Cannes 2023: Don’t do it because you’re ready

Sitting in the airport, waiting for a delayed flight to Rome, Young Lion 2023 and FCB Aotearoa copywriter Lauren Brokenshire reflects on the whirlwind of emotions and experiences that accompanied her journey representing Aotearoa at the prestigious Young Lions Global Competition in Cannes earlier this month.

Touching down in Cannes, my first thought was “don’t forget that article” and hence began the search for a topic. And by day four, I had nothing. And not because I couldn’t put the festival into words, that’s quite easy really.

Inspiration. Partying. Industry Giants. Rosé. Creativity. Beer. Connection. More Rosé. 

But because there are so many things to write about, it’s overwhelming. But, I’ve never been more happy to be overwhelmed. You’re surrounded by the people you look up to, taking in every different opinion about whether AI will or will not take our jobs (jury is still out on that one), and some of the best work in the world. It wasn’t until I sat down to see Lorne Michaels, Executive Produce of Saturday Night Live talk about how they’ve Shaped Culture for 50 years that anything came to me. 

“We don’t go on because we’re ready. We go on because it’s 11.30.” 

And in that moment I realised, I wasn’t ready to go to Cannes, but I came. You can never be ready to be surrounded by the best creatives in the world. You definitely can’t be ready for them to genuinely give you their time, advice and more importantly, ask for your opinion.

The more I thought about it, I realised the concept of ‘readiness’ is just a barrier. It stops you diving in, exploring and most importantly, learning. Because if you’re ready you settle and if you’re constantly in the pursuit of ‘being ready,’ you’re just delaying the inevitable. Think, if SNL was ‘ready’ to go on every Saturday would they retain the magic that comes from the spontaneity of some of their material? 

They did talk about how the only things they have kept the same over 50 years of being on air, is their core values and goals. And that’s important. Know who you are but be prepared to not be ready for what comes next. It’s the things you’re not ready for, that can make your brand go strength to strength. It’s what might keep your career ‘on air’ for the next 50 years. 

The next time I come back, I won’t be ready. But I’ll be here.

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