Progress through Creativity

Vice sits at the intersection of content and culture and has done so for many years. Two years ago, Global President Rob Newlan joined Virtue and the agency-network has since seen a flurry of new client wins and Lion-winning recognition. We talk to Rob about how an agency which prides itself on keeping its finger on the pulse is able to keep up, when the cultural environment is shifting at rapid pace.

Bozoma Saint John is quoted as saying “None of us will have any impact or influence if we are quiet. So don’t be quiet. Be loud as hell.” In a week where global demonstrations have taken place against police brutality and racial inequality that sentiment feels as vital now as it has ever been. Bozoma talks frankly about the position brands are taking during this time, how they can authentically support social causes and whether they even should if their own business doesn’t walk the walk.

When critical thinking and creative problem solving are noticeably absent from the curriculum, what role can brands play in hacking existing models of education? We talk to Julia Goldin, Global Chief Marketing Officer from the LEGO Group about the role of education through play, the critical development of 21st century skills and building brands that invest in the next generation of talent.

Dramatic shifts in media consumption and consumer behaviour mean that creativity is going to need to work overtime to keep brands in tune with a rapidly changing climate. In this Festival talk, VP, Marcomm Integration at Apple, Nick Law, advocates for the need to put creative people at the centre of business decision-making.

We talk to three-time Grand Prix winner and Co-founder and Chief Creative Officer of independent New York-based agency, JOAN Creative, Jaime Robinson. In a conversation spanning Netflix’s Tiger King and The Great Depression, Jaime endorses joyful entertainment that provides a new-found sense of fun and moments of escape. Take away lessons on how to make people ‘feel’ not ‘do’, explore new content creation avenues and lean on outside expertise.

When Swedish vegan food brand Oatly put a team of creatives at the heart of their brand, obstacles faded away and resourcefulness was pushed to the max. Creative Directors John Schoolcraft and Martin Rinqvist show us how they and the self-named creative ‘Oatly Department of Mind Control’ built a fandom that became vital in Oatly winning the PR battle when sued by the Swedish Milk Lobby.

Many ‘old favourite’ CPG brands are seeing something of a renaissance during the pandemic. But how can we reflect the very enduring human needs that these brands now exist to serve in the humanity of our businesses? We talk to Brad Hiranaga, Chief Brand Officer of General Mills – known for currently-thriving store cupboard staples like Betty Crocker and Pillsbury – about bringing classic brands to life for a new generation and the need to lead and communicate with empathy and vulnerability.

If distilled into a series of equations, what does a life well lived look like? Take a white-knuckle tour of NYU Professor Scott Galloway’s much-loved brand strategy class on the Algebra of Happiness. Melding research, data points and personal experiences, he provides observations on failure, success and finding joy in business, relationships and health.

Chris Brandt is the Chief Marketing Officer at Chipotle and brings a real and fresh approach to the Mexican grill favourite. In this new episode 'Go where the Puck is', Chris talks about the importance of being where your customers are, 'getting there first' and driving a culture of innovation in the present to set us up for the future.

How do you cultivate brand love when you’re in the (highly-regulated) business of vital healthcare products? In a relevant talk on lifechanging creativity, we hear about GSK’s journey to make science human and find the purpose for its brand. Learn to embrace creative excellence and new media to transform functional products into science-led brands that people love.

Cynthia Chen is the General Manager for Reckitt Benckiser (RB), the global consumer health and hygiene company, the owner of household brands such as Dettol, Lysol and Durex. As a healthcare company in the midst of a pandemic, how has RB quickly provided products in high-demand and also stemmed the tide of panic buying and fear? We talk to Cynthia about emerging trends in commerce including the digital reset, the emergence of the ‘try economy’ and a consumer sexual (wellness) awakening.

A classic Festival talk from a brand whose very foundation lies in the power of creativity and human ingenuity. Hear from LEGO’s Chief Marketing Officer, Julia Goldin, on how a business built around a product that remains unchanged from its 1930’s creation has stayed relevant. Learn what it means for a brand to adapt to a new era while staying to its true original purpose.

In this episode, Jess Greenwood, Global Chief Marketing Officer at R/GA, talks about the need for brands to step up or step back, and how they must lead and serve now in preparation for a world transformed. We discuss the pressures of balancing business with humanity, the new opportunities emerging, and the benefits of radical transparency and generosity.

In the first Festival talk of our series, Simon Cook introduces a particularly relevant talk which saw Unilever’s CEO make the pledge that if any brand under Unilever’s umbrella failed to serve a broader purpose, it would no longer be a part of the company. Hear from Alan Jope on stage at the Festival and take away helpful lessons on purpose as we start to think about how to redefine the role of brands on the road to recovery and renewal beyond the current crisis.

Ricardo Dias is the vice-president of marketing at Ambev Brazil which, over the past few years has been steadily raising its game, climbing the creative rankings and picking up Lions for a spread of creative work following a dramatic transformation of their internal culture. Ricardo and the Brazilian team were one of the first in the world to take action to the global crisis and respond to a problem which we're all facing now, and this problem doesn't just affect beer sales and customer revenues, but human life. In this episode, Ricardo talk to Simon Cook, Managing Director of Cannes Lions, about the story behind their decision to shift their production from beer to hand sanitiser, practical advice and thoughts on the future that awaits us.