Omnicom EMEA CEO Dan Clays on Cannes Lions' Media Category

Dan Clays believes that one of Cannes Lions’ most important goals is to “inspire marketers, agencies and media owners with the art of the possible.”

That’s the outlook that guides the CEO of Omnicom Media Group EMEA as he plans to hunt out the most transformational uses of media as the category’s jury president this year.

With over 25 years of industry experience, Dan has spent a large portion of that time at Omnicom, overseeing its media brands OMD, PHD, and Hearts & Sciences, and championing media as a major driver of business growth for brands including McDonald’s, PepsiCo, and JLR. Under his guidance, Omnicom was named the top performing media agency group globally and in EMEA in 2023.

It’s clear why Dan is now well placed to lead the Cannes Lions Media jury. So, ahead of the awards next week, LBB’s Zara Naseer heard why he believes the category is such a distinct creative force, the role of technology and data, and the lessons he took from last year’s winner.

LBB> You’ve got 25 years of experience in the media industry – what is it about it that keeps you hooked?

Dan> The pace. The people. The partners. I love the industry and so it’s been an amazing experience to view and judge so much incredible media work over the last couple of months that people have worked tirelessly to make happen.

Since entering the industry just a few years ago(!), media has gone through successive phases of reinvention and innovation and is clearly experiencing that again with AI. What has always been true over that time is the need and opportunity to connect creativity and science to drive business growth, which I think is what makes media so distinct. The competitive nature of our sector continually pushes innovation, and it’s the opportunity to imagine new ways to connect brands with audiences that makes it even more exciting than 25 years ago.

LBB> What will you be looking for when you're judging? Do you have a fixed set of criteria to evaluate?

Dan> We’ve spent time as an awarding jury on calls to ensure we are all aligned around our criteria ahead of meeting up in person from Friday evening. It was important for the jurors to share those thoughts ahead of us getting in the room.

When it comes to the criteria, this is Cannes, so first and foremost the originality of the creative thinking and specifically how the media itself has been the creative force – delivering demonstrable impact, will be essential. But we will also be looking for work that showcases the expansive breadth of what constitutes and defines media today, that reflects new ways to connect media with commerce, creators, smart application of data and navigating the fragmentation to engage audiences in new ways.

AI will obviously feature – but we will want to see it as an enabler of a strategy or idea, blending with human ingenuity and bringing invention beyond the platforms themselves. And of course, displaying great media planning craft and hanging off a brilliant piece of insight where a team has observed something others in the category were yet to discover to solve a problem or unearth a new opportunity.

LBB> What have we learned from last year’s Grand Prix winner in Media – Mercado Libre ‘Handshake Hunt’ – and how have expectations towards the category since changed?

Dan> Last year’s Grand Prix evidenced how commerce can be a part of the brand narrative and not at the end of a funnel. And it showcases what can be achieved when brands think about truly integrating themselves into media. I think it has inspired entries this year which I think reflects an important purpose of Cannes  – to inspire marketers, agencies and media owners with the art of the possible in the future.

LBB> What are the most innovative current developments in the Media category and how do you expect them to pan out in the future?

Dan> So many to mention and I don’t want to say too much too soon ahead of Cannes, because there is going to be a lot to debate and discussion with my fellow jurors; but as a sample:

• We are seeing brilliantly inventive ways to integrate commerce into brand campaigns;
• The recycling of content and media formats to reemerge in new ways;
• Incredible brand and media partnership integrations;
• Clever, even cunning, inventive ways of pushing what is possible on the platforms;
• A next generation of media craft able to capitalise on new user behaviours;
• Some wonderfully creative applications of media channels that have been in place for decades – even centuries!

And so much more from all corners of the world. Let’s see what plays out in the week ahead!

LBB> How do you expect AI to impact the Media category?

Dan> I think all jurors will be looking at how the application of AI has been genuinely meaningful and purposeful, and used as an enabler of a strategy or idea, but also how it reflects the human craft and is truly authentic to the brand. The real positive is that marketers and agencies have shown real discipline in its application, and we are beyond AI for AI's sake.

We are seeing many examples of campaigns built on marketing towards agents, given the new behaviours for how brands are discovered by audiences, and on platforms where AI determines what is seemingly possible, some ingenious ways that brands are inventing around that. And I have also seen plenty of great work without it!

LBB> Outside of the jury room, what are you really looking forward to at this year’s Cannes Lions?

Dan> Definitely meeting my fellow jurors in real life than on Teams! It’s looking like a packed week and I’ll look forward to our session on the Basement Stage on Thursday sharing the view from the jury room around the work across the Media Lions. Away from the official jury duties, seeing clients and colleagues from around the network is always the best part of Cannes and the line up in Omnicom’s space looks the best yet! And when it’s done, it’s all about bringing it back. I can’t wait.