Bec Brideson’s Cannes Diary #2
Bec Brideson, Advisor, Speaker and Author, is representing Australia on the Cannes Glass Lions jury. Brideson, along with most of the other Australian and NZ jurors write exclusively for CB.
Not a dick joke or old-lensed cliché of a woman in sight…Day Two and Three
Just great work, gender-clever ideas and brave brands willing to tackle issues that are good for business and connect better with their audiences.
I have seen brilliant attempts from brands that naturally target women but are trying to do it in a new and empathetic/authentic way.
I have seen some wonderful work that is gender-smart and tackling men’s responsibility in this conversation too.
The level of discussion and conjecture in the room has been mind blowing. I have fallen in intellectual love with my jury and what a privilege to share the table with them all.
But two days have also seen me and the incredible team discuss some heartbreaking and tough stuff.
Like the fact that three million girls in Africa aged 4-12 are at risk of female genital mutilation (FGM) each year. Globally women make 23% less income than men. 1.2 million children are forced to work in brothels in India. Only 6.7% of women graduate with STEM degrees. 14 million women are enslaved in human trafficking. 65% of speaking time in meetings is dominated by men. Almost 90% of Pakistani women suffer from some sort of abuse. In Mexico 2 out of 3 women suffer from some kind of gender violence. You get the picture…
It has been a heavy few days of judging.
In the end we emerged from two 10-hour days ebullient and satisfied we have some amazing work – both NGO and commercial – that deserve global recognition.
I have spent quality time with a wonderful group of people from different cultural, professional and personal perspectives.
This has been without doubt a life changing experience and I have grown from the experience as a creative, as a woman and as an industry champion of gender recalibration.
Led by the incredible Jury President Wendy Clark, my fellow panel reminded me how much can be learned when diverse perspectives come together to make changes in how we are writing history.