Jane Lin-Baden on Transformative Impact and Asia-Pacific’s Growing Presence at Cannes Lions
The Creative Business Transformation Lions celebrates the creativity that drives businesses forward. The work is recognised for changing thinking, buying and behaviour.
This year's jury president is Publicis APAC CEO, Jane Lin-Baden, who has over 20 years of experience in entrepreneurship and in the communications industry. Under her leadership, Publicis Groupe APAC has become the fastest growing network in the region and was awarded by Campaign Asia for having the Best Culture in Asia Pacific.
Jane herself has a string of awards to her name including CBN Weekly’s top 50 Business Innovators Award, AdAge’s Women to Watch award and China 4A’s Fastest Growing Agency CEO of the Year award.
In this interview with LBB’s Sunna Coleman, Jane explores the need for deep cultural insights when judging this category, the new formats and technologies shaping the work, and shares advice for first-time Cannes Lions attendees.
LBB> When it comes to judging, what do you personally look for when evaluating work, and how do you apply this to work that spans creativity and measurable outcomes?
Jane> Our jury will be looking for impactful works that produce transformative changes in and for businesses. I have asked my fellow jury members to seek to understand the cultural and business context of each entry, because many ideas are rooted in deep cultural insights and we will be in a better position to appreciate the business challenge. We will also be looking for evidence of long-term value and business impact, and creative solutions that bring change to businesses in a profound, competitive and effective way.
LBB> What do you feel will make an entry in this category stand out to you?
Jane> The works we recognise should set the bar for creative ideas that produce business impact in the areas of strategy, operations, data and tech, and brand experiences. We will be looking for any creative transformation that changes thinking, operation, stakeholders, buying and behaviour and drives businesses forward.
The Creative Business Transformation category is especially relevant in today’s uncertain business climate – the winners we choose will help to demonstrate the role of creativity in navigating change and solving our clients’ business problems and hopefully inspire others to strive for excellence and impact.
LBB> Are there any previous winners or pieces of work that inspire you within this category?
Jane> Renault’s ‘Cars to Work’ is an ecosystem that helps people living in mobility deserts access cars and therefore jobs. It won Gold in this category in 2024. What I like best about this idea is that it didn’t start here. Renault’s transformation really began with campaigns like ‘Plug Inn’ – a creative idea to make EV charging stations more accessible and fill an infrastructure gap. Both solutions address accessibility challenges in different ways and are connected by a cohesive long-term strategy for change.
LBB> What are the current big debates across the industry as it relates to business transformation that you expect to see coming through in the jury room?
Jane> There are always debates about the most robust ways to measure how a creative concept drives real value over time, and the agency’s specific role in business transformation. This is especially relevant now as the economic and business landscape continues to be challenging and agencies can play a pivotal role in helping brands reshape how a business operates, engages its customers and delivers business value and long-term results beyond concepts.
Creative ideas without tangible business impact may be perceived as just entertainment. In the Creative Business Transformation category, we are looking for tangible impact on organisation, operation and people.
LBB> What new formats, technologies, or platforms do you think are helping/will help creative business transformation campaigns make a bigger impact?
Jane> Several emerging formats, technologies and platforms are helping to drive business impact by enhancing reach, personalisation and interactivity. We have seen how AI-powered personalisation can create hyper-personalised campaigns at scale, tailoring content to individual user preferences.
However, the fundamental pillar still lies in insights. I was quite impressed with some of the works I saw which didn’t use AI or technology, but they are great business cases demonstrating ideas and changes on how people, operation and business connect.
Closer to home, data-driven creativity is becoming non-negotiable for brands as it helps brands and creative teams to ensure that they optimise and evolve campaigns dynamically based on performance data to achieve business impact.
LBB> Outside of the jury room, what are you really looking forward to learning or doing at this year’s Cannes Lions?
Jane> Getting to know new friends.
LBB> Do you have any advice for people attending for the first time?
Jane> Leave time for chance encounters! It’s tempting to diarise every second of your time as there is so much to see, but sometimes the most memorable experiences are unplanned.
Look out for a growing presence from Asia-Pacific – not just among the shortlists and winners, but on stage, too. I can’t wait to see ‘Harnessing the Power of K-pop’, a session that will unpack the cultural impact of K-wave.
