Cannes Lions 2015: Marketers speak up on a 'good brief', agency compensation and 'playing safe'

Matt Biespiel, senior director, global brand development, McDonald's Corporation, said that the brand was looking at younger people picking companies like Facebook and Google to work at, and explained how the company is taking these technology outfits on. 

 

He was speaking at a CMO panel at the Cannes Beach, a new initiative on the sidelines of the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity 2015.

 

"Google, Facebook etc have their offices in really cool areas. We're looking to do the same. We have an office in San Francisco too. It's not only about the location, it's also about the atmosphere; those offices have a different (youthful) atmosphere, and we're looking to have something similar," he revealed. 

 

Beatriz Galloni, marketing vice president, MasterCard, agreed on the talent issue. She said, "We are looking at people from outside the industry. We're looking at people from a company like Unilever. People from outside our banking industry make a big difference to the team." 

 

What will keep marketers up in 2016

 

Alexandra Suich, media editor, The Economist, who was moderating the discussion, asked the marketers about their top worry between now and Cannes Lions 2016. 

 

Chris Miller, divisional vice president, global brand strategy and innovation, Abbott, said, "Attracting talent for us is a worry. Since, we're in the health category, we can't just position ourselves to be a cool place to work. We need to tell our story externally and internally to our workforce. We need to tell people what's cool internally. Like McDonald's, we are opening up offices in 'cool' areas too. But, we can't innovate just for innovation's sake like Facebook etc. because we are in a category like health. We can't just go around marketing for the heck of it."

 

Galloni noted, "We're looking to make the world a better place. In 2016, Brazil is going to be a difficult environment. I head that market. There are political issues, then the Olympics. We need to create priceless experiences for consumers at such times. We'll look to differentiate ourselves for the happenings even though we aren't participating in most of the happenings around the country in the next year. It's going to be tough." 

 

McDonald's Biespiel added, "If you're playing safe, you're dead. So write more exciting briefs. Our creative ideas don't get seen when they're safe. The stuff that is out there, being shared is stretching creativity. I'd say stretch creativity, but have the right brand fit." 

 

Agency compensation and a clear brief

 

Biespiel said, "Agency compensation is a large issue. Clients need to see the value and agencies need to show that." 

 

Galloni noted that a good brief 'guarantees creativity', and said, "Then, be clear at who does what at what agency and pay accordingly. We need to know what we can expect. But, before all that, please give agencies a good clear brief." 

 

Miller surmised, "More than compensation it's about having set deliverables. Most marketers will go back from Cannes, to their agency, and tell them how the boundaries have been pushed. When the agency gets that creative, and shows a work, not too many marketers agree to take it forward."

 

Follow live updates at Cannes.CampaignLive.Co.uk