Creative Strategy Lions jury president Sarah Lemarié and juror Dan Hill share powerful advice on how to level up strategic thinking, their stand out campaigns from Cannes Lions, why they look for 'strategic firsts' in the jury room, and a warning on using AI in awards entries. Hosted by Effie Insight's John Bizzell.

Guests:
Sarah Lemarié, Chief Strategy Officer, Publicis France
Dan Hill, Global Chief Strategy Officer, Wieden+Kennedy

Chapters:
00:00 – Intro: Cannes Lions Creative Strategy Winners 2026
01:46 – Meet the Jury: Sarah Lemarié & Dan Hill on Judging Creative Strategy Lions
03:43 – Creating a Benchmark: Why Creative Strategy Lions Build a “Body of Work”
07:11 – Defining ‘What Good Looks Like’ in Creative Strategy at Cannes Lions
10:21 – Human Ingenuity & Empathy in a World of AI: What the Winners Proved
11:38 – Grand Prix Breakdown: Heineken’s “The Pub That Refused to Die” in Ireland
13:18 – Community Ownership & Brand Purpose: How Heineken Helped Save Local Pubs
16:09 – Gold Winner Spotlight: Faroe Islands Space Program and Tidal Energy Reframing
17:48 – “Simple but Clever” Strategy: Making Sustainable Tech Feel Playful & B2B-Friendly
20:12 – AI and Creative Strategy: Dove Real Reviews, Claude and LLM‑Ready Ideas
23:37 – Classic vs New Media: How Dove and Claude Blend Old CPG and New Tech
24:38 – How to Win a Creative Strategy Lion: Entry Writing, Storytelling & Results
26:40 – The Fosbury Flop of Strategy: Novelty, Firsts and Playful Creativity at Cannes

 

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