A Day in the Life of Raven Pernille

After successful contributions to the Cannes Lions programme over the last two years, Mad Cow Films' head of content, Raven Pernille [above left], was invited to Ecuador to speak about content and how to tell effective, authentic stories as a brand.

"It is difficult to navigate creating something that’s authentic to both your brand and audience all while selling a product," said Pernille, "and marketeers are challenged by now having to deliver an insane increase in assets while budgets are staying more or less the same.”

Above: After two amazing days in the Andes, north of Quito at @mashpilodge, where cloud forest meets rainforest, I am off to Guayaquil for the Cannes Lions Edit.

Above: First engagement in Guayaquil is an intimate talk with about 30 of the staff at Ecuador’s largest newspaper, El Universo. It’s a room with half editorial, half commercial staff and like at any other publisher currently, debates about branded content are passionate and dividing.

Above: We spend an hour or so together debating what the future looks like and I give my five cents as to why they, as publishers, are in probably the most unique position to create authentic branded content. Although heated at times, I think we all walked out of that room understanding each camp a little better!

Above: After a night’s work, I wake up and prepare myself for the talk I am about to give at the official Cannes Lions Edit conference. Even after years of speaking publicly, teaching and presenting to clients, I feel the nerves. But it’s good to feel human too sometimes, right?

Above: I am the second speaker up and my aim for today is to inspire a market that is generally a little behind the UK and US to start creating and to do so with integrity, respect and purpose. I am talking about my journey in this field and some of the things I have learned along the way – including what I believe is the best fundament for good creative when it comes to branded content.

Above: Had loads of great questions in the Q&A and it was interesting to see that the common concerns were how to best work with existing talent such as influencers and how to choose the right format.

Above: After the talk, a woman from the audience comes up to me and shows me today’s paper where I and Mad Cow Films are featured on page seven with an article about the conclusions from the talk at El Universo. Feels very meta to take this photo.

Above: In between interviews and listening to some of the other amazing speakers talking about everything from how to create from within to the Internet of Things and psychology of lies, I am prepping for the oversubscribed afternoon workshop which I have dramatically named ‘Learn To Tell a Good Story Or Die Trying’.

Above: Hosting a workshop for 100+ people has its challenges but we managed to create some good ideas in 60 minutes! Each group we creating personal stories portraying the essence of Ecuador – in any given content format. Would love to see some of those shorts come to live!

Above: At dinner, all speakers are given a key to the city by the mayor of Guayaquil, which seems like an incredible honour and is just overall a really good summary of an incredibly giving, welcoming and warm culture we’ve been blessed with.

Above: Two hours of sleep later and I am at the airport and all glamour seems to be gone. I missed my connecting flight to Los Angeles so I have eight hours in El Salvador’s not too inspiring airport (but the lounge is pretty decent!) before spending the weekend at the always incredible AdColor conference and award show. Excited!