By Robert Goldrich

Jealousy is not normally considered a healthy emotion–that is, unless you’re in an awards show judging room.

Feeling jealous about an entry is a strong instinctive indication that you may have seen and experienced something which has likely raised the creative bar for the industry. 

This assessment about the virtue of jealousy was echoed by a pair of jury presidents and a judge who are set to see what the world has to offer creatively and strategically at the upcoming Cannes Lions competition.

David Lubars, chief creative officer of BBDO Worldwide and president of this year’s Cannes Film Lions jury, observed that the honored work is there “to show the industry the way forward.” Such work has to be “effervescent, evergreen, new, original, fresh–work that makes you jealous and wish you had done it yourself.”

Juliana Cobb, executive creative director at Droga5 New York and an Industry Craft Lions juror, related, “My expectations are really high for Cannes. I want to be exposed to work that makes me feel excited, inspired, that gives me a new sense of what’s possible in our industry, that makes me a little bit jealous.”

Amani Duncan, CEO of BBH USA and president of the Entertainment Lions for Music jury, shared that when judging work, she looks for “moments of jealousy. ‘God, I wish we did that.’ Those are the moments when you are in awe of the work. ‘Why didn’t I come up with this?’ That’s when you know that the work is special.”

Duncan added, “That piece of work that you are so jealous of–that’s the work that provokes the most change. Now your eyes are open even wider. You show the best-in-class work to everyone. Now it’s up to you guys to take it to the next level.”

Lubars, Cobb and Duncan are among the jury participants with whom SHOOT connected to get a sense of their mindset going into the Lions. 

And judges will be able to share those mindsets up close and personal. After two years in which the event could not be held in person due to COVID-19 risks, the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity will once again find people coming together in the south of France. Set for June 20-24, the event will be a hybrid model with both virtual and in-person elements and activations. Judges will once again be in a room debating over the merits of entries.

The 2022 lineup consists of 290 jury members from around the world, representing the global industry’s leading talent from a diverse range of disciplines. First-time brands to join the juries include Ford, Frito-Lay, Peloton, Riot Games, the Kansas City Chiefs, Salesforce and WeTransfer, with representation from other top global brands such as AB InBev, Adobe, Apple, Disney, GSK, Mars, Wrigley, Doconomy, Masercard, Pepsico, Red Bull, The New York Times and Unilever.

Platforms and entertainment companies represented are Amazon, Google, Google Zoo, Pinterest, Snap, Spotify, TikTok, Netflix and Meta.

Among the many global networks represented are Accenture Song, BETC, DDB, dentsu, FCB, Hakuhodo, Omnicom, Publicis Worldwide, Rethink, Serviceplan and VMLY&R. Specialist agencies include Coffee & TV, Just Global, Inc., Merkle B2B, Pickle Music, Proto, Stein SYZYGY and Translation.

Lions CEO Simon Cook is enthused over the crop of jurors who will “benchmark creative excellence at Cannes Lions this year. Our juries play a pivotal role in recognizing the world’s best creative marketing and championing the work that will pave the way forward for the global industry. We’re extremely proud to be able to bring together a diverse group of individuals to reflect this evolving industry landscape and we thank them for their time and dedication.”

Susie Walker, Lions’ vice president, Awards & Insight, said, “Returning to the Festival to Cannes means that we can once again bring our jurors together in person. Our unique judging technology allows us to carry out the initial judging stages remotely but we’re delighted to be bringing the jurors back to Cannes to complete the final stages and award the Lions–as they have done since 1954. We can’t wait to hear the discussions and insights as our juries deep-dive into the work and set the global benchmark in creative excellence.”

As a prelude to those discussions, here’s a taste of SHOOT’s dialogue with select judges from the advertising agency side. It’s a conversation that serves as our 2022 Cannes Lions Preview.

David Lubars
Lubars has presided over different Cannes juries in years past–including Titanium, Film, Press and Entertainment Lions. This year marks his return engagement as Film Lions jury president. 

