Cannes Day 4

The seminars started today, which means a jump in number of the festival attendees. Cannes is suddenly full of people in shorts and flip-flops with plastic badges around their necks. The badges have become a way to start conversations and meet people from all around the world. Friendships are forged with the lines “where are you from?” and “which agency?” Which is why I of course quickly whip my badge off as soon as I’m out of the Palais. Talk to strangers? Meh, I can do that online.

Went to a seminar called “Culture Clubbing” which sadly turned out not to be about Boy George. There was a whole section on Lady Gaga, so that was interesting in a scary kind of way. Much like her music. Note to conference speakers though, starting off with statements like “I like to think of myself as a troublemaker” will only lead people to think of you as a wanker.

Next up, “Friends with Benefits.” Are these people trying to disappoint me with their titles? This turned out to be a seminar on how consumers no longer take note of all the crap dished out in tv commercials so advertisers need to learn smarter ways of dishing out the crap. Like on Facebook, for example. And how aligning yourself with a social cause will make people inclined to get all mushy about your brand and suspend their scepticism long enough to buy your personal hygiene product. It's all about "relationships." Apparently. That was the gist of it, but of course delivered in a much more lively and entertaining fashion. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Oh and Nick Jonas was one of the speakers. As in one of the Jonas Brothers. Nick Jonas! Wow! I had to really restrain myself from jumping up, running onstage, grabbing him and asking “WHY ARE YOU FAMOUS?” He seemed like a nice kid though.

That was two hours of seminars which I thought was a pretty good effort for one day. So back to the room to rest up for dinner, where we met up with an ex-workfriend of mine Carolyn from my Sydney advertising days – almost a decade ago. She’s still gorgeous and bubbly and now living in New York. That’s the thing about advertising, it can be a bit of a dodgy industry sometimes but there are so many lovely people in it.