Persuasion’s Post

The countdown has begun! Join us THIS Wednesday as we get ready for the best week of the year in both advertising and the french riviera! We're talking about everything you need to know about packing, planning, and conquering your week at Cannes! Register to join us for this informational session through the link in the comments! #cannes #events #advertising #marketing #canneslions

One of my favourite festivals to date is by far MAD//Fest - which just happened this past week. Such great inspirations, connections, and valuable learnings experiences. However the highlight for me was undoubtedly watching Rory Sutherland on stage. One particular anecdote really stood out - he told it in front of over 500 people so I guess I can tell it here:) One time right before going on stage he went to the bathroom where the washbasin went into spasm and deposited a huge amount of water in the front of his pants. While he was desperately trying to think of a solution…a miracle happened and it started raining. So he went out to stand in the rain and came on stage all soaked. Yes admittedly unusual, but better than the alternative he thought… So why am I telling this story apart from the comedy angle…He brilliantly linked this experience to the concept of non-linear problem solving. A lot of progress actually happens backwards, in a non linear fashion. You might lose the clarity when not going forward but you gain an enormous surface for creativity. In essence, the opposite of an idea is another good idea. How does he tie it to this point? He says, “Sometimes instead of drying the wet patch, you need to wet the dry patch.” Brilliant storytelling 👏👏 While it’s a great metaphor for the importance of embracing unconventional methods, I think the real value lies in how you could turn such a story into an intellectual learning! By the way, I took his masterclass this year, I would truly recommend… #madfest #festival #marketing #advertising #storytelling #masterclass

Attending Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity this year? Keep 30 mins on Tuesday mng free & come over to the Forum stage. Gautam Reghunath and I ragebait on Pricing Creativity - the karma, curse and cure to our strangely priced industry. On how we got here over 6 decades. On what the employee-hour based pricing has done to us. Why it's at the core of every other issue the industry faces. And what cures for a confident, high-risk, high-growth future for advertising actually looks like. PS - We MIGHT also dish out free beer as part of the act 🍻 https://lnkd.in/gGZfWfUa

With the arrival of 2024 comes the 2024 festival circuit! We’ve already begun our festival attendance, with Development Manager, Rae, attending RealScreen East– the largest unscripted TV network event in the US – in early February! Attending industry events such as festivals is incredibly valuable for us at Legacy for several reasons! 🤝 Networking Goldmine: The power of face-to-face connections cannot be overstated. Engaging with fellow filmmakers, producers, and industry professionals has opened doors to exciting collaborations and partnerships that go beyond the festival circuit. 💬 Relationships Matter: Beyond the screening rooms, the informal gatherings and industry events have been a fantastic space for building genuine relationships. Personal connections foster trust and understanding, creating a solid foundation for future collaborations and projects. 📈 Market Insights: Attending panel discussions and workshops has given us invaluable insights into industry trends, emerging technologies, and market demands. Staying ahead of the curve is essential; these festivals provide the perfect platform for staying informed. 🚀 Spreading Legacy Goodness: It's not just about our films; it's about building the identity and ethos of Legacy Pictures. Our physical presence at these events allows us to showcase who we are, what we stand for, and the values that drive our creative endeavors. Film festivals aren't just events; they're a strategic part of our success story. The connections made, the insights gained, and the brand exposure achieved contribute to a holistic approach that positions Legacy Pictures for continued growth and success in the industry. Excited for the future and the opportunities that these festival experiences will bring to our passionate team! 🎉🎥 #LegacyPictures #FilmFestivals #Networking #FilmProduction #CreativeConnections #IndustryInsights #BrandBuilding #SuccessStory

My post, from this time last week, had over 370 comments. Here’s a summary of the best points made: ·     Lots agreed Cannes lacked optimistic, over-excited young people. ·     The whole concept of ‘work expenses’ has changed since Covid. ·     Do the younger generation actually WANT to go to Cannes, anyway? ·     There aren’t many actual Creatives at Cannes (unless collecting Lions). ·     The cost. The cost. The cost. Cannes is so expensive. ·     We shouldn’t just invite young people, we should involve young people. ·     Young people don’t drink much and can see Cannes as just a drunken party. ·     Cannes needs better diversity of all kinds. ·     Jung von Matt & YoungDogs are doing lots to help young people attend. ·     Worryingly, a lot of agencies aren’t hiring junior creatives at the moment. ·     Those who attended while young got lots out of it (more than just partying). ·     Cheaper, more local festivals (eg. Creative Circle Awards in Margate and The Shark Awards in Kinsale) attract a younger crowd. ·     Companies who do cater to young people (eg. Finger Music & Sound Design) are well loved. ·     If our industry doesn’t take care of its youngest, we’re in big trouble.

