Cannes: Chris Foster on creative shifts, earned momentum and acquisition lessons

So Gold Lion for Golin Ketchum.

Yeah.

Specsavers at the PR Lions.

Yeah, Specsavers.

Um, I know you, as you said, you enjoy the work.

I do love the work.

Uh, and, and you talk about it perhaps a little bit more than, than, you know, people at the top of the business-

[laughs]

... uh, always do.

What, what have, what have you seen from the work this week that has inspired you?

Look, I mean, if I just look at our, our agency's, right? I thought, you know, again, I liked, uh, a lot of the work out of Weber Golin, and, and, um, and Fleischmann.

Uh, and, you know, they got recognized for that, both from short list to, to awards.

Um, I think the thing that's been really interesting to me when I think about the work, um, is I feel like the cre- creativity's kind of shifted away a bit from advertising to influence.

Hmm.

Right? So much of what we do, you know, at Cannes is we celebrate the aver- the, the campaigns of the year being celebrated, right? But I think what's, I think the best work that I'm seeing and that we're seeing, and even being recognized, is the work that sparked conversation-

Hmm

... right? The work that shaped culture.

It's the work that, you know, d- earned, that actually earned media attention-

Hmm

... uh, and changed behavior.

I think some of that best creative today isn't just interrupting culture-

Hmm

... it's actually becoming a part of culture.

Yeah.

And I think that's an opportunity, that's where PR shows up well.

So Gold Lion for Golin Ketchum.

Yeah.

Specsavers at the PR Lions.

Yeah, Specsavers.

Um, I know you, as you said, you enjoy the work.

I do love the work.

Uh, and, and you talk about it perhaps a little bit more than, than, you know, people at the top of the business-

[laughs]

... uh, always do.

What, what have, what have you seen from the work this week that has inspired you?

Look, I mean, if I just look at our, our agency's, right? I thought, you know, again, I liked, uh, a lot of the work out of Weber Golin, and, and, um, and Fleischmann.

Uh, and, you know, they got recognized for that, both from short list to, to awards.

Um, I think the thing that's been really interesting to me when I think about the work, um, is I feel like the cre- creativity's kind of shifted away a bit from advertising to influence.

Hmm.

Right? So much of what we do, you know, at Cannes is we celebrate the aver- the, the campaigns of the year being celebrated, right? But I think what's, I think the best work that I'm seeing and that we're seeing, and even being recognized, is the work that sparked conversation-

Hmm

... right? The work that shaped culture.

It's the work that, you know, d- earned, that actually earned media attention-

Hmm

... uh, and changed behavior.

I think some of that best creative today isn't just interrupting culture-

Hmm

... it's actually becoming a part of culture.

Yeah.

And I think that's an opportunity, that's where PR shows up well.