Next week I’ll be in Cannes, starting off on what will certainly be one of the most exiting weeks in my life. As President of this year’s Cannes Lions Direct Jury I’ll be meeting all the jurors for the first time at a special dinner next Tuesday. Here is the email I sent yesterday to each of them, personally. Enjoy.
Dear “mister X”,
It’s adventure time!!!
Over the next week we will be embarking on an exciting voyage that will take us to the Southern shores of France.
Therefore, as “captain” of the Cannes Direct Lions Jury “Pirate Ship”, I would like to welcome you on board.
Ok – the pirate ship stuff may be a little over the top….and we may not exactly be pirates, but hey; we’re definitely not in for a gentle tourists cruise. So let’s redefine and settle for explorers – Columbus style – of new worlds and continents.
While we may face high seas and tempests, the next weeks can be some of the most exciting and challenging we have ever known.
It’s extremely rare to have such a great group of top visionary thinkers, sitting together in one room (uhhh, deck), trying to define where our industry is going. But that is exactly the magic of the Cannes Lions Advertising Festival, the most prestigious international festival of creativity.
A magic generated by a tradition of hundreds of people before us, relentlessly searching and pushing for the discovery of unchartered territory and new worlds. Carrying on that tradition is a huge responsibility.
That’s why we are so lucky to judge the Direct category. DIRECT is maybe the most important language of our time. As I wrote in my president note some months ago: “In the beginning there was direct. Today, everyone understands that touching people and building true relationships are at the heart of every message and every medium. Direct was, is and always will be the true essence of marketing. The art of relationship building, direct to the heart, delivered by every technology, is the challenge of the communication world.”
“X” , I’m looking forward to seeing you next week. While aboard, it will be our job to put together the best DIRECT showreel ever, NO MATTER what country, network or agency the work is from. It’s our showreel as a Jury. It should be, and could be the best ever made. I’m sure of it.
So, let’s have debates. Let’s learn, get inspired, explore, and have fun!
Your Captain,
Gideon Amichay
About Gideon Amichay
Founder & Chief Creative Officer of No, No, No, No, No, Yes
a creative boutique based in Tel Aviv, focused on innovative advertising and marketing solutions.
Instructor at SVA; International speaker about innovation, creativity and advertising; TEDx speaker.
Former Chief Creative Officer, Joint Managing Partner (1994-2011)
Shalmor Avnon Amichay / Y&R Interactive Tel Aviv, Israel.
In 2010, Shalmor Avnon Amichay was acquired by WPP’s Y&R.
Gideon Amichay led the agency to be the market leader in creativity and innovation, and one of the 3 biggest agencies in Israel since 1998. Won Israel’s best agency award – 7 times.
Served as the President of the Direct Jury at the 2012 Cannes Lions Advertising Festival.
Gideon created a TED talk at TEDx Jerusalem this coming November (2012)
Gideon lives and works in TLV. Currently looking for challenging business problems and impossible briefs whatever the medium.
More:
Won 19 Cannes Lions the highest number of Lions, in the Israel advertising history.
2nd Media Agency of the Year, Cannes Lions 2008.
2nd PR Agency of the Year, Cannes Lions 2011.
Won Grand LIA (2009) at the London International awards, and 7 more LIA Awards.
Won 9 Clio awards for Innovation, Content & Contact and more
Won Israel Effie Platinum Award, Grand Effie and more than other 20 Effie Awards (8 Gold).
Won a special award from the United Nations (UN) (2010).
Speaker: Cannes Lions , DLD Tel Aviv, New York Festival, Eurobest, IDC TED Inspired Innovation Forum IDC Herzliya, AJC Access 20/20 Washington D.C., SVA NY, Berlin School of Creative Leadership, Miami Ad School, Tel Aviv University and more.
Lecturer: Tel Aviv MBA Business School, Jerusalem Hebrew University MBA Business School, Bezalel Art & Design Academy, SVA/MFA Design New York (Designer as Author + Entrepreneur Department), Pratt Institute New York, (Arts and Cultural Management Advertising and Promotion), and more.
Worked for International brands:
Mercedes Benz, Smart, Hyundai, Orange, American Express, Heinz, Toshiba, Yellow Pages, Stella Artois, Nestea, Strauss, Danone, Actimel, Teva, Colgate Palmolive, Elmex, Vax, KitchenAid, Getty Images, Aids Task Force, The Atzum Task Force on Human Trafficking, and many more.
Berlin School of Creative Leadership
Executive MBA, Leadership, Business, Creative 2006 – 2008.
Bezalel Academy of Art and Design
BA (HONORS), Design Advertising 1986 – 1990.
Books: https://nononononoyes.com/hebrew-books
"לא, לא, לא, לא, לא, לא, לא, כן" (Israel 2011)
"נו, נו, נו, נו, נו, נו, נו, יס" (Israel 2016)
"אלף בית של גימל" (Israel 2021)
"No, No, No, No, No, Yes" (USA 2014) Available on Amazon (Hard cover & Kindle) at McNally Jackson (SoHo, New York) The book is about innovation & creativity and targeted at all creative minds.