If you will be in Cannes please join us. Introducing:  The TBWA Disruption® Seminar: Saving Creativity from Death by Algorithm

NEW IN THE CREATIVE CONTEST White Square, one of the world's most recognized creativity festivals, continues accepting entries. The deadline for submitting entries is May 3, but there are discounted fees until March 31. Annually White Square Festival updates the nominations according to the current global tendencies. This year new contests have been added to Creative Contest: FS. FILM. SECTORS, PS. PRINT. SECTORS, OS. OUTDOOR. SECTORS, which are designed to demonstrate creativity in video, print and outdoor advertising for different types of goods and services, respectively. There are also other new nominations in Creative Contest: F4 Pre-rolls, O5 Transit, O6 Live Advertising and Events, K9 Collaboration of brands and U8 Use of Channel Integration. To learn more about the current list of nominations, jury evaluation criteria, and technical requirements for entries, please check the Entry Kit via the link https://lnkd.in/ddeewEKp #WhiteSquare #WhiteSquareFestival #WhiteSquareJury

I’m here: https://lnkd.in/gYTB-akv visiting the Fringe offerings in Adelaide for the upteemth time. This one is through the recommendation of Leigh Harder but others have just been ‘that sounds interesting’ type choices. As Rob Lee pointed out yesterday the descriptions on the shows often don’t give you much to go on: “I dont think I even understand the description to that show”. And I stand by my reply: “its the fringe. Youre not meant to understand the description”. Fringe events happen all over the world and those lucky enough to access them know that they are a mishmash of the semi known and the unknown, the cross-genre, unfathomable and at times, uncomfortable experiences. They attract lots of people of all kinds and ages. However they, as their name suggests, often sit on the fringes of ‘normal’ life where the majority of locals do not engage. This sounds like the situation with #generatieveai at the moment, to me. The big difference I suppose, is that the Fringe is intended to serve the non-mainstream, not aspire to be Broadway level or a Hollywood movie. However, where #ai is at currently, there is a lot to learn from Fringe marketing, the celebration of the obscure, the adventurous and risky avenues it pursues. Long live the boundary pushers, coal face or otherwise.

Wrapping our fest run for The Yorkie Werewolf this week. Final handoff to our distributor soon. Notice any patterns in the laurels? There's a part of me that feels this should be obvious, but there's also just a ton of "marketing" being done right now by "festivals" on Film Freeway. AKA, spamming you and scamming you, mostly. So, vetting aside, here's what worked well for us this time on the festival front. 1. Short list 2. Limited spend 3. Highly specific I also made the choice to seek a premiere at a reputable local fest, because with two kids that was my best bet at being able to attend. And while we might have snuck into a larger genre festival, the timing didn't line up and I just didn't feel like it was going to work. You end up organizing marketing and distribution around a low-probability "maybe," when momentum and long-term marketing and selling are much more important. So my parameters were: 1. Places where we or the film had roots 2. Fests I could easily attend 3. Genre match The result? - Three VT festivals - One genre festival (best feature) - One NYC festival (played our last feature) We didn't spend a lot of money or time, but we picked up some marketing and PR wins, and built or maintained relationships with current audiences. And the announcements and screenings kept things warm on the pre-marketing side, while I crawled through delivery of the film on very limited time. Doesn't have to be more complicated than this. It rarely makes sense to spend a ton of money on reach fests, or a "spray and pray" strategy. Take a couple of big swings, by all means. But then optimize your approach. And save some of that money and effort for grassroots marketing. Did this help? Any questions?

Landing Sundance 2027: In this process, let’s have no regrets Commentary by Randy Davidson, CEO and Founder of Georgia Entertainment In all my conversations about Sundance, I privately believed that no other city had a real chance of getting the festival to move out of Utah. Despite the festival’s issues with disgruntled Park City residents and other challenges faced in Utah, I was convinced those would be resolved, leading to a long-term deal for the festival to stay put, until now… With new information, my personal opinion has changed. Atlanta now has a real shot, and the selection committee has made it clear that cities outside Utah are equally considered despite Utah’s home-field advantage. According to one insider, Sundance is open to factors like the absence of snow, exploring different times of the year, and providing a more spread-out experience for festival attendees within a city. I believe this puts Atlanta in the driver’s seat. Sundance can thrive and grow in Georgia. The independent film scene represents the future, and nowhere is better prepared for this growth than Atlanta. For the full feature + more Georgia Entertainment news, link below! #georgiaentertainment Randy Davidson Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau City of Atlanta Select Fulton Fulton County Government Atlanta Film Society (IMAGE Film & Video) Georgia Department of Economic Development Lee Thomas Brennen Dicker C Scott Votaw David Sutherland Walker Dalton Jeff Montgomery Andrew Wilson Christopher Escobar Tyler Edgarton