CANNES LIONS INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL
Panteion University
Social and political sciences
School of International Studies, Communication and Culture
Department of Communication Media and Culture
Subject: Introduction to advertising and public relations
Every year Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity hosts some of the most creative and innovative ideas in the field of communication and advertising. 2018 was not an exception.
30 Grand Prix Winners, all of them excellent examples of inspiring campaigns. We shared the campaigns among us to watch and each one of us would come up with her preference. Then we all saw the four favorites and discussed which one we should present. We had a great difficulty to decide. Some campaigns aroused us with their positiveness, some touched us with their concern for the planet and others moved us as they were dealing with sensitive issues with a great impact on vulnerable social groups. We were thrilled by the way that pioneering ideas can bring attention to problems not easily seen, suggest solutions or shape popular culture.
After a great deal of thought, we chose the project “My Line”, for Colombia Ministry of Communications and Technology, by MullenLowe SSP3 Bogota, Grand Prix Winner for Innovation.
The fact that this campaign talks about a problem concerning financially vulnerable people and offers a solution via technology was the key factor for our choice. Colombia, country of the beloved deceased author Gabriel Garcia Marquez and pop star Shakira, until recently suffered from conflicts. Taking into consideration the poverty and the difficulties Colombian people face, it is important to offer them enough opportunities to improve their lives. More specifically, an important part of the population has no access to information on the internet, because they have not electronic devices such as smartphones or computers. Most of them have phones that can only make and receive calls. MullenLowe SSP3, a marketing communications network, suggested, and the Ministry of Communications & Technology of Colombia accepted a way to give everyone ‘access to information from the internet, even without internet’.
The concept of the campaign is that people could get informed without having access to the internet only with a phone call to a specific landline number (6000913). Our team found this idea brilliant, practical and social sensitive.
The fact that the idea of the project was being worked for over a year shows how difficult it was to be accomplished, although it seems so simple, and how persistent and patient one should be in order to make a dream come true! As people of MullenLowe say, ‘“Can’t be done” is not a valid reply. We always have to think “how can we do it?”’
The era of the 4th industrial revolution is here. Giving people access to information is practically giving them power. So, from our point of view, ‘My line’ rightly won the grand prix for innovation 2018. It’s an outstanding idea that creates opportunities for less fortunate people, opens a window to the outer world and improves their everyday life.
We all enjoyed the process. There were a lot of discussions and a lot of ideas, a bit like a think tank. We learnt to share tasks and make a synthesis out of different opinions. Above all, this was a team work.
Team: Elizabeth Koliada, Anastasia Liakou, Amanda Linara, Ιριάνα Νίκα
Professor: Betty Tsakarestou
