Cannes Lions day 8

The final day of the Cannes Lions festival was a slow one.  With only a few talks sprinkled throughout the once jam-packed schedule and line queues at the Debussy Theatre only barely reaching the top of the stairs (an unthinkably short wait compared to the Wednesday queues that spanned multiple floors and staircases), I thought that the talks I heard today wouldn't be of much interest to me.  However, one in particular turned out to be one of the most thought provoking talks I've heard all week.

"The World's Biggest Asshole."  And insult to some, but for millions, this name is one that inspired a national life saving phenomenon.  Donate Life, an organization dedicated to raising the percentage of those registered to be organ donors, created this absolutely incredible commercial detailing the life (and afterlife) of Colton Sweeney, dubbed the world's biggest asshole.  It was a really funny commercial for such a serious topic as organ donation, but I liked that it broke the mold.  I think that a sad commercial would have been just another one to add to the noise; it takes an unexpected commercial to break through the seas of slow music and sad stories.  Obviously I wasn't the only one that thought this, considering it won multiple Grand Prix awards across many diverse categories.  It was extremely effective as well; the film caused young men to start registering as organ donors in droves.  This session consisted of a panel of the commercial's creators, including executives from Donate Life and the Martin Agency.  They told the story of how the commercial was conceived and created; I was surprised to learn just how much criticism and doubt they received before the commercial even made it to the public.  I had assumed that an idea as bold as this one would receive a little doubt but ultimately be supported; this was not the case in the beginning. 

As the Cannes Lions festival comes to a close, I can't help but reflect on just how much I've learned in the past week.  I expected to come out of this week with a few new techniques and ideas under my belt, but what I got was so much more.  The many speakers that I've seen this week all have one thing in common, and it's that they absolutely radiate passion for the work that they produce and the people that they represent.  If nothing else, I have learned that passion is a beautiful thing that is absolutely vital in this business.  David Droga summed it up perfectly in his acceptance speech at the final awards show on Saturday night: the most important thing that you can do is care about what you're doing and who you're doing it for.  Without caring, your work will be nothing.  I will carry that lesson with me throughout the rest of my career.