DDB Mudra Group’s Mahima Mathur: AI would never know what it feels like to be at Cannes

DDB Mudra Group’s Creative Director, Mahima Mathur, has shared some of her thoughts from Cannes.

The only thing that makes you feel more deeply than winning at Cannes, is not winning at Cannes. You want to choose the track to go up on the stage to so bad (something from the 80’s or Diljit, obviously). You want to walk into the neighbouring bars and get a flurry of job offers from whoever’s drinking there. And turn them down. You want to come home to a giant cake.

Last week at Cannes Lions was a blur of inspiring moments orchestrated by some of the most interesting people in the world. David Droga and Mira Murati shared stage, ideas and cute Sora videos. Sharon Horgan (Bad Sisters), along with Chaka Sobhani (President, DDB Worldwide), Richard Brim (CCO Adam & Eve) and Alix Traegar, provided insights on what it takes to entertain a generation that has the attention span of a goldfish. Mark Read (WPP) grilled Elon Musk on the go-fuck-yourself-gate (yup it’s a gate). And my favourite, Anselmo Ramos and Gaston Bigio made a public, emotional declaration of love for their work, their people, their wives and their guts. CCTV footage will find us wiping our copious tears on the Gut t-shirts handed to us outside.

There’s so much to absorb, to learn from, to frantically take videos of at Cannes, but nothing tops the emotion of the end-of-day award ceremonies. You see the best work being given its due, you see people break down on stage and video call their teams, you see group hugs so intense and all-consuming that you want to insert yourself in them. It’s months of sweat, tears, blood, rejections, WhatsApp groups, self-doubt and so much more that culminates into that one moment. God, what you wouldn’t do in that moment to trade places.

It’s hard to win at Cannes. Even for the darn AI model that’s planning to take our jobs. And that’s what makes it so intoxicating.