While his Cannes track record also entails having served as a juror on occasion, Lubars quipped that he’s become “too old and curmudgeonly to be on anyone else’s jury.” Hence his most recent jury duty experiences have been as president. However he recalled one eventful year when he wholeheartedly embraced a departure from his jury duty norm. It was in 2013 when Lubars happily stepped back from his usual capacity as a jury head to serve as a judge on the Titanium & Integrated Lions jury presided over by Dan Wieden, co-founder of Wieden+Kennedy. Lubars cited his respect for and a debt of gratitude he owed Wieden who 10 years earlier as jury president bestowed the first ever Titanium Award upon “The Hire” series of BMW shorts out of Fallon, Minneapolis, back when Lubars was at that agency. The year before, the BMW films had been declared ineligible for Cannes because there wasn’t a category in place to recognize that kind of breakthrough work.

Lubars has seen how the Lions have evolved over time, specifically the Film Lions. In 2009 he was president of both the Film and Press Lions juries. Back then for the Film Lions, “Television was the sun and other media the planets,” he observed. 

Fast forward to today and there’s “no sun, just all the planets floating around. Each planet needs video,” stressed Lubars. “They’re not tethered to the sun’s gravity. They’re all floating around banging into each other.”

This new galaxy order means that if you view the Film Lions as purely a TV category, your thinking is dated. Instead think TikTok, social, virtual, streaming as well as TV. They all need film to strike a responsive chord. The Film Lions thus are more relevant than ever given today’s creative and strategic landscape.

Meanwhile Lubars is most eager to return to the close-knit jury room dynamic. “With 13-hour days you get to know each other, to trust each other,” he said, noting that passionate debate, fairness, impartiality and hard work are essential to the task at hand, which Lubars likened to “going through a lot of hay to find a couple of needles. But when you see one, it pops out.”

Juliana Cobb
While she’s well versed in judging award competitions (from The One Show to ADC to Super Clio), this marks the first such gig for Droga5’s Cobb at the Cannes Lions. 

She finds herself particularly amped up about serving on the Industry Craft Lions, affirming that craft is “near and dear to my heart. We spend our entire careers deep in the process of getting better as writers, art directors, designers, music producers. Craft is the representation of the very best of these special skillsets. A million different choices are made in our work that will decide whether it’s something that sticks in your memory or is just pretty good. Craft is the manifestation of those choices, the ingredient that makes the difference between remarkable and conventional work.”

Cobb is most gratified to get the chance to serve as a Lions juror. “You spend your career honing your own skills, focusing your efforts, learning as much as you can. And then there’s a point where your perspective is being called for. You get to be immersed in some of the best work in the world and provide commentary on it, assess it with other people, discuss what makes it special, magical.”

There’s also something special and magical about being able to compare notes with other judges, folks from other disciplines, other parts of the world, with their varied perspectives folded into the conversation. You learn from them. Cobb said that with a global show like Cannes, it’s imperative to have an open-minded perspective. We all have a POV formed by our experience, by where we live, the culture we share. Once, though, you’re in a room with people from elsewhere, you see the value of getting, said Cobb, “these alternative takes on the way work is resonating, where the point of the story is landing.”

Though awards shows have been successful by adapting adeptly to a virtual format during the pandemic, Cobb looks forward to the in-person jury room dynamic. “It’s tough for some people to inject themselves into a row of digital thumbnails on a screen,” she said, adding that there’s something invaluable about being “elbow to elbow, in a circle facing each other. It’s easy to hear from all people. There’s not one person dominating,”

Cobb observed that there’s “a solidarity that develops over time when judging in person. You’re living an experience together, bonding and connecting. It’s a bonding that happens that you don’t get over Zoom.”

Bonding with others has a ripple effect, including a “new understanding” of where great work is headed thanks to the great work you get exposed to as a judge, continued Cobb, adding that it’s “a perpetuation of remarkable creativity” if she can bring great work back from Cannes and expose it to her team at Droga5, sparking interest and inspiration.

