effects on consumer behavior. Advertisers should get familiar with the devices and software, while brands should start thinking about how it can enhance the consumer experience—and add value to people’s lives.

Just ask Dos Equis’ Most Interesting Man and read up on seven ways VR will change life as we know it.

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6MEDIA IS THE MESSAGEThere was an obvious and growing convergence between creative and media, with a recurring trend of integrating platforms like Airbnb and eBay into the marketing strategy. Instead of building standalone platforms or relying on paid targeting, advertisers are increasingly integrating themselves into popular platforms to access their unique and loyal audiences. With more media options than ever, where your message lives is sometimes just as impactful as the message itself.

Consider integrated campaigns like “The Guy Who Cut Everything in Half” by Serviceplan and Havas Boondoggle’s Airbnb intern recruitment campaign.

7GOING THE EXTRA MILED&AD Pencils only go to the finest work—it takes fulfilling a human need and executing flawlessly on that. Pencils require that extra 10 percent. The submissions that stood out were those tailored to specific categories and that showed the work in its entirety—rather than built solely around how the campaign performed on social media.

Of course, going the extra mile does not discount beautiful simplicity.

Two stand-out examples include: “LifePaint” by Grey London, which addresses cyclist fatalities, and “I Am a Witness” by Goodby Silverstein & Partners, which addresses cyberbullying.

THANK YOU TO OUR THOUGHT LEADERS

Kerrie BoyesJim Elliott

Steve GarsideAnna-Rose Kerr

Megan LittleJason PetersonMarian Salzman