Mediabrand’s Nick Brien to chair Cannes Media Lions jury

Nick Brien, president and CEO of IPG's Mediabrands, will be chairing the 2009 Cannes Lions Media Jury in the role of president. Last year had seen Mindshare’s Dominic Proctor in that role.

Philip Thomas, festival CEO said, "Nick is not only passionate about the media business; he is passionate about how creativity can transform communications. We've worked closely with Nick and other industry leaders to adapt and develop the Media Lions in 2009 so that they continue to reflect the changing media landscape and remain the global standard for outstanding media thinking. We are delighted to have Nick as our President."

Commenting on his appointment as Media Lions jury president, Nick Brien said, "Media, it's personal now. It's exciting, it's dynamic, and it's changing every day. No longer a world defined by pushing one-way messaging focused on generating awareness, rather a world of creating real-time conversations able to drive brand advocacy and consumer engagement, made possible through the growing influence of digital media. I'm excited and honoured to be leading a jury of the world's best media professionals who will search for the jewels of creative genius which, beyond a measure of doubt, demonstrate their proven business success."

A number of changes will be introduced in the Media Lions section for 2009. These include a revision of the categories and the written submission that entrants are required to complete, and a restructuring of the way the Media Lions will be judged to reflect the three crucial elements of a piece of media work and to place more emphasis on the outcome of each media case. Therefore the judging will now be based upon  Insight ( Strategy and the Idea-35% of the jury's vote);  Creative Execution (30% of the jury’s vote); Results and Effectiveness (35% of the jury’s vote).
Finally, the way that credits are displayed will be changed to ensure the Media agency for each entry is always acknowledged, regardless of which agency or company submits the entry.