This year, 360i Chief Creative Officer Menno Kluin was selected to serve on the Industry Craft Jury at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. After the Cannes craziness settled, we caught up with Menno to take an in-depth look inside this year’s Industry Craft Jury room and learn more about what actually goes into making these difficult judging decisions.
Industry Craft Jury
Q: If you could sum up your entire experience as a 2019 Cannes Lions Jury member in one word, what would it be?
Menno: “Sardines”. My fellow jury members will know what I am talking about.
Q: How would you define Industry Craft?
Menno: Excellence in the execution part of ideas.
Q: How did the overall discussion remain organized and productive within the Jury room? Was there a certain strategy that allowed the entire group to stay on task?
Menno: We were pretty friendly overall and were able to discuss things openly. We came to a consensus prior to casting our votes, which made the actual voting process run a lot smoother. Our Jury President Trevor Robinson was always very positive and that helped a lot in setting the right mood for the whole experience.
Q: Was there an emerging trend that you noticed throughout all the entries in your category?
Menno: The continual decline of copywriting.
Q: What was your favorite piece of work that was discussed in your category and how did this piece of work inspire you?
Menno: Berliner Philharmonic by Scholz and Friends. I just loved it. It’s a traditional idea but the execution was fresh and new. The idea came to life through excellent photography and art direction. Also, personally, I loved that they created beauty out of nothing, just by using existing elements and arranging them in harmonious ways. They relied on pure creativity rather than big budgets.
Q: What piece of work sparked the most debate in the jury and why?
Menno: Not something I really want to highlight because I was on the opposing side of the discussion. The debate was about legitimacy, the appropriate media placement of the idea, and the craft skills needed to execute this idea. It wasn’t a main contender, but somehow this one sparked a lot of debate.
Q: Did any of the work build upon cultural moments, or actually create one?
Menno: The Ikea “Real Life” campaign was a great example of how an agency was able to bring the notion of selling furniture into a pop culture conversation. A traditional medium that transcended its format.
Q: Was there a certain element that was used as the final decision maker if jurors could not agree, ultimately, on the winner?
Menno: The bigger decisions weren’t necessarily always rational. They were more based on the fact that the work was so compelling that it was able to connect on a personal, emotional level with a jury member. Something that went beyond pure reason. When people on the jury truly love a piece of work, they became advocates for it.”
Q: What was your biggest takeaway from your judging experience?
Menno: I enjoyed the part closer to the end where people tried to make eloquent arguments for or against pieces of work. And some jury members were so good at this part that we, as the audience, applauded them! It was really nice to experience that.
Q: What advice would you give to next year’s Jury in the Industry Craft category?
Menno: Don’t forget the true definition of the jury that you are on: Industry Craft. It’s easy to get carried away by aspects other than pure craft.
