Mark Tutssel on Why Titanium's a Heavy-Hitter

What’s your interpretation of what a Titanium Lion should be?

The Titanium Lion should give the world a glimpse into the future of our industry. The category is symbolic of the most innovative and groundbreaking thinking in our business, so it should celebrate only the ideas that are so unique, new and pure that they can’t be labelled in a conventional way.

Has technological advancement made it easier or harder to create a truly groundbreaking advertising idea?

Today’s digital landscape continues to change with breakneck velocity. This exhilarating new universe presents us with an infinite canvas and opens up a world of limitless creative opportunities. New technologies help amplify our ideas and connect with audiences in ways that are more meaningful and resonant. We are now capable of creating an outstanding experience that is both individualised and scaleable. The alchemy of creativity and technology can create transformational impact for brands.

Are brands more aware of how they need to approach and engage their customers and what their place in a consumer’s life is?

People are so advertising-literate that they refuse to have the wool pulled over their eyes. They love to buy, but hate to be sold to. They seek out brands that share their point of view, and appreciate brands that know why they exist and create experiences with real human value.

In this new landscape, the brands that win will be those that aren’t afraid of brave, audacious ideas that live up to their purpose. Brands that have a purpose understand their role in the world and have conviction and a compulsion to change things. They try to close the gap between the way the world is and how they wish it would be, and they do so in a way that’s uniquely authentic and true to that purpose. A powerful example is P&G Always. The brand sparked social change that redefined the meaning of the phrase “Like a girl”. It has become an anthem for the empowerment of young women. That’s a brand living its purpose.

What pieces of work that you would define as being eligible for this category have impressed you in the last 12 months?

Australia Transport Accident Commission’s Meet Graham [below] is part interactive sculpture, part educational tool, and a purely brilliant idea. Graham, the result of collaboration between a trauma surgeon, an accident research engineer and a world renowned artist is, as the only human being designed to survive a car crash, a real catalyst for conversation. Within 24 hours of the campaign’s launch, this humanoid was a household name in 190 countries. Meet Graham sparked a global discussion around human vulnerability on the road.

In the cover of darkness, a potent symbol of female leadership in business was dropped into Bowling Green in Manhattan. The Fearless Girl [below] was placed to stare down the iconic Wall Street Charging Bull statue. Strong, confident and defiant, this overnight sensation communicated to the world that companies with gender-diverse leaders simply perform better financially. It’s a remarkable piece of communication — daring, fearless and one that reflects the culture and people it aims to inspire.

IKEA set out to prove that getting creative in the kitchen can be deliciously simple, especially for people who find new foods and recipes intimidating. Cook This Page: The Parchment Paper Recipe Series posters were hung in stores during an IKEA kitchen event for people to take home and follow. The recipes were printed on the cooking paper, and people had to simply fill in the spaces for ingredients with food from IKEA, wrap it up and cook it. It’s a fresh idea, beautifully illustrated, exquisitely designed and easy to execute by customers themselves.

How excited are you about advertising’s continued move towards entertainment and content and how do you think it will evolve in the next few years?

We all love to be entertained. More accurately, we all want to be rewarded for the time we spend engaging with brands. Memorable, narrative storytelling cuts through the clutter.

The Spanish Lottery’s Justino, the Cannes Cyber Grand Prix in 2016, is comparable to films produced by Pixar. Wes Anderson’s short film for H&M’s Come Together holiday campaign [below] is another cinematic masterpiece. And the Cannes Lion-winning work produced last year for the Art Institute of Chicago, Van Gogh BnB, and the Swedish Tourist Association The Swedish Number are two more exciting examples of the type of new-world thinking that is igniting the imagination of the industry.

Some might pine for a simpler time, but it’s impossible to imagine a future in which our media landscape is less fractured or the battle for attention less fierce. In the future we’ll need to double down on creativity and innovation to make our communications every bit as engaging and entertaining as the popular culture that surrounds them.

What are you most looking forward to about this year’s festival?

Immersing myself in the world’s best work.