media update’s Adam Wakefield spoke to Sbu Sithole, founder and chief creative officer at The Odd Number and a judge for this year’s Cannes Young Lions competition, about the competition’s importance, and the values he’d encourage in young creatives.
Why is the Cannes Young Lions competition, sponsored by Cinemark, important to creatives in the advertising industry?
The Young Lions competition is, essentially, a creative challenge. I think it’s a great challenge for young creatives to conceptualise and produce an advert in such a short space of time.
It tests quick ideation, storytelling, and the ability to create something from nothing. For me, that’s usually the case in our industry.
We often don’t have the luxury of time and great budgets. This forces us to think in a smart and resourceful way. That’s exactly what young creatives need to learn in order to be equipped for the challenges of this industry.
Is the advertising industry doing enough to give young, black creative talent the opportunity to succeed in the industry?
I definitely think we can do more. That said, there are various strides and efforts that go into growing young creative talent.
If you had two pieces of advice for creatives entering the advertising industry, what would it be?
Firstly, have fun. It’s easy to develop a negative mindset in this industry. Secondly, never give up.
Honesty, simplicity and humility are the values that underpin your agency. Are these the values you’d encourage in young creatives?
In the business of advertising, it’s important to keep yourself humble and honest. You should never fall into the trap of becoming egotistical or find yourself cutting corners. Clients like to work with realistic and honest creatives. Consumers like ads that have a level of truth in them.
Ultimately, The Odd Number seeks to build meaningful relationships with our people, clients and their consumers. Our values are our guiding principles, as well as creating authentic work.
For more information, visit www.canneslions.com.
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