WHYBIN SLAMS SCAMS IN CANNES

Scott Whybin, chairman of Whybin\ TBWA Australia and New Zealand, and this year's Australian Press Juror (pictured left with Warren Brown yesterday), lead the charge against a myriad of scams entered. Here's what he has to say on the topic:

I was glad to judge Cannes this year. Let me just say that I was worried (as a lot of people have been) about the virus of visual puns and metaphors with logos bottom right becoming de rigeur to win a Lion. To be blunt, it’s often hard to stop, with 18 different countries judging the language barriers.
Lack of strategy, lack of brand ownership and generics can often be an insidious feature with international juries.
Having said that, there was a collective, well let’s say almost collective belief that as jurors, we had to get back to the stuff that really matters.
Whilst I can’t tell you the winners, let’s just say the Asia Pacific has done really well.
Scam ads must die (we’ll find you out). Propositions are back in fashion. Generics should be outlawed and Asia Pacific is back in town.
My bet?
Go Thailand, India, NZ and Australia and there might be a few surprises from other countries as well. I was quiet proud of our region in that it came to the real work the Asian Pacific region shone.
It seems that when Asia particularly stops thinking about barriers in regards to language and starts thinking about simple strategically based idea, they can do it with the best of them. There were no real country dominations, no domination by the US or the UK and a real spread internationally. This is a great thing. But something for you to think about: Asia Pacific did really well and one gets the feeling that once you get the scam ads out and back to the real business of advertising and ideas borne out of products, we can really kick arse. As a region I’m sure you’re going to like what you hear.
But this is just rumour from me.