Last night was a late one. We were out past 2 a.m. and discovered the infamous Gutter Bar here at Cannes. As noobs to the scene we were walking around looking for a sign for The Gutter Bar, which we heard was THE late- night scene. Our President, Jay, finally asked someone and we discovered we were standing in it. The Gutter Bar opens when the bars around the Hotel Martinez overflow their banks and spill drinkers into the streets. Now you know.

I’m actually embarrassed to even say how late I slept in, but we did manage to get our butts back into the ad fest before noon. My highlight of the day was a session by Coca-Cola and Wieden+Kennedy focused on the art of storytelling and the story of its “Happiness Factory“. Ivan Wicksteed, Global Creative Director of Coca-Cola, shed light on how the company turned a 30-second ad into a marketing platform that is expected to last for 30 years. Now that’s something gutsy to put in your creative brief.

Wicksteed spent time teaching the audience about what makes a good story. Stories need to be timeless, reveal deep characters, have multiple access points, and show us the truth. Further, he spoke about why storytelling should be embraced by brands. He used the rapidly spreading phrase: “It’s not what they buy, it’s what they buy into,” and he spoke about the enduring success of the Coke Santa and Polar Bears, which have lasted 70 years and 30 years, respectively, because they hold storytelling elements.

The Happiness Factory ad was the best tested ad in Coke’s history and has enjoyed more than 100 million views since December 2007. Why? Because it created a meaningful experience for the viewer. Especially when they chose to view it online, or were ready for a movie-like experience at the theater, people laughed, smiled, and developed a closer connection to the brand. Laughs or smiles is really a higher-level benefit that the Coca-Cola product itself aims for. It’s syrup-water, after all, so the brand must deliver something more.

Wicksteed ended his session by promising that much more was to come from the Happiness Factory. He is setting the next stage of its development with a challenge to “become income generating at some point… if people will pay to enter it, you’ve got a pretty good story.” His team is looking at feature-length films, merchandising, and video games, for example. Bottom line: Marketing that people are willing to pay for is another good test for meaning.

Bonus insight: New Directors Shine

We also caught the last half of The New Director’s Showcase, hosted by Saatchi & Saatchi. I really wish I had gotten there a few minutes earlier for the entire show. It spotlighted short films (mostly non-commercials) by several up-and-coming directors. One of my favorites is below. It left me wondering, though, why we don’t have an economy where this kind of talent can make a living just making art – rather than having to find ways to merge an advertisement into it….