Unilever's global CMO Priya Nair: Entertainment and advertising working side by side

Priya Nair, Global CMO, Beauty & Wellbeing at global FMCG juggernaut Unilever, gives her quick take on the campaigns and trends that stood out at the recently concluded Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity. She shared her views on Unilever's blog. Read the extract here.

What’s the best thing about the festival?

The incredible diversity of work that was in the mix for the Health & Wellness Lions. The category covered work from make-up to pharma products from all mediums and channels and that was inspiring to see.

What trends/changes in creative approach stood out this year?

Entertainment and advertising working side by side, ensuring that people want to watch adverts that they might otherwise by likely to skip.

What trends will shape marketing in the year ahead?

Increasingly, we will see brands using the latest tech to move diversity and inclusion forward in product offerings. The See My Skin campaign from Vaseline is one example of how to address the lack of diversity in images that dermatologists use for diagnoses. It’s just one example of how smart tech combined with great creative can drive positive outcomes for different groups.

What’s your key takeaway from this year?

Marketing has made good progress in terms of diversity and inclusion, but it’s still a work in progress. Engagement can help us understand unmet needs from communities we are looking to reach, but brands need to make sure they incorporate those insights in an authentic way.