Leo Burnett’s Kalpesh Patankar to Represent Middle East at 2024 Edition of Cannes Lions
Kalpesh Patankar, Chief Creative Officer at Leo Burnett, will be leading the Industry Craft category as the Jury President at the 71st edition of the prestigious Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity. Representing the Middle East with full pride, a rather elated Patankar chatted with Communicate, unveiling his bulletproof strategy to fulfilling this role with full clarity.
How does it feel to be representing the region at a stage as huge and accredited as Cannes?
It’s the Cannes Lions. It’s a big deal, a privilege, an honor, and a responsibility. I am thankful and very grateful to the hundreds of people I’ve worked with over my career – every individual who has played a role in my journey to this position today. Everyone I've ever collaborated with to create a good piece of work is a part of this moment with me today.
In the image above - Kalpesh Patankar, Chief Creative Officer at Leo Burnett Middle East
We know you've been on various jury panels - but the responsibilities of a Cannes Lions Jury President are bigger than that. How are you planning on preparing for the same?
I have always approached every opportunity to be on an awards jury, as a responsibility. Thousands of creatives from around the world entrust the handful of people on that jury to recognize their ideas and pick them to be celebrated as some of the best work in the industry. Being Jury President is just about taking that responsibility a step further – and making sure that I can be the truest champion of truly great work in the room, and serve as the guide rails for picking the best work with the right context, fairness, and objectivity.
As someone who's always been at the helm of creating outstanding campaigns, how do you think the definition of creativity has evolved in MENA's advertising industry?
Be it in the MENA region, or anywhere else, the definition of creativity hasn’t evolved – and never will. Creativity is bigger than the advertising industry. Creativity is the act of having an idea, and then putting in the work – the craft and the love – to give that idea its ultimate expression, in the best form of it that you’re capable of. In the MENA advertising industry, that still holds. Creativity, at the heart of it, is still about having a powerful idea. The way that idea is executed and brought to life may have evolved through the emergence of new technologies, AI now, and so much more – but across it all, it’s the Idea & Craft that elevates work and has the power to give it a few extra moments of attention in a constantly scrolling & swiping world.
The region has been doing exceptionally well on various global platforms - Cannes being the World Cup of the industry is no exception. What are you expecting from the region at Cannes this year?
Onwards and upwards – as they say! Every region has its recognizable style – be it the roundabout twists and turns of Thai advertising or the Super Bowl-esque grandeur of North American advertising. I’m looking forward to our region further establishing that recognizable 'personality' for the work that represents us as a culture, and a creative community. I want the world to see that distinct 'MENA' advertising. Beyond that, I am also eager to see more representation at the festival, from jury roles and festival attendees to the work being submitted and recognized. I would love for more Grand Prixes to be bagged by work from the region, putting the region right up there at the forefront of things when it comes to creativity and technology.
As Jury President, what criteria will you prioritize when evaluating entries from around the world, and how do you intend to ensure a fair and balanced judging process?
While the idea will always be the ultimate criterion, the sub-text also matters. There are hundreds of pieces of work coming from across the world – each one representing the culture, realities, and nuances of its region. All those diverse tonalities expressing creativity in their own unique way, teaching us something new, and opening our eyes to fresh perspectives – for us to then decide, which one has the potential to become the next benchmark for the world. Can the world adopt a craft technique from Japan, an innovative solution from Latin America, or an entertainment format from India? And then, there's also the fact that we live in conflicted times. We have to keep in mind sensitivities, socio-economic climates, and so much more. It all factors in to ensure that there is a balanced and fair process for our judging.
What are the challenges you're expecting to face as the Jury President? How do you strategize to overcome them?
A jury room is a collection of creative stalwarts from around the world, and from across various creative industries. It's important to understand their perspectives, keep their background as context, and consciously navigate all their unique points of view to ultimately ensure that the right work is being championed. And when it comes to work as well, there's a fine line to be towed. We all know it's no cakewalk to sell big, bold campaigns to global name brands, and it's important to recognize that when celebrating big work that has managed to overcome the challenges to see the light of day. But at the same time, it's critical to ensure that the smaller entrants, the new startups – don't get swept aside or overshadowed by the scale of the big campaigns. Once again, it comes down to celebrating great ideas, and everything else will fall into place.
How do you believe your cultural background and experiences in the MENA region will influence your approach to judging creativity on a global scale at Cannes Lions?
Throughout my career, I have worked across the Indian sub-continent, Singapore, Asia, UAE, KSA, and MENA, and have had the good fortune to be working with global as well as local brands and wonderful creatives from around the world. So my cultural background, experience, and influences span across multiple continents, countries, and cultures. The privilege of having had such opportunities and exposure, allows me to understand the nuanced processes and challenges involved in creating work across different markets – and it has always played a role in helping me connect with the work while judging it.
Finally, how do you plan to leverage your position as Jury President to elevate the visibility and recognition of creative talent from the MENA region within the international advertising community?
Becoming the Jury President for Craft – from the MENA region – is the first step to recognition for the region's work and craft. We're already there and this opportunity is a recognition of the trust that the global industry has in the Middle East's creatives. But at the end of the day, my responsibility will be to champion the best ideas and the best work, irrespective of where they come from. I do sincerely hope though, that my representation as the Jury President will serve as inspiration to more creatives from the region to push for the best and achieve everything they dream of.
