We are wrapping up day one of the first entirely broadcasted Cannes Lions Live Festival. The very first award set up the tone for the day: inclusion, diversity and accountability. Sick Beats, a music vest powered by Spotify, assists people with cystic fibrosis to clear their chests through the vibration of music beats, winning the Gold & Grand Prix of the Pharma Lions. The jury highlighted an important point for the work from agency Area 23: “More than a campaign, this is a piece that can change people’s lives”.
In one of the on-demand sessions (pre-recorded on Cannes’ platform), Tiffany R. Warren, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer at Sony Music Group, highlighted the “era of accountability” for I&D. For her, it’s easy to understand if a company is truly embracing diversity: “look at the work”.
Later on, P&G took the centre stage of the festival to not only talk about the work but to challenge the entire system. Chief Brand Officer Marc Pritchard joined creators to share the initiative “Widen the Screen”. The company is taking a step forward by giving a voice to black creators, directors, actors and media owners to eradicate bias and change the system in which advertising is created, directed, produced, acted and distributed. As Marc said, P&G and their entire chain are working towards the same commitment: "make equality the systemic way to creativity"
Other great examples of work changing the system include a pride flag in one of Ukraine’s biggest monuments and a charity in the UK challenging the way people view relationships between the elderly. Sharing values for the greater good was also the key step to establish a partnership between Coca-Cola, Amazon and McLaren
In the era of accountability, it is paramount for our industry to represent, include and give voice to diverse talent and minorities (from causes to creators, directors, and actors). On the first day, the festival made sure to show that creativity can only benefit from inclusion and diversity - and it's time for the entire industry to be held accountable.