Cannes Lions 2019: Celebrating Communities Driving Positive Change

Facebook Business

June 18, 2019

This year at Cannes, we’re focused on celebrating the power of communities. People have never been more digitally empowered to build communities around the things that matter to them, and now, this community evolution is opening doors for brands to connect with communities, and customers, in deeper, more relevant ways. Throughout the week in our Community Hub at the Facebook Beach, we’re hosting communities from around the world that are driving positive change and inspiring creativity. We’re giving communities a chance to showcase their work and their mission, and we’re giving visitors an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of how communities such as ADCOLOR, the Original Clovers and Project #ShowUs are bringing people together around topics, passions, and causes that unite us.

We also hosted a panel to discuss how brands are building creative work for, and inspired by, communities. Facebook’s Head of Creative and Experiential, Andrew Keller, sat down with Sophie Galvani, Global Vice President of DOVE, Jureeporn Thaidumrong, CCO of Grey Thailand, and Heidi Arthur, Chief Campaign Development Officer of Ad Council. The panel discussed how brands are playing a more meaningful role in society through community-driven work. Galvani and Thaidumrong both have experience with purpose-driven campaigns and Arthur shared how such campaigns not only positively impact the ad industry by redefining what makes a great ad, but also have lasting impact on culture.

Co-creating with community members

No one understands a community like its members do, which is why community members are vital partners in creating purpose-driven campaigns. So when Pantene Thailand set out to build a campaign that fights unconscious bias in how people perceive gender and femininity, they knew no one would understand the reality of the transgender community better than trans women themselves. So the company gave Thai trans women an opportunity to tell their own stories. They hired a trans-activist director to produce the campaign and enlisted creators, activists and influencers from the trans community to provide their unique perspectives and first-hand accounts of the challenges trans women face. The result? Pantene saw just how powerful the community’s voices were at shedding light on biases and delivering a message that resonated with the community.

Shifting culture with community-based brand efforts

When brands connect with communities around a shared passion, issue or cause, it not only builds the brand’s equity, but it can also unlock solutions to social issues. Dove identified a public health crisis with body appearance and self esteem in young girls. One part of this issue is a limited portrayal of stereotypical beauty in media and advertising. So Dove launched Project #ShowUs to break down stereotypes by representing a more diverse set of women in the media landscape. Dove partnered with Girlgaze and Getty Images to create a photo library made by women and non-binary individuals that represents a diverse set of women from around the world. And the image bank is already making an impact. There is no longer an excuse for advertisers not to showcase a diverse set of women and different images of beauty in marketing, giving more women and girls the ability to see themselves reflected in the images that surround them, and empowering brands with resources to help them celebrate diversity as well.

See what else is happening at the Facebook Beach this week.

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