As the international festival of creativity, Cannes Lions, launches its communications campaign for 2016, the official representative in Nigeria, CHINI Productions, has also rolled out plans for the pre Cannes local events in Nigeria. The Cannes Lions festival communications themed “Thank You Creativity”, is a one week event where the worlds bests in marketing communications will convergence in Paris to compete in advertising, public relations, films, designs, prints, cyber and media categories and other side attractions. Managing Director of CHINI Productions and Cannes Lions representative in Nigeria, Mr. Nnamdi Ndu, while briefing the media on activities lined up for the mini festival in Nigeria said it include the Roger Hatchuel Academy competition, the Young Lions competitions, the Miami Ad School Scholarship competitions, the Lions Edit and the Lions Award Night.
These activities, he said, are scheduled to take place in the month of April, two months before the global festival in Paris in June begins. He also said entries for the Roger Hatchuel Academy, the Young Lions and the Miami Ad School Scholarship competitions are already open for participants.
Ndu explained further that the Roger Hatchuel Academy is the oldest academy in Cannes Lions, named after the first festival chairman. Roger Hatchuel He said the academy is a high profile intensive training for students in the university who intend to work in advertising on graduation, noting that CHINI Productions has been partnering with the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria, APCON, for the past nine years to promote the programme in Nigeria. “This year again, the programme will see talented students gather from campuses around Nigeria to learn from leading professionals in Lagos and visit organisations in the industry during their 3-day intensive residential programme.
He also disclosed that companies such as Noah’s Ark Communications and STB McCann have already indicated interest to host the students. Explaining further, Ndu said, the Roger Hatchuel Academy Awards categories this year will feature the best teacher and best school awards. “The best academy student as usual will be sponsored to attend the international academy in Cannes and the first runner-up will be sponsored to attend a sister regional festival, the Dubai Lynx. Speaking on the ‘Young Lions Competitions’, which will hold in Film, Design, Print, Cyber and Media categories, he said the competitions are meant for young professionals of 30 years and below working in agencies in Nigeria. “The winners from each category will represent Nigeria in their respective catego- Cannes Lions ries at the international competitions during the Cannes Lions Festival in Paris.”
Besides, this year, he said CHINI is also partnering with Miami Ad School to offer talented Nigerian creatives scholarships to study at Miami Ad Schools around the world for the certificate, first degree and master’s degree programmes respectively. He said it is the sixth consecutive year of the scholarship programme, adding that earlier beneficiaries are already contributing to the industry both locally and internationally.
However, Ndu disclosed a new introduction to the local offering of the pre Cannes programmes, the Lions Edit. “This is a platform offered to agencies, digital companies, production outfits and brands to connect their practice to the creativity essence of Cannes Lions to make top notch presentations that will educate, inspire, enrich and grow the industry. Several companies have already indicated interest to be part of this. “Special roles are expected to be played by communications experts in health, technology as well as Nollywood and music in line with the new specialized festival extensions in Cannes – Lions Health, Lions Innovation and Lions entertainment. The Managing Director of CHINI Productions said for many in the industry, this is as close as they can get to Cannes Lions.
“This is our own creative carnival! There is no reason in the world why any major brand or agency in Nigeria should not be at the forefront of this. More than ever before, we need creative solutions to get out of the present challenges we find ourselves in as a nation. Here is an open invitation for all hands to come on deck. If we don’t build our industry, no one else will.” He said all the pre Cannes Lions national activities for Nigeria will come to a head at the Lions Night & Awards in April 2016 at the MUSON Centre Onikan, Lagos. “This event will feature a colourful graduation ceremony of the Roger Hatchuel Academy, the Roger Hatchuel Academy Awards, the Young Lions Awards, the Miami Ad School Scholarship Awards and other exciting activities.