Amani Duncan
BBH’s Duncan being named president of the Entertainment Lions for Music jury was most apropos given her rich history in music. She began her career at Def Jam Records. Duncan next served as chief marketing officer at Sean Combs’ Bad Boy Worldwide Entertainment Group where she orchestrated synergy through marketing and publicity across the company’s many verticals, including fragrances, clothing, music, TV/film, spirits and charitable initiatives. Duncan has also been SVP of marketing at Capitol Music Group, and VP of production and promotions at Virgin Records. At one point, Duncan was head of brand marketing at Martin Guitar, helping to reimagine the 200-year-old brand, crafting an ambitious global marketing plan. By leveraging new partnerships, including Ace Hotels, Levi’s, Stetson and Surfer Magazine, and forming relationships, such as one with (then) emerging artist Ed Sheeran, Duncan enhanced the brand’s equity, introducing Martin guitars to a wider and more diverse consumer base.

Duncan then was SVP of music at MTV where she strengthened the network’s industry relationships through innovative artist-driven initiatives, strategic campaigns, and the creation of music content. From MTV came the jump to the advertising agency side of the business as president of BBH New York. And last year she was promoted to BBH USA CEO.

Duncan is a founding member of Chief, the leadership network for women, and serves on several boards and committees, including the 4A’s Board of Directors, 4A’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusive Steering Committee, Fender Musical Instruments (Fender Guitar) and Outward Bound USA. She also regularly speaks at industry events and has interviewed culture-defining leaders and artists, such as Jane Fonda, Sir John Hegarty (the “H” in BBH) and Wyclef Jean.

Last year Duncan was an Entertainment Lions for Music judge serving under rapper/musician/actor Jean who presided over the jury. They worked virtually, making Duncan all the more enthused over the prospect this month of being able to see and interact face to face with other judges on the Entertainment Lions for Music jury. 

“There are some things you can’t glean from people on a screen or during a phone call,” assessed Duncan who sees the in-person dynamic as helping jurors to get in touch with their and others’ emotional intelligence. “There’s a shorthand when you’re sitting next to someone or walking to get a coffee. You cannot replace human connection.”

And that connection can prove powerful, especially among those who are passionate about music, a very subjective topic about which people have strong opinions. “To sit across form someone and physically feel their presence and passion will only enhance the judging experience,” said Duncan. “Conversations are more robust, healthy–sitting around a table and hammering out the pros and cons of the work. It’s exhilarating.”

As jury president, Duncan wants to nurture those conversations, encourage a global mindset–particularly for a world-wise festival like Cannes–and ultimately send what will be “a profound message to the industry at large about what is best in class,” setting the benchmark and “hopefully inspire brands and creators” to reach for the level of the Grand Prix and Gold Lion winners, and then going beyond it next year.

“A Cannes Lion is the creme de la creme, the highest honor. We are setting the tone for expectations for work in this category in subsequent years,” said Duncan, adding that high on her wish list is that she and her colleagues on the jury “lean into that responsibility” in a thoughtful, responsible manner.

Duncan sees–and hears–music as essential to advertising, “the foundation” for most of the worthwhile work in the marketplace. That’s why the Entertainment for Music Lions is such a key category. 

It’s also a relatively new category, formed six years ago. Establishing such a Lions category was long overdue, observed Duncan who feels privileged to be part of this jury–and the movement–that continues to amplify the importance of music.

Duncan said that music has carried over to her career on the agency side. She for instance collaborated with Jean on a #BlackOwnedFriday campaign launched by Google in partnership with the U.S. Black Chambers, Inc., part of an effort to support Black-owned businesses disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. BBH NY and Duncan enlisted Jean to create music for the campaign. Duncan noted that BBH has a long track record of breakthrough music in advertising, citing as an example from yesteryear the agency’s use of Marvin Gaye’s “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” in a vintage laundromat-set U.K. commercial for Levi’s 501 jeans.

