Amy Lanzi on the Delicate Balance of Strong Creative Commerce Work
As the chief executive officer of Digitas North America, Amy Lanzi spends much of her time focusing on delivering new solutions for clients and utilising the agency’s creative, media, data and technology expertise. As such, this makes her an extremely qualified figure to evaluate the quality of creative commerce work at the 2024 Cannes Lions Awards, which is what she’ll be doing next week when she leads the jury to decide on this year’s winners.
Moreover, as a member of the exact same jury last year, and someone who has previously spent over 20 years at Omnicom’s TPN, as well as served as chief operating officer of Publicis Commerce (where she still holds the title of chairperson), Amy’s experiences have made her very interested in seeing how the category has evolved this year. In particular, not only has the introduction of AI, AR and VR impacted the way shopping experiences are approached from a marketing perspective, but she’s also keen to see how the right balance between storytelling and driving sales is being struck, themes like e-commerce and omnichannel are being explored, and, of course, continue the ever-present discussion of data privacy and personalisation.
To chat more with her about the category, and how all of this will influence her approach to leading the jury, Amy sat down with LBB’s Jordan Won Neufeldt for a chat.
LBB> What is it about the Creative Commerce category that really excites or interests you?
Amy> Our job as marketers is to create magical experiences that build brands and drive sales at the same time. The commerce space is new and innovative, so I am constantly interested in how brands are using intelligence and technology to move the needle.
Moreover, consumers today are far more chaotic and complex, moving from discovery to purchase on any interface. Therefore, it’s exciting to see how brands create value for consumers in order to capture their greatest share of both love and sales.
LBB> Looking at last year's Grand Prix winner, ‘The Subconscious Order’, what qualities do you think were most important in ensuring it placed well?
Amy> There is a delicate balance in terms of the value exchange of giving your personal behaviours (like eye tracking!) to make your buying experience better, in service to you and your needs. The Grand Prix winner, HungerStation’s ‘The Subconscious Order’, exemplified this balance seamlessly by addressing the overwhelming impact of choice overload. The foundation of this must come from harnessing the convergence of data, media, creative, and tech in a way that feels personal and valuable in the moment.
LBB> And, in your opinion, what constitutes a strong piece of creative commerce work as a whole?
Amy> It should be based on consumer insight that leads to unique storytelling moments designed to modify the transactional journey, resulting in significant business outcomes.
LBB> How are you preparing yourself and your jury for the jury room this year? What will you be looking for?
Amy> Our jury aligned on key imperatives required for a submission to excel in the creative commerce category. I wanted everyone to be using the same scorecard to assess the work, in order to define what is the very best. We are also focused on fostering an open and collaborative atmosphere for the jury. I have, and will, encourage my fellow jurors to approach each submission with an open mind, focusing on the creative execution but also considering the broader impact on commerce and, ultimately, the standard we set for our industry.
LBB> Building on this, your evaluation criteria is expected to be 30% idea, 20% strategy, 20% execution, and 30% results. How will you ensure each of these is weighted just as they should be, and why is this the ideal breakdown?
Amy> We'll evaluate this during our discussions and scoring for each entry, before making any decisions. In my opinion, the foundation of a great campaign or experience begins with the idea, which justifies the 30% weightage. But the idea alone isn’t enough. The strategy and execution are equally as important for how they bring the idea to life. We assign 30% to results as we aim to acknowledge campaigns that not only are creative, but also have an outstanding business impact.
LBB> How has creative commerce in advertising evolved since Cannes Lions 2023, and why?
Amy> The continued transformation in technology is the driving force behind the evolution of creative commerce. The way that you can reach shoppers in whatever mode they want to shop, as well as during times that have not been traditionally a ‘shopping time’ (such as Connected TV) have all changed so much in the last year and showcase continued innovation. Everything is now shoppable, and consumers want what they want when they want it.
In addition to shopping enablement, the rise of new platforms, such as shopping channels and creators stimulating demand for new and established products, has created a chaotic landscape to conquer for driving sales. The industry is no longer afraid to try new things, embracing the ‘fail fast’ mentality that is prevalent in high tech companies!
LBB> How does your evaluation criteria change per category, if at all? And given the trends of the past year, are there certain themes or subjects you expect to see a lot of work around?
Amy> Given the trends observed over the past year, we expect to see an increase in work centred around CTV, gaming and sustainability:
- CTV has been rapidly evolving, driven by increasing consumer demand for streaming content and advertisers seeking more targeted and measurable advertising opportunities. Innovations in CTV are likely to focus on enhancing user experience through better content recommendations, more interactive ad formats, and seamless integration across multiple devices.
- Sustainability remains a critical focus area, with organisations across industries striving to reduce their environmental footprint and promote sustainable practices. We anticipate a surge in projects related to renewable energy, waste reduction, sustainable packaging, and corporate social responsibility initiatives.
LBB> What are the current big debates within creative commerce – or more generally across the industry – that you expect to see coming through in the judging?
Amy> One of the prominent debates in creative commerce revolves around the integration of commerce into various aspects of creative work, and how all ideas and submissions are trying to be ‘commerce’. Other debates to consider:
- Creativity versus Commerce: Finding the right balance between storytelling and driving sales is a core challenge.
- E-commerce and Omnichannel: Creating seamless consumer journeys across online and offline platforms.
- Data Privacy and Personalisation: Navigating the use of consumer data for personalised experiences while respecting privacy regulations.
- Sustainability: Aligning commerce with sustainable practices is increasingly important.
- Technological Innovation: Incorporating technologies like AI, AR, and VR to enhance shopping experiences.
LBB> How do you expect AI to impact your category?
Amy> From a content perspective or from a data modelling perspective is where I feel the most effective inclusion of AI would be at this time. It is evolving so quickly that I anticipate this answer changing exponentially by next year!
LBB> Humour is the big new 'culture and context' subcategory this year – how do you think comedy could be better leveraged, and specifically in the category you're judging (if at all)?
Amy> There is a continued need for levity in the times we live in, and in today's commerce landscape, where platforms like TikTok and Instagram make it easier than ever to shop and engage with content with the click of a button, humour is a powerful tool for engagement. It humanises brands, cuts through advertising clutter, and fosters a sense of community among consumers. Moreover, in this new era of social commerce, leveraging humour can create memorable experiences and drive meaningful connections between brands and customers, ultimately leading to purchases.
LBB> With that in mind, how do you think clients can enable their creative agencies to unleash better comedic campaigns and projects?
Amy> Clients can foster an environment of trust by giving agencies the freedom to explore unconventional ideas and experiment with humour that resonates with their brand identity. This trust empowers agencies to push boundaries and deliver campaigns that truly stand out. Collaboration is key; by working together closely, clients and agencies can refine comedic concepts and ensure they align with the brand's values and objectives.
LBB> Finally, Cannes is also a time of celebration. What will you be celebrating this year, and doing outside the jury room?
Amy> I became the CEO of Digitas North America in April 2023, so I'm personally celebrating that anniversary! In the past year, we have focused on our unique ‘networked experiences’ offering, and I am looking forward to co creating new products with the platform partners on the Cannes beaches.
Additionally, returning from Cannes, I'm looking forward to celebrating and some summer fun with my daughter after her first year of college, as well as the rest of my family!
