EP21 - Strategy's Role in Creativity with Shelley Brown

In this episode of CMA Connect, Alison Simpson, the CEO of the CMA, hosts Shelley Brown, Chief Strategy Officer at FCB Canada and a judge at the 2024 Cannes Lions Festival. Shelley shares her insights on emerging trends, the crucial link between creativity and effectiveness, and the evolving role of strategy in award-winning work based on her experience judging the Direct category at this year's festival.

00:00:00:00 - 00:00:23:20
Presenter
Welcome to CMA Connect, Canada's marketing podcast, where industry experts discuss how marketers must manage the tectonic shifts that will change how brands and businesses are built for tomorrow, while also delivering on today's business needs. With your host, CMA CEO Alison Simpson.

00:00:23:22 - 00:00:49:07
Alison
In today's episode, I'm thrilled to give you an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at what it's like to be a judge at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, focusing on the strategic aspect of award winning work today. Our guest is Shelley Brown, the highly accomplished Chief Strategy Officer at FCB Canada. Shelley's's advertising career includes award winning work with leading multinationals including BBDO and now FCB, as well as top independents.

00:00:49:09 - 00:01:12:19  
Alison
One fun and somewhat concerning fact about Shelley is that she was once held by a member of the Khmer Rouge with a rocket launcher. Seriously. Shelley was selected to judge the Direct category at this year's Cannes Lions with an enviable career and strategic mindset that's contributed to many creative awards. I'm really excited to have Shelley guide us through the inner workings of judging her festival.

00:01:12:21 - 00:01:43:07
Alison
Throughout our discussion today, we'll explore Shelley's personal experience with Cannes Lions, from her first time attending to what inspired her to become a judge this year. We're also diving into the essential role that strategy plays in creating winning campaigns and discussing the relationship between strategy and creativity, and how it's changed over the years. Shelley is also going to share her thoughts on how the Cannes Lions Festival itself is evolving to mirror the shifts in our industry and then move towards more business-focused, result-driven work, something that's a passion for both of us.

00:01:43:09 - 00:01:56:06
Alison
We're also going to discuss the crucial connection between creativity, effectiveness and award winning work, exploring how agencies and brands can better demonstrate and communicate the business impact of our creative efforts. So welcome, Shelley.

00:01:56:08 - 00:01:57:11
Shelley
Thank you.

00:01:57:12 - 00:02:05:12
Alison
Now, before we chat about judging at Cannes, our listeners absolutely won't forgive me if I don't start by getting the story about the Khmer Rouge.

00:02:05:14 - 00:02:32:06
Shelley
Okay. All right. We'll get that one out of the way. In 1993, my husband and I were traveling in Cambodia, which was in 1993, probably a pretty crazy thing to do. The UN was nominally in control of most of the country, but the Khmer Rouge were still active in certain parts of the country. But we were absolutely determined to go and see Angkor Wat, which once we finally got there, we definitely had to ourselves.

00:02:32:08 - 00:02:54:18
Shelley
The monks were still burning the jungle back around the ruins so that you could see the temples. It was pretty amazing. But one day we were off to see another temple a little bit further away, and we were not aware that the front line had moved during the night. And so we actually crossed into what was that day Khmer Rouge territory.

00:02:54:20 - 00:03:21:02
Shelley
But we figured it out when what I thought was a kid, he might have been 17, jumped out of the jungle into the road, which was, you know, there were bomb craters and it was a bit of a mess. We were in a 4x4 with an armed guard and driver and a police officer accompanying us. Anyway, he pointed the rocket launcher at the car and, you know, our trusty police officer, armed guard and guide, they all just froze

00:03:21:04 - 00:03:56:00
Shelley
And just sat there. And eventually the kid with the rocket launcher approached the car and I figured, okay, I have no idea what to do. Didn't speak enough Khmer to really be able to communicate. And so I just started grabbing handfuls of money out of my money belt and threw them through the window at his feet. And when he was satisfied that the pile of money was large enough, he just made a "okay" gesture with his hands and, picked up the money and walked away.