Shayne Millington
Set for jury duty on the Branded Experience & Activation Lions, Shayne Millington, co-chief creative officer of McCann New York, is no stranger to attending Cannes but this will be her first time as a Lions judge. “I’ve always been a massive fan of nerding out over the work, to be able to sit in a room with my peers and really discuss the pros and cons of what makes a truly remarkable idea. To be able to hold up work as the best in the world is such a honor.”

As for her anticipated experience at Cannes, Millington related, “I want to absorb it all, to go in as a sponge, to not only selfishly learn but help gain some knowledge that you could only be afforded by being in that jury room and hearing the words of experts in the field.”

Having judged other competitions, Millington said that the lessons she’s learned from those experiences include going in with an open mind and being willing to voice your opinion. “One of the most rewarding experiences is judging. Until you’ve done it, you don’t understand how invaluable the experience can be.” Cannes holds the promise of enriching that experience with its global perspective as Millington connects with jurors from different countries, cultures and backgrounds.”

Millington is eager to meet with other judges in person. She related that there’s a certain “gravitas” to people being in the same space with a sense of purpose, sharing the goal of finding and recognizing the best work in the world. “Debate becomes enhanced. You don’t have missteps with technology. Conversation becomes more colorful and animated. You can feel the energy in the room.”

Perhaps also felt in the jury room will be the impact of having worked virtually so much more due to the pandemic. Millington conjectured that this may carry a silver lining of sorts. “I’m already just blown away by the creativity I’m seeing,” said Millington, observing that the work ranges from introspective to funny, with new wrinkles stylistically. She noted that COVID has changed us, as creatives began connecting more with their colleagues from afar, getting closer to their global partners. 

“This year feels different,” said Millington, noting that more of us are “acting more global,” which can be reflected in the work. She shared that within McCann, creatives are collaborating and talking with their counterparts from the agency’s other offices more regularly. 

Millington is particularly enthused to be judging the Branded Experience & Activation category. 

“If I had to pick any, this is the category I would have chosen for myself–how a brand can bring an experience to life.” Brands creating and playing in a space, connecting with people through an activation has universal reach, she observed. “It’s the one category that almost all work fits in. If you’re not out to create a brand experience, I don’t know what you’re doing. Some other categories are focused on much more of a specific discipline. Branded Experience is probably the most inclusive of all.”

Millington took on her CCO role at McCann in November 2021, promoted from EVP, global executive creative director.  In 2019, she was one of the most awarded creative directors in the world, winning the Titanium Lion and Grand Prix honors at Cannes, and a Grand Clio for her work on Microsoft Over the course of her career, she has won numerous accolades for her work on marquee brands.  She has advanced such brands as Macy’s, Verizon,  Target, Nike and Procter & Gamble.

Veronica Beach
“It’s the jury I always hoped for,” said Veronica Beach who was named a Film Craft Lions judge. “It’s all about the craft and the details of how things are made,” said Beach who is director of production at Pereira O’Dell. 

She is also part of that agency’s executive leadership team, reporting directly to creative chairman and co-founder PJ Pereira who himself is a judging veteran of the Cannes Lions. Last year he was a juror on Glass: The Lion for Change, marking the sixth time he’s judged at Cannes–three of those times he presided over proceedings, heading up the Cyber Lions jury in 2005, the Entertainment Lions jury in 2017 and the Social & Influencer Lions in 2019.

Now Beach wears the judging mantle for Pereira O’Dell at Cannes. While she’s spoken at the Cannes fest before (about her work on the lauded “Real Beauty Sketches” for Dove), this is her first time judging the Lions. She is an experienced competition judge, however, having served on AICP Show juries as well as Ciclope one year. For the Film Craft Lions jury, Beach said her focus is on “the ask,” specifically what she’s being asked to judge–craft. You can’t get lost in the idea, she said, noting that her focus has to be on the craft whether it’s the editing, the sound design or another well defined aspect of the work.

In that vein, she recalled years ago as a new producer–while freelancing at Goodby Silverstein & Partners–being visited by Michelle Curran, owner/creative director at Amber Music. Beach remembered saying she couldn’t wait to see Amber’s work. Curran countered that it should be you can’t wait to hear it. 

