Heather’s Cannes Diary: rock stars everywhere
By Heather Jacobs, Campaign Brief
In the five years that I’ve come to Cannes I’ve becomerather fond of the press room with its tiny little wonky tables. So imagine mydisappointment when Sir Bob Geldof announced this morning that in the not sodistant future there will be no more press room – no lights, no chairs, nopeople sitting there – and no more Cannes.
No more Cannes!!! This is becauseclimate change means that it will disappear along with the forests of Africaand the Murray River in Australia. He had me so convinced the end is nigh thatwhen he asked ME (well, the press) to do my bit to fight climate change I signed on the dotted line. View the presentation.
Kofi Annan, bless him, was agraceful and noble speaker and if together they can’t rally the troops toaction then we’ll all just a virus to be wiped away like a bad dose ofswine flu as Sir Bob suggested. We need more passionate people like them in theworld and hopefully the advertising industry responds to the clarion call firstsounded by Al Gore at the festival two years ago.
It was fabulous to see our very own David Jones holding court. Okay,he’s British, but he headed Euro RSCG Sydney for a while and still hasa fondness for Australia, so we can claim him as one of us. The ACTResponsible campaign is admirable and I’m glad he chose an Australianband to do the theme song with Midnight Oil’s ‘Beds areBurning’. Although I hear there are protests in the streets back inWesternSydney that the band rewrote the lyrics to suit the advertisingcampaign.
Another Australian advertising executive who turned up witha rock star entourage was Hamish McLennan, global CEO of Y&R Brands, whopersuaded Roger Daltrey and Harvey Goldsmith – whom he’s known since he was akid – to come to Cannes. Daltrey delighted the crown by performing two songs onstage and looked like he would have sung all day if the organisers weren’t keento get him out to welcome the next seminar in. McLennan whisked them off to asmall cocktail party Y&R was hosting at the Majestic where Daltrey foundhimself surrounded by pretty girls throwing themselves at him. It’s a tough gigbeing a rock star.
I ran into McLennan as we lined up to see his boss Sir Martin Sorrell deliver the Cannes debate.He left me the impression he actually has the Best Job in the Worldrather than the caretaker at Hamilton Island as he loves New York somuch he doesn’t seem to want to come home. Maybe Craig Davis shouldwhisper in his ear about the lifestyle he’s giving up by staying in NewYork.
Since I’m name dropping, Mark Tutssel, chief creative officer ofLeo Burnett Worldwide, was also in the queue, and declared Cannes 2009 ‘Australia’s year’with awards across the board achieved by a wide range of agencies. He also sungthe praises of young Michael Canning, the former BMF Sydney creative who has picked upLions for ‘TED Project 696’ as well as ‘Earth Hour’ from his new gig at LeoBurnett Sydney. Rest easy folks as Tutssel is hopeful the Leo Burnett partywill return next year.
Itwould be remiss of me not to mention the death of Michael Jackson. I’ma 70s kid so he’s supplied the sound track to my life. Speculation isthat he collapsedfrom exhaustion as he prepared for a gruelling round of concerts. Mayhe R.I.P.Sir Bob started his speech with a tribute to Jackson. Like whenPrincess Dianadied you’ll always remember where you were when you heard the news. Iwas at anightclub in Palm Beach and acting like a rock star myself by drinkingMojitosout of long straws from communal pots and boy did I pay for ityesterday.