Cannes Radar: Fred Raillard & Farid Mokart

What work do you expect to win big in Cannes this year?

Meet Graham: an unmissable campaign this year which had already made great score at D&AD.

Channel 4, We’re The Superhumans: a powerful film about disability, or Sick Kids vs Undeniable.

What app will you be using on your phone during festival week?

Tencent WeChat, the #1 mobile app in China that we use at FRED & FARID since the opening of the Shanghai office in 2012: the simplicity and the modernity in its UX made it become an evidence at the agency. Everything is done to give more time to time. An essential asset in our independent creative boutique network model.

What’s your social platform of choice for festival news and updates?

Of course Twitter, the easiest way to follow the news through the hashtag #CannesLions2017. But we mostly post on WeChat Moments or Instagram.

What device(s) did you travel to the festival with and why?

We only need our mobile. Like said before with WeChat we can fastly collaborate within all the network between New York, Shanghai and Paris. It’s like having a sixth finger.

What do you think will be the hot topic of the week this year?

Creative Data. “Meet Graham” highlighted this year with the Meet Graham Campaign.

Where were you when inspiration last struck?

At home. Our homes are filled with energies that emanate from where we come from. We have moved house several times but much like a tortoise who carries its shell everywhere, our soul/spirit follows wherever we go.

What’s the most significant change you’ve witnessed in the industry since you started working in it?

With the digital era, brands must now apply a clear and transparent way to communicate. Relationship to brands has normalized, there is a true conversation or a slight submission of the brand to the consumers. The way to communicate in the industry is more real.

If there was one thing you could change about the advertising industry, what would it be?

Advertising agencies should start thinking/acting like a startup to be able to bring more product ideas ready to go.  

What or who has most influenced your career and why?

We had the honor to work with the advertising legend Sir John Hegarty. We owe especially to him the inspiration "Make it bigger than what it is".

What are you most looking forward to about Cannes this year?

We want to believe that creativity is moving forward each year and that it has been more than ever put at the service of the business. We would like to be amazed by genuine campaigns that have made brands grow in response to marketing challenges.

Tell us one thing about yourself that most people won’t know…

We launched the first Netflix campaign when we were at Goodby Silverstein & Partners. We were offered to take some shares of the startup… and we refused.