On the occasion of Cannes Lions 2024, the entire J’ai un pote dans la com team has mobilized to make you experience the festival as if you were there. Throughout the week, we met personalities from the world of advertising so that they could share with us their insights on this flagship event, and their vision of the trends that shape – and will shape! – the area.
Already present in 2023, the Professional Advertising Regulatory Authority has renewed its involvement this year. The opportunity to bring together members, partners and allies, within a space for reflection on advertising and creativity. In this context, we met Stéphane Martin, Director General of the ARPP, with whom we discussed self-regulation, new narratives and new imaginaries.
ARPP at Cannes Lions: a call for responsible communication
The Professional Advertising Regulatory Authority was already present on the Croisette in 2023 with the editorial system “ The ARPP is having its festival “. In 2024, it renewed its involvement in order to promote responsible communication initiatives in the French advertising ecosystem.
In this context, on Tuesday, June 18, the ARPP organized several events. Canopy by Hilton hosted a space for reflection on advertising and creativity. Two conferences were organized, as well as an evening around the theme of responsible creativity, in partnership with Les Echos Le Parisien Médias.
The Advertising Ethics Council issues the alert
This day was an opportunity for the Advertising Ethics Council (CEP), a body associated with the ARPP, to present two new products. In parallel with its ” Avis “, which remain its main format of expression, the CEP now offers its ” Alerts “. This new mode of expression consists of a shorter format, to alert players in the communication and advertising sector to certain possible abuses and to indicate possible controversies. The first one ” Alert », presented at Cannes Lions, is entitled “ Empathy, political correctness, conformism: where is advertising going? “In an increasingly violent media and information context, the CEP notes that advertising stands out for its excessive benevolence and empathy.
On the same day, the CEP presented its first podcast, produced by the Sixième Son agency. Alongside the 37 Opinions and 7 CEP Papers published since 2005, this new audio format welcomes Dominique Wolton (President of the Advertising Ethics Council, research director at the CNRS, founder and director of the international journal Hermes), Denis Gancel (CEP member, founding president of W Conran Design) and Pascale Marie (CEP member, media and public affairs consultant RCS Lab). They are interviewed by Sophie de Busni (Communications Director of Sixième Son, who produced this podcast).
A questioning of art and advertising
At the end of the day, Christine Albanel, former Minister of Culture and Communication, President of the ARPP, and Maurice Lévy, Honorary President of Publicis group and Founding President of YourArt, discussed the theme of ” Art, the last bastion of freedoms in an era of injunctions and doxa: what are the prospects for advertising? ».
Stéphane Martin, Director General of ARPP, moderated the conversation. It testifies : “The renewed presence of the ARPP during the week of the World Festival of Creativity is essential to promote the values of responsible communication and highlight the innovative initiatives of the French advertising ecosystem. This international event offers a unique platform to exchange with professionals in the sector and encourage ethical and sustainable practices in advertising. Alongside members, partners and allies, we wish to contribute to strengthening the future of our industry. And this, by demonstrating that responsibility and creativity remain at the heart of our commitments.”
Interview with Stéphane Martin, Director General of ARPP
JUPDLC: Let’s talk about ARPP, self-regulation: what’s the point if no one plays the game?
Stéphane Martin : Self-regulation exists by essence, precisely because everyone in the profession wanted it. This self-regulation is the key principle. It is not imposed from above. For almost 90 years, it is the professionals, advertisers, agencies and media who have said to themselves “oWe’re going to set rules. “. They also said to themselves that they were going to help and finance a structure, the ARPP, to advise them. But also possibly to control them, because this responsibility does not go without control.
JUPDLC: Can you tell us about this famous concept of new stories?
Stéphane Martin : New stories, new imaginations, this is ultimately the DNA of advertising. It’s about working on representations, using advertising to make something desirable. Because we must not forget that advertising is desire. We must make this transition desirable, which everyone desires, but which can sometimes prove complicated. When I talk about transition, I am obviously talking about ecological transition, but not only that. It is also about representations. We of course think of diversity, gender equality and beyond that representations of disability.
