Ah, to the Côte d’Azur, where married agency chiefs and clients make sure they have a good supply of Vaseline…to take off their wedding rings, of course, what did you think we meant?
As anyone who has ever had the misfortune to witness the cream-trousered brigade baying from the Carlton Terrace will testify, the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity can be a long, hard and tedious week if you are a young woman.
Enter this film from TimeTo, devised by Lucky Generals, and designed to highlight the plight of the harassed masses.
To support the campaign, Cannes Lions owner Ascential is offering digital signage in the Palais conference centre, while JCDecaux is providing media space at key airports targeting Cannes Lions attendees. There is also social media activity and branded suncream.
Hopefully, it will be enough to make salivating admen and their clients at least sit up and think twice before they do their worst, although others will no doubt think it’s all a bit of joke.
However, Lucky Generals founding partner Helen Calcraft was spot on when she said that “Cannes is a unique industry moment where we see the best of creativity the industry has to offer, alongside some of the most appalling behaviour”.
So, what is the consensus around the Decision Marketing office? We love it. It might make disturbing viewing but having witnessed – and been disgusted by – this sort of behaviour in the past, we have long been of the opinion that creepy bosses should get their just desserts.
They wouldn’t want their own wives, daughters or nieces to be treated like that, so what makes them think it’s OK to treat someone else’s wife, daughter or niece like their own personal plaything?
And hats off to TimeTo, Lucky Generals and director Steve Reeves for exposing what it can really be like as a young woman on the Promenade de la Croisette.
Decision Marketing Adometer: 10 out of 10