This year, Cannes Lions partnered with the China Advertising Association to create the first ever “China Day” at the Festival, seeking to deepen the industry’s understanding of this vast, emerging market. As part of China Day, JWT’s Lo Sheung Yan, Chairman of the Asia Pacific Creative Council, shared his thoughts on the “How different is Chinese creativity” panel, where he was joined by notable creatives Graham Fink, Greater China CCO, Ogilvy & Mather and Jimmy Lam, Vice Chairman and Chief Creative Officer, DDB Group North China. Together these great minds placed Chinese creativity under the microscope, and defined what makes it unique and challenging for brands.
Lo Sheung Yan, also known as Mayan Lo, focused on three main points during the panel:
- Originality in Chinese advertising
- Use of online mediums
- Talent within the country
He noted how the Chinese are quick to ‘borrow’ ideas that they and don’t mind leveraging something that’s been proven successful elsewhere. Although this is the route a lot of Chinese advertisers take, he suggests that brands who aren’t afraid to be bold will ultimately win over clients and capture consumers’ imagination.
Mayan notes that here lies an opportunity for brands to set themselves apart in a market where copying, from hand bags to design to advertisements, is an age old problem. Originality and creativity can be celebrated in China, if it is effective. Fink agreed with Mayan, saying it may be difficult to break the norm, but the smart marketer can take a chance and turn things around.
Online marketing has become a gateway to creativity in China, said Mayan. Television ads are costly, prompting a trend where clients are finding it wiser to create an online campaign with a more targeted message. The Web serves as a great space for experimentation among Chinese brands and because of the lower cost and versatility, clients are willing to take more of a risk in this medium, with less research.
JWT Beijing’s recent “Training Camp” campaign for Microsoft’s Windows 8 was conceived in China by JWT Beijing, and is a true testament to the breadth of talent within China. Mayan advocated for keeping creativity inside the country, saying “I have true confidence in our talent pool, in our capability. It’s a matter of how our marketers can leverage the talent that’s there. The creative scene in China is very impressive.”