Tales from the Gutter Bar

Beyond midnight, when the beach parties exhaust themselves, a nondescript corner bar on the Croisette becomes the centre of the advertising and communication universe. Rue 64, better known as the Gutter Bar, is where the powerfuls of advertising bond with the creative czars and pretenders over extended nightcaps.

An evening on the beach with copious amounts of rosé or bubbly can be a great leveller but after midnight it’s the law of the jungle at the Gutter Bar. Those with the lion celebrate, those who missed the cut drown their sorrows and the vast majority drink to a new day. Celebration, sorrow and hope - the King of the Jungle rules!

As a member of the jury, one was there to drink the house down. Being from the Promo and Activation jury, I will restrict my tales to my kin. This is a new territory in the jungle, sharing space with Outdoor, PR, Cyber and Innovation. The borders are hazy at best – with the singular aim of brands being positive outcomes in their engagement with stakeholders.

The new territories of the advertising and communication jungle have a new currency — social media! One is baffled by the numbers and evolving terminology. Millions of impressions are now passé. One case video even went as far as claiming a scrillion on social. The writing is on the wall. Well before the jury at Cannes judges the work, people have given their verdict – by sharing, commenting, challenging, curating, co-creating and collaborating, in perhaps the most defining trend of brand engagement at the moment.

Judging the work in the category was a “humbling high”, the brilliance intoxicating. As we inched closer to the Golds, one was reminded of the tremendous power and responsibility we have as communicators. We have the power to change the way people experience and consume brands and the power to alter social behaviour and create positive movements. I will go on and narrate my favourite work, not from the awards but from the many spirited nocturnal debates at the Gutter Bar – and the drinks we had on them.

‘Sweety’ from the Netherlands was perhaps the most haunting and effective campaign in the social category. Communicators like you and me took on the giant online paedophile market by creating a virtual child that interacted with these perverted cyber stalkers. The campaign pinpointed the location of these people and passed on the information to Interpol. Every arrest made on account of Sweety is a salute to our profession and the potential we have to create movements. The Gutter Bar toast of respect goes to the Sweety campaign.

The British Airways interactive hoarding at Piccadilly Circus was sheer genius. Behind the child that points to only BA planes and identifies them by flight number and destination is the audacious insight of human curiosity and wanderlust. Engagement is enabled by technology where the transponders of planes are read and control communication on a billboard, satiating our curiosity to know where that plane is headed and heightening our desire to travel. Cheers to the creators, the Gutter Bar pint of Brilliance goes out to them!

We are all Monkeys! A spontaneous emotional combustion against racism in football was triggered by an irate fan throwing a banana at Danny Alves at an FCB Game. Danny calmly went on to eat the banana and footballer Neymar commissioned my friend Fabio Saboya from Laducca in Brazil to ignite a social campaign that would put the best media strategist to shame. No amount of money and media could have achieved what we did as monkeys. The next round goes out to Fabio and his team ... a night at the Gutter Bar and we are all monkeys!

Coke from South Africa surprised us with ‘Rainbow’ for the Rainbow Nation. This is a fine example of a brand that becomes a part of a national cultural fabric, by not being a fizzy drink but the enabler of national happiness. Inspired by Nelson Mandela’s description of a Rainbow Nation they actually created artificial rainbows as a tribute and expression of national consciousness. It’s mind-boggling how one can throw mist into the atmosphere and use light and various scientific calculations to create a man-made rainbow. Note — man-made is different from artificial — man-made thrives on human ingenuity and sheer will. This calls for a colourful cocktail at the Gutter Bar to celebrate.

No evening is complete without the desi ! This drink of Old Monk at the Gutter Bar goes out to Geometry Global India. From Roti to Jump Pump, you guys have managed to find the intersection between engagement and the brand message. A night at the Gutter Bar only ends with a hangover in the morning. However, this hangover has a positive twist - the memories inspire, provoke, push and challenge. Once again I am humbled and intoxicated by the brilliance of our industry. Let’s round this off with a glass of bubbly, after all this is Cannes! Perhaps if we can be the toast of the Gutter Bar in the future it will be a life well lived.

Sukrit Singh is CEO, Encompass, a brand activation, events and content creation agency.

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