Monday morning, back to the Marina for a run and some stretch and I was ready to go. Decided to spend the day again in Seminars, but today I picked the ones that mattered to me. I was beginning to get the hang of how to get the best from the festival – spread yourself across a range of activities.
Day II highlight sessions for me were the PWC media and entertainment outlook till 2013 (www.pwc.com/outlook). The personality of the day was Biz Stone (the co-founder of twitter)who did a live tweet-up with the audience.
Title: Biz Stone, The Co-founder of Twitter
PWC conducts a global media and entertainment outlook survey and they shared their findings for the five year outlook till 2013 at the festival. Their research showed that the total global advertising spends in 2013 will be 13.3% lower than 08 whilst the digital would increase from 21% to 31%! Click to Read More
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For me, a first time participant to the festival, it was both about learning and taking in the environment at the same time. So whilst I absorbed the sessions, I also took time to experience the Cannes Riviera a bit by finding some nice cafes for lunch and dinner.
Title: The Cannes Beach
Title: The Cannes Marina
Title: Palais de Festival
Woke up nice and early and went for a 5km run along the shoreline and a short swim in the hotel pool. A hearty breakfast followed and the day got going. The festival kicked off Sunday morning in right earnest. In keeping with what seems to be the festival theme - digital is everything - the seminars of that day were about engaging the consumers of the digital age. Speakers Click to Read More
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I arrived in Cannes for the 56th International Advertising Festival being held here from 21-27 June, 2009. (www.canneslions.com). I arrived a day before the beginning of the festival. An early arrival gave a good half day to get settled in to my hotel and check out the local sights and sounds. My hotel, a small boutique called 3.14 is just off the Marina and a 10 minute walk to the festival venue, Palais des festivals, on the Croisette, one of the prettiest Marinas that I have seen. This will certainly be a place to come for a vacation with the family.
I decided to walk to the venue and to register. Very smoothly done in 5 minutes and I got this bag full of goodies and promotional material of almost anybody who was somebody and holding a session in the festival. Most of it was ‘mark the date and time’ to ensure you didn’t get lost in the range of seminars, workshops, master classes, screenings, etc., etc. All very nicely done Click to Read More
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Since the last post on the subject of Racial Attacks on Indian Students a few weeks ago, I have read and watched several news reports across a range of newspapers and news channels (News reports from ibnlive, ndtv, ToI), quoting Australian politicos and officials make the ‘right noises’ on racial intolerance and protecting Indian students. Meanwhile, we kept getting more news on students being targeted, students forming vigilante squads and local Indian citizens forming support groups.
Somehow I failed to find a single report on apprehending the culprits and locking them away! Instead, I saw demonstrating Click to Read More
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Will tough talk be sufficient?
Friday evening, I saw in horror as a leading news channel (www.ibnlive.com) carry the story of racially motivated attacks against 4 Indian students in the last few days with 2 struggling for life. According to the news report, at least 70 students have been targets of racial attacks in the last 12 months alone!
Whilst, these actions do not reflect Australians in general and I have heard, seen and experienced their warmth, openness and friendship, actions of a few misguided individuals have to be condemned in the strongest possible manner. These bigots have to be apprehended, locked and the keys thrown away!
Sensing the public anguish, Dr. Manmohan Singh spoke to his Aussie counterpart besides summoning the Australian High Commissioner to the MEA to register our anguish. Stung by the tough talk, ‘racism intolerance’ motive was finally acknowledged by the Aussie Govt after being in denial. It has now assured strictest possible action against those Click to Read More
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