Beach took Curran’s advice and closed her eyes to get a music and sound-centric perspective on work she had seen. This is among the choice tips Beach takes with her into judging craft. 

Beach likens craft to making a cake, having a sense of the little ingredients that go into its creation–and that collectively can make a big difference. A coconut cake with multicolored layers in between might be enhanced if sprinkles appear when you cut into it–or with 10 candles perched atop it. Maybe it’s cooler if the candles are lit. What if there were vanilla frosting with coconut chips? “The producer is adding different little things to make the cake more tasty and appealing,” related Beach. “The producer has to find the sprinkle maker, the frosting maker, the person who makes sure the house doesn’t burn down when the candles are lit. Building the idea is the craft.”

Beach has had a hand in crafting work that has won more than 100 Cannes Lions. Among the notable projects she’s produced are the “Real Beauty Sketches” and Coca-Cola’s “Crazy for Good” campaigns. 

Beach is also a founder of the poolhouse, a creative producer and production community.

Ryan McManus
Though this isn’t his first time serving as a Cannes Lions judge, Ryan McManus, chief creative officer of VMLY&R South Africa, still deeply appreciates the honor of being chosen–this time for the Entertainment Lions jury. “It is a huge honor to be selected and I take judging very seriously as the work that gets awarded really has to be the best of the best. It is also a lot of fun, though. The time to get to look at the work, and enjoy the creativity is incredibly inspiring.”

McManus observed, “Entertainment Lions are quite a different category from the rest. The work really must speak to the audience. There was a great definition of the category a few years back that I think still stands. That the work should be ‘worthy of an audience’s time, and a brand’s dollar.’ I think you should be able to say that about most great work but if you can’t say that about something in this category, it will not make the cut. I do think it is a very important category though. With the way media and channels are fragmented, it makes far more sense to add value to an audience with great content that they love, rather than just try to constantly interrupt the stuff they love. The work that wins here must be part of the fabric of culture. And that’s an amazing place to be for any brand.”

McManus is also looking forward to face-to-face dialogue in the jury room. “I am very excited to be heading back to in-person judging. Nothing beats those in-person discussions about creativity with some of the smartest, most creative people in the world.” He added, “I think we all know by now that virtual calls are not as good as the real thing. There is an energy and a spark that happens when people come together. And probably even more of a bonding experience when they lock you in a dark room for days together. When you put all those opinions, different views, and creativity in a room, you are bound to conjure magic.”

Every Cannes Festival over the years has proven worthwhile for McManus. “Well obviously the one thing you want to do in Cannes is go home with some Lions in your suitcase. But the things that you really carry with you that last are the great connections and people you get to spend time with and learn from. I always leave Cannes wiser, inspired, more knowledgeable, and with some new friends.”

Judging, though, translates into an extra special learning opportunity. “We obviously see trends emerge every year. There are a lot of brands that will dip into the metaverse. Lots more gaming ideas. And work that shines a light on real issues. What judging allows you to see is how people are tackling these topics and what kind of solutions are being dreamed up. And sometimes the work that doesn’t win also shows some incredible insights or approaches too. It really allows you to dip into the zeitgeist of the creative world and extract all kinds of learnings.”

In the big picture, McManus shared, “I am excited for the industry as a whole–to come together again and curate the best work into a show for the world. I remember seeing a Cannes film reel when I was still in school. And it was like a portal into another world. Cannes really is a celebration of creativity–and while some people may always argue that we don’t need more awards shows, we should always celebrate and shine a light on the best creative solutions to real problems. The truth is creativity is the answer to most problems.”

Paul Hirsch
It’s a series of firsts for Paul Hirsch, president and chief creative officer of Doremus. He is a first-time judge and jury president at the Cannes Lions. And he is presiding over the very first Creative B2B Lions which celebrate game-changing creativity and effectiveness in work for products and services that are purchased by professionals on behalf of businesses. 

