The Cannes Lion Festival has come and gone for another year and the 2012 winners did not fail to impress. Looking through the pages of the Cannes website I yet again had this overwhelming feeling: a mixture of typical ad envy but also an excitement that comes from seeing some of the best agencies on earth doing what they do best.

As I clicked the play button on the Grand Prix For Good, I was filled with positive energy. The campaign, created by Droga5 New York, was advertising the desperate need for more bone marrow donors. As the video buffered and the first illustrated character outline appeared, my heart dropped for second. I prayed that this video wouldn't be just another illustrated sequence that relies on its clever animation then on the message it is pushing. As things progressed I began to think differently. Everything was singing in harmony to get the message across without force-feeding the viewer, from the well thought out story line, which tugs on the heartstrings, through to the ear pleasing voice over. As the video rolled to a close I realized 1) that all the characters on the film were a little bit to relaxed about getting cuts, but it also echoed to me the golden rule of advertising, that an idea brought down to its simplest form is 100 times more effective then any budget blowing production.

There were also some amazing ads in the Titanium and integrated Lions section. One Titanium Lion in particular that made me pause was the recent controversial return of Tupac for the Coachella festival, brought to life by Chronic Touring, USA. Some say he's dead, some say he's gone into hiding, some even say he was standing amongst the avid fans literally watching himself perform. Whatever the case, the hologram effect that was produced, will be the closest thing we get to the king of Rap for quite some time. The $400,000 price tag it took to create this musical piece is small change compared to the floodgates it has now opened for the musical industry when it comes to entertainment and theatrical value. Japan has already introduced entire hologram performances, where fans literally pay concert price to see their favorite anime character perform. I ask you the question. If you could make a hologram of any past singing legend, who would it be? My ideal dream team would be John Bonham on the drums, Jimi Hendrix on guitar and Dave Grohl on vocals, and yes I know he's not dead, I just really like Foo Fighters.

Check out the site. If you're anything like me, it will make you break out the layout pad and grab a new sharpie.

Mick