The 2019 edition of Cannes Lions has now come and gone, although its impact continues to be felt by marketers from around the globe. Having been awarded with the Dentsu Aegis Network Young Lions Scholarships, iProspect Canada Client Lead, Corinne Youakim had the opportunity to take in the sights and scenes of Cannes as a Young Lion delegate.
Now that the dust has settled, Corinne reflects on her experience.
What has the experience of being a Young Lion been like for you?
I’m not even sure where to begin. If I had to choose one word to sum up this experience, it would be incredible. The nomination process in order to be selected to attend was extremely rewarding as it means a great deal to be recognized by your direct manager and local leaders. Arriving in Cannes, at such a beautiful venue was great and really set up the week for a powerful meeting of minds. It was also incredible to be able to meet such high caliber people with such different paths who have accomplished so much over the course of their careers. I also had the opportunity to create close ties with other Dentsu Young Lions from other cities and having them to experience Cannes with was a lot of fun!
What was the most inspiring thing you saw this week?
Having the opportunity to hear the top CEOs and Executives speak on panels, at events and during Young Lion sessions was inspiring in itself. It was interesting to hear how resilience and courage helped them, and continues to help them overcome challenges. They all continue to be faced with new roles, more responsibility and more unknowns. This helps reset the belief you have in yourself to continue to tackle and overcome challenges head on. It was also interesting to hear words of wisdom from Young Lion Alumni and get a feeling for their career progression in a relatively shorter career span. Lastly, the Deans of the Young Lions Academy also made my time in Cannes insightful as they asked all the right questions and made us think outside-the-box.
What advice would you give to a Young Lion attending in 2020?
There is a lot I would want to say to them but if I had to narrow it down, I’d have to say, live the experience!
Make it what you want it to be.
Ask the questions you want answers to.
In the end, you can determine how the knowledge you’re gaining can be applied to yourself, your career, your company. Write down what you hear, the details that resonated with you the most and share them with your team.
What have you learnt or experienced in Cannes that you’ll be taking back to Canada with you?
How important relationships are in every aspect of what we do. We are in an industry that is underpinned by relationships, whether it’s media and creative working together, agency and agency, client and agency, etc. In understanding how important these relationships are, we are able to deliver the best work for our clients.
Also, seeing the caliber of the speakers, you end up going through a wave of amazement, introspection, then motivation and determination to make an impact and be responsible for your career.
Check out the video below for the full length interview.
