On My Cannes Radar: Emma Willis

What work do you expect to win big in Cannes this year?

Trash Isles, by AMVBBDO. It’s timely, relevant, brilliant work.

What do you think about the festival’s revamped approach to the week?

It’s mad to say but this is actually my first time in Cannes, so I have nothing to compare it to. Hopefully this means I can enjoy the festival at face value rather than feel nostalgic for the years when there were uber helicopters, pools full of vodka and other weird and wonderful stories I’ve heard from the Croisette.

What conversation(s) do you think will dominate Cannes in 2018?

Women. The importance of continuing the battle for equality and opportunity for women across the industry. There have been some amazing initiatives like Free The Bid, but there have also been some sad stories on the back of #metoo. I hope this year we feel the positive impact in the work that wins and the women that are recognised.

For makemepulse, it has to be ideas, craft and technology. For the first time the accessibility, cost and craftmanship of what we can do technically, can really rival or even better, compliment those big single idea TV-led campaigns. I’m hoping to see some examples of this. I’d love to discuss how we can make a complimentary ecosystem of content that really amplifies an idea across multiple touch points to different audiences rather than always competing with TV ads.

Why couldn’t we have created a ‘catch the clown’ augmented reality Pokemon Go-style game for parents to use in the Audi showroom to support Ringan Ledwidge’s Clowns. With the recent announcements from Apple, we can even make it multiuser so we can entertain all the kids. And don’t worry BBH, we’ll let you have that one for free!

What app(s) will you be using most regularly on your phone during the festival?

That would be Snapchat. We have recently been been selected as an official Snapchat Lens production partner and to celebrate, we built a Lion Lens for people to have a bit more fun with their selfies during the festival this year. Download the lens here!

What’s the one piece of kit you’ve can’t survive the festival without?

Whatsapp, best for last minute party invites and super-cringe photos

What’s the best way of getting into a party you don’t have a ticket for?

Talk to our head of partnerships, Sarah Cutler. She’s a Cannes veteran and party ninja. I don’t know how but she always knows the best people to connect with for the parties, and the projects when back in London!

If there was one thing you could change about the Cannes Lions festival, what would it be?

I’d love to see the art of production celebrated much more. We have a belief at makemepulse that stems from the quote of a French philosopher called André Malraux who said, “Great ideas are made to be experienced.” Big ideas are our business, yes, but if you don’t make it nobody will ever experience how brilliant that idea is. We are always conscious that the craft is just as important as the idea. 

What or who has most influenced your career and why?

So. Many. People. The highlights: Hayden Peek (CD, We Are Social), who helped me get under the skin of what makes a good idea and why you should care. Valentina Culatti (MD, Unit9), who taught me to me to act with grace and humanity but always be thinking commercially. Josh Noble (delivery director, Clubhouse Studios), Adam Shakinovsky (MD, Bru) and Ale Pula (EP, Field), for the constant guidance, friendship and inspiration. I love you fellas! And my wife, Clare, for listening to all my batshit crazy ideas and still believing in everything that I do.

What are you most looking forward to about Cannes this year?

Hooking up with past and present colleagues from far flung destinations across the globe. Always a pleasure!   

Tell us one thing about yourself that most people won’t know…

My singing voice has been compared to Beth Gibbons from Portishead [above], more than once.