Hirsch said, “For years, B2B has been an often-overlooked part of the industry landscape. But now, with a dedicated award at Cannes Lions, I’m looking forward to flipping that script and giving the talented people and creative companies that create groundbreaking work their due. As jury president, my hope is that we can inspire creatives and embolden brands for years to come.” 

Lions chairman Philip Thomas observed, “The Creative B2B Lions is reminiscent of the launch of our Health & Wellness Lions in 2013. The industry asked us to launch a Lion that will help to raise the creative bar for B2B, just as it did for Healthcare, and we are delighted that Paul, alongside his jurors, will set the new standard for global creativity for B2B brands.” 

Lions VP, Awards & Insight Walker added, “We have seen a rise in creative B2B work winning across the Lions in recent years, including two Grands Prix in 2021, so now feels like the right moment to launch the Creative B2B Lions to benchmark creative excellence in B2B. This award will set a global standard, elevate the discipline and help raise the bar for B2B creative.” 

Hirsch spent his formative years at Goodby Silverstein & Partners, Leo Burnett, and an agency he co-founded, Division of Labor. 

At Goodby Silverstein & Partners, he crafted memorable work for Nike and Cracker Jack. At Leo Burnett, he relaunched Chef Boyardee with a film that still circles the internet, and he also co-authored the Amazon charting book “Stop Tweeting Boring Sh*t.”

Hirsch has brought all these previous experiences together at Doremus to help reshape not only one of advertising’s oldest agencies, but the B2B category as well. 

Hirsch has won two Lions at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, alongside a host of global accolades throughout his career. Hirsch teamed with a partner on the Lion wins which were for their work on Washington Mutual via Leo Burnett.

Hirsch hopes to lay a solid foundation for the Creative B2B Lions, showcasing great work as well as the fact that great creative can be an economic multiplier–which in turn will prompt marketers, agencies and creatives to more deeply explore the promise of the B2B space. 

Hirsch also welcomes the element of surprise which may prove to inherently be part of the B2B category. “B2B doesn’t get a lot of press. It’s not the bright shiny object. It’s not the latest Burger King film which everybody knows about going into an awards show. You kind of know going in what will be in the running for a Film Lion–a special film from Nike, Burger King, that piece from R/GA. But you don’t know what could surface for the B2B Lions. Having judged some B2B shows in the past, I often saw work that I hadn’t seen before. For a jury, that rules out a lot of bias and preconceived notions.”

The mix of judges on the inaugural Creative B2B Lions jury also appeals to Hirsch. There are B2B creative vets, clients who will provide a valuable perspective. But it’s incumbent upon all, observed Hirsch, to remember that there’s “a standard for Cannes that the work has to live up to, a level of excellence and craft.”

Hirsch said it will be interesting to see how far along B2B has come based on the submitted work. He expects to gain “a global perspective on what we do and our place in the world, how much work we have to do or not.” He’s hopeful that the awarded entries will motivate more marketers and agencies to pursue creative opportunities in B2B.

Hirsch affirmed that there are landmark examples attesting to the creative mettle of B2B. He cited Volvo Trucks’ “The Epic Split,” an acclaimed commercial starring Jean-Claude Van Damme as an unconventional piece of B2B marketing–from agency Forsman & Bodenfors in Sweden–that became a mainstream phenomenon. 

“The Epic Split” was one of two Cannes Film Grand Prix winners in 2014, on the heels of taking Best of Show honors across the Advertising, Interactive and Branded Entertainment disciplines at The One Show. That same year, “The Epic Split” won Best in Show distinction in the Advertising Excellence/Single Commercial  category at the AICP Show.

In “The Epic Split,” action movie star Van Damme carried out his famous stunt,  a split between two Volvo semi trucks moving in reverse. The test illustrates Volvo Trucks’ dynamic steering system in a spectacular and entertaining manner.

“There is and has been great work out there for B2B,” affirmed Hirsch. “I’m glad we now have a [Lions] category to celebrate it.”

MySHOOT Profiles