International Ad Fest ‘getting too commercialized’

Catch up with Wing and Rob from South Africa for a drink and the last 20 minutes of the Netherlands vs Ivory Coast game. While judging we missed Argentina slamming 6 goals in against Serbia – including apparently ‘a goal that will be shown on TV for years to come.’ South Africa is hosting the next World Cup in 2010 and Rob (who did the ‘any color you can think of’ work for Dulux) claims he will be able to watch the matches from his house. Assuming of course that he’s not locked up again in a windowless room in Cannes.

They’re both slightly taken aback by the giant Africa sign on a side of the Palais that didn’t used to be used for giant signs. The continent's name has been appropriated by a Brazilian shop. And has probably spent more on self-promotion than any other agency in history. Still, the Brazilian judges I spoke to said it’s doing well – and will be entering work in competition here for the first time. We all bemoan the fact that the festival getting more corporate. Even Campaign has an editorial warning that Cannes is getting ‘too sensible.’ Then again it hasn’t started yet.