Simon Vicars Gives his Cannes Advice: “When You Win, Celebrate”
In 2008, Simon was awarded his first ever Cannes Lion. He then went on to win 53 Lions during his brilliant career. Simon is therefore no stranger to the festival and this year is no exception with his role as jury president for audio and radio.
Today, his role as chief creative officer at New Zealand’s Colenso BBDO sees him explore and encourage the growth of creativity within his teams.
The audio and radio category celebrates work that communicates a brand message through any and all audio. With Colenso BBDO’s and Simon’s contributions to the Skinny “Phone it in” campaign of last year, which saw the general public leave a voice message that was then used as radio advertising, it’s no wonder he has been chosen to lead this category.
LBB’s Casey Martin spoke to Simon Vicars on what creativity means to him and how best to incorporate sound and audio into campaigns.
LBB> What does creativity mean to you?
Simon> For me, creativity is unexpected logic. It’s something that makes total sense when you see it, you just never thought you’d see it that way.
LBB> What do you believe makes work great?
Simon> Curiosity. Not enough time. Money.
LBB> Do you believe that awards such as Cannes Lions boost morale and create an environment that fosters creativity?
Simon> No amount of team-building exercises or catered away-days can galvanise a group of people like winning does. Winning is a drug. It’s agency doping. It makes you collectively stronger. Winning pitches, winning in terms of who you can recruit, winning financially. Winning at Cannes is an important way to win in this industry, but it’s not the only way.
LBB> How can creativity be used to solve problems?
Simon> Too many ways to list. That’s why being a Creative is so exciting.
LBB> What role does audio and sound play in the effectiveness of a campaign?
Simon> It really depends on the campaign. From the use of music in building the John Lewis brand to Coke’s iconic sfx, audio is an important part of the puzzle. Every great idea is the result of many good decisions all joining up. If you ignore or under-value audio, that’s a stupid decision.
LBB> Finally, is there a piece of advice you’d like to pass on to creatives at this year’s festival?
Simon> When you win, celebrate.
