Once a year I can guarantee to know that for a couple of hours I will be able to sit back in astonishment and delight. I know this because I’ll be watching the Saatchi & Saatchi New Directors Showcase, the highlight of the Cannes Lions festival. The show was started by a great Saatchi & Saatchi person – Paul Arden. Paul died this year but his spirit is alive and kicking hard in the Showcase, now inspired for some years by my friend and Saatchi & Saatchi’s Worldwide Creative Director, Bob Isherwood. In a very moving speech, Bob dedicated this year’s show to Paul and it was a fantastic event. This year the theme was ‘Fearless’ and included clips for Fat Boy Slim, a 3D movie that required special glasses and an incredible film featuring Bill Shannon, a dancer who performs on crutches. There were also some great ads featured, including Cadbury’s ‘Gorilla’, one of my all-time favorites. If you haven’t seen this surrealist sensation, catch it right now on YouTube. A great show, a great event and a great talent showcase with Bob, as usual, downplaying the huge care and creativity needed to make it happen. We get to see work from the very top of the pile because people like Bob are focused and fearless. Roll on 2009!
