Cannes Lions: Prasanna and Giridhar's blog

The following conversations took place sometime between 8:15am, 21st June, Charles De Gaulle, Terminal 2C and 24th June, between seminars no 27 and 28.

G: The flight to Nice is from Terminal 2F right?

P: Yes. And Hi, I am Prasanna from Publicis.

G: Hi, I’m Giri from Cadbury.

P: (Why is he here? Someone could have used the budget to get that expensive producer)

G: (Why is he here? He could have spent more time perfecting that radio spot)

21st June, 10:03 am. Waiting for the Nice flight to be announced, sipping nice and reassuringly expensive coffee.

P: So is this your first time? (I am sure he is here only to keep an eye on the agency’s excesses)

G: Yes. Have you been here before? 

P: Yes, this is my second time around.

G: (Oh so he is here for the parties again!!!) So you must be looking forward to the seminars?

P: I don’t know about you but for me the seminar to die for is ….

G & P simultaneously: Twitter!!!

G: (Oh! he is open to integrating digital into mainstream communication work!)

P: (Oh! he is interested in taking the advertising idea into the digital space!)

21st June, 3:37 pm. Waiting at the Palais desk for registration.

P: Cadbury does a lot of work on TV right? Then you should not miss Bob Isherwood’s new director’s show reel.

G: That a great suggestion! Will really be good to see how people are experimenting with film making.

G: You should not miss the Naked Communication seminar. It is bringing together some of the best creative and marketing brains.

P: Infact that’s marked in my calendar already!!

G: (Hey! some progress... he is thinking business and not just creative!!)

P: (Hey! some progress... he is thinking creative and not just business!!)

22nd June, 11:07 pm. Over one of the many Rose wine and Foie Gras dinners…

P: So will you go back and share the pieces of work with your team?

G: Just sharing the work will be half the job done; I am planning on highlighting learnings that can be imbibed by our people.

P: That’s great. It will enable people to expand their thinking horizon rather than just watch it as yet another show reel.

G: (This guy is actually on my side. A more exposed creative means better business solutions)

P: (This guy is actually on my side. A more exposed client means better creative solutions)

24th June, 11:37 am. In one of the many aisles displaying the short-listed work

G: Looking at your award tally would you say this trip was worthwhile?

P: Awards is just a small part of the Cannes experience. The knowledge on tap and cutting edge communication solutions displayed makes this trip worthwhile.

G: (I am glad he came. More and more creative guys should be exposed to this Cannes experience!) 

P: (I am glad he came. More and more clients should be exposed to this Cannes experience!)

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Giridhar A Seetharam is Associate Vice President, Marketing. Cadbury India. (Pictured right)

Prasanna M Sankhé is National Creative Director, Publicis Communications India.  (Pictured left)