Interview with Emmanuel Flores (JWT Amsterdam): 'Digital empowerment'

Have you been a juror in Cannes before?

Emmanuel Flores: '2016 and 2017 have been two years of great professional rewards for me. Last year I was actually in front of the Innovation Jury, presenting our innovative ING campaign ‘The Next Rembrandt’ to try and win the Innovation Lion. Which we did. This year I am in the jury watching others pitch their innovation ideas to me. This will put me in quite a unique position because – this being a very new category - very few people have had the opportunity to be defending and jurying in consecutive years. It is a big honour!'

How important is innovation for you?

'Innovation is a young category that is attracting a lot of attention. This is where new marketing technology, creativity and business meet. It’s at the forefront of communication and that’s a very exciting place to be.'

What is the state of Dutch creativity in 2017?

'I see a constant evolution in both the industry and in consumers – and I think as the Netherlands has always been quite receptive to new ways of doing business – we’re seeing lots of new opportunities, both economic and creative. Also, Holland is particularly strong in digital design. I see a great deal of empowerment in new campaigns using digital tools for pushing creativity and marketing. And this is just the beginning.'

Which trends will play a big role in Cannes this year?

'This can be answered from different angles: first, I think this year is the consolidation of trends like AI and Virtual Reality. In that case, I can say 2017 is a transition into the current wave of automation that is affecting different industries, among them marketing and communication.

In parallel, I am noticing a higher amount of start-ups using Cannes as a forum to showcase their technology and products. I think this is a fantastic opportunity to use the festival as a space for connecting our industry with players emerging all over the world and thinking about how things should be done differently. We are not only here to jury but to learn new ways of thinking customer engagement. Finally I think there will be some totally new concepts and ways of thinking about marketing presented, which in turn will inspire the trends for next year.'

Interview: Jeroen Mirck, online editor of MarketingTribune.