We Need to Stop Nannying Our Brands

In the advertising world, whole systems are designed to tightly control the creative process – from script, to casting, to production and the ever-present crutch of research. At this year’s Cannes Lions, AIB and their partner agency Rothco will provoke some much-needed discussion about why this needs to change.

‘If You Love Something Set It Free’ confronts the thorny issue of ‘over-parenting’ the creative process and reveals what can be achieved when you loosen your grip, let go, and trust. 

On stage at Cannes will be Tom Kinsella, Chief Marketing Officer of AIB, and Brian Keating, Group Propositions & Brand Director of AIB, who will be joined by Patrick Ronaldson, Founding Partner of Rothco.

This collaborative session will discuss how AIB handing over control of its big creative idea, ‘The Toughest’, became the catalyst for world-class creative content without scripts, actors or control. 

Commenting on the talk, Tom Kinsella says: “All my marketing life, I’ve worked in big organisations where creativity has come with a high degree of structure and process. The AIB brand collapsed when the bank had to be bailed out by the Irish taxpayer, and as a result we had nothing to lose - we had to rip up the rule book and go for it. We will be touching on that old ‘adage’ that sometimes it’s better to ask for forgiveness than permission!”

The session will be held as part of the Creative Inspiration seminars in the Debussy Theatre at 13:00 on Sat 17th June.