Festival Talk | Brand Activism in a Hyper-Charged Society

As vast populations around the world are experiencing some form of lockdown, the evolution of culture moves from being absorbed through human interaction and social groups, to something which occurs almost exclusively on digital platforms and through digital content. Vice sits at the intersection of content and culture and has done so for many years. Two years ago Global President Rob Newlan joined Virtue and the agency-network has since seen a flurry of new client wins & Lions-winning recognition.  However, for an agency which prides itself on keeping its finger on the pulse, how does it keep up, when the cultural environment is shifting at rapid pace?

Today we’re bringing you a story of how one UK-based fashion designer saw an injustice and made a decision which not only changed how she supported a social cause, but changed her worldview, her career and even the shape of her entire family. Jaz O’Hara founded the Worldwide Tribe Charity after visiting “The Jungle” a refugee camp in Calais, France and has, since then worked to establish WiFi infrastructure for refugee camps across France and Greece, supported search-and-rescue operations in the Mediterranean Sea and provided food, clothing and other support to people across Europe and the Middle East.

Bozoma Saint John is quoted as saying “I didn’t get to a place of influence because I was quiet. None of us will have any impact or influence if we are quiet. So don’t be quiet. Be loud as hell.” In a week where global demonstrations have taken place against police brutality and racial inequality that sentiment feels as vital and relevant now as it has ever been. In this interview Bozoma talks frankly about the position brands are taking during this time of public outcry, how they can authentically support social causes and whether they even should if their own business doesn’t walk the walk.

At Cannes Lions in 2019 Tiffany R Warren, SVP and Chief Diversity Officer at Omnicom and Founder & President of ADCOLOR chaired a panel examining successful and unsuccessful attempts by brands to take a stand on divisive issues and discussed execution, outcomes and how to successfully embrace brand activism, in a real, impactful way. She was joined by Wieden+Kennedy Co-president & chief creative officer Colleen Decourcy, Writer, Producer and creator of the critically acclaimed series Blackish, Grownish and Mixedish Kenya Barris and President & CEO of TBWA\Worldwide Troy Ruhanen.

Julia Goldin is the Global Chief Marketing Officer at the LEGO Group, a company whose colourful bricks have been delighting and inspiring children and adults to build, learn and play for more than 70 years. It's a brand that's truly synonymous with creativity.  In recent years, under Julia's direction the Lego brand has been brought to life through films, video games, online content and a plethora of other mediums. Providing a truly extensive and increasingly far reaching world of entertainment and education.

Nick Law advocates the need for creatives to be in control and at the centre of decision-making. Something we should all be considering as we set out new business strategies for the months to come. Media consumption and consumer behaviours have shifted dramatically and creativity is going to have to work overtime in this environment, to keep brands distinctive engaging and in tune with the rapidly changing climate.

Jaime Robinson is the co-founder and chief creative officer of Joan Creative, an independent agency based out of New York. When the business was founded four years ago they did it in the belief that they could help modernise legendary brands using weapons of cultural IQ that have made modern brands sensations. But how do you draw upon that arsenal when the shifting sands of culture give way to a sudden earthquake?

When Swedish vegan food brand Oatly came to Cannes Lions in 2019 espousing the effectiveness of erasing their marketing department, it could have turned a lot of people off. But what Creative Directors John Schoolcraft and Martin Rinqvist laid out was, that by putting creatives at the centre of a brand, obstacles which can often block the most creative work from happening, begin to fade away. What that meant for Oatly was that creativity became inherent to almost every single part of their brand, pushing resourcefulness to the max, making use of every inch of their packaging as a way of communicating with their customers, and even getting their CEO to perform a jingle… on his own… in the middle of a field… in the rain.

Brad Hiranaga is the Chief Brand Officer for General Mills, North America, whose legion of brands including Betty Crocker, Pillsbury and Old El Paso have been store cupboard staples around the world for decades.  As a long serving ambassador of the iconic CPG business and with almost 16 years of service under his belt, Brad is now witnessing these brands go through what he can only describe as a renaissance. Where the company's focus is shifting from food that people love, to food that people need. A return to utility and really stripping things back to address a new kind of human necessity.

Scott Galloway has been an outspoken voice in business and the tech industry for many years. He also teaches at NYU, and one of the most popular classes in his Brand Strategy course is “The Algebra of Happiness”, a series of equations that attempt to distill observations regarding failures and successes in business, relationships, parenting, and health. In 2019 Scott stood on the Debussy Stage at Cannes Lions and took the audience on a white-knuckle ride through this class, melding research and data with personal experiences, Professor Galloway provides observations on a life well lived.