Mobile Jury Chair Jaime Robinson Looks Ahead to Tonight

Mobile has been trying to have a moment for quite some time but 2014 is looking to become the year the category grows up. Jury President Jaime Robinson chats to LBB's Laura Swinton ahead of tonight's awards.

LBB> What Words of advice will you be giving to the jury this year? 

Look for things you just love. And I mean love as a human being, first, and a marketer, second.

LBB> What are you personally hoping to see from the entries this year?  

The same thing I always hope – something brilliant I would never have thought of! Something that makes me angry at whoever came up with it for being so good.

LBB> I loved the phrase in your president’s message ‘mobile is essentially hacking the world’ – can you elaborate on that?

We can actually change how people see and interact with the world through mobile, because of mobile’s insanely intimate and constant place in all of our lives. I mean, think about the last time you were without your phone for more than ten minutes. How did you feel? Mobile has become part of us, and as marketers, we can play with timing, messaging, story, interactivity, geo-location and functionality to reframe things and be uncannily relevant. We can play the role of spontaneous comedians, provide tailor-made assistance or even fall asleep next to someone. Tactically, we can seal the deal at the right part of the sales cycle, or interrupt when someone is about to buy the competitor’s product. In fact, in the best executions, the tactical and the brand building are seamless. It can all be so much fun.

LBB> Mobile is also really interesting because although we’ve had smartphones for what feels like forever, it feels like the category is really coming into its own now, and becoming more confident and taking more risks. Brands that don’t think ‘mobile first’ really are on a back foot. Do you feel like there’s been a real change of gear with mobile over the past year? 

I used to imagine that people would be watching my work on the most beautiful of 32-inch monitors, wearing set of super-premium headphones, in a silent, dark room, intently noticing every detail I had spent weeks agonizing over. Then one day, I had an epiphany. It happened around the time I found myself watching a rough cut (that the team had spent weeks agonizing over) in the middle of a supermarket with Kelly Clarkson blaring over the store speakers, a pack of chicken breasts in my hand. This tiny little screen is our true stage now. I think as more advertisers and agency people also began to notice their own behavior, they began to apply it to their work. At first, by merely accepting that they should create work isn’t horrible in this particular medium, and THEN by beginning to exploit mobile’s many talents. I believe we are still just scratching the surface of the kind of deep, impactful interactions we can have with mobile. And it’s going to change each year as more different devices are released and adopted. Really, we’re all just getting started.

LBB>Outside of the jury room, is there anything in particular you’re looking forward to this year? 

This is a very girly answer, but I love the dress I’m wearing on stage. I hope there’s not too much rosé and fromage before I get to wear it. Then it will have to be sweatpants with the elastic waistband.

LBB> What’s your favourite spot in Cannes?  

The Palais, watching a ceremony and getting inspired by the Golds from all over the world. Either that, or my bed after I’ve had enough of the general shenanigans.