Anton Mwewa, senior art director at Citizen Relations share insights from his time at the 2022 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.
Which festival theme really stood out to you this year?
Diversity, equity and inclusion. This is a cause that has been important to me ever since I started working in advertising, and it remains one of the biggest issues we still face. It was great to see some strides being made at the festival with more women and speakers of colour, but much more can still be done to make Cannes truly equitable.
Under the duress of the pandemic, businesses turned to creativity as the ultimate problem solver. Do you agree with this statement?
Yes, because the pandemic forced us to ramp up our creativity and in different ways. Much like the new hybrid work model, the last few years have fundamentally altered how we think creatively, and I don’t think going back to pre-pandemic modes of thought will ever be an option.
In terms of creativity, where does Canada stand on the global stage?
It feels like there’s a common misconception about Canadian creativity playing catch up with the rest of the world that has no basis in reality. Canada has proven we can hold our own on the world stage time and time again.
The future of creative is: being dreamt up right now.
The Globe is the official Canadian representative of Cannes Lions — the world’s most prestigious and coveted advertising and marketing awards. Since its first outing in 1954, the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity has been bringing the creative communications industry together every year at its one-of-a-kind event in Cannes to learn, network, and celebrate.
