Kate Stanners: "I want to find work that brings real joy"

Kate Stanners, Saatchi & Saatchi's chairwoman and global chief creative officer, has pioneered many things. Of course, the most obvious is that she was made a global chief creative officer when women in that position are rarer than hen's teeth.

Her 20 years at Saatchi & Saatchi - she joined as ECD of its London office - have seen her harness the power of creativity, and drive the agency’s spirit of 'Nothing Is Impossible' to deliver successful client outcomes and revolutionise their businesses. She oversees the network's creative talent, as well as its output and global client roster that includes Visa, UBS, Beiersdorf and Deutsche Telekom.

She also has an entrepreneurial zeal - Stanners was a founder of comms agency Boy Meets Girl and was one of the founding partners of St Luke's. In 2019, Stanners became president of D&AD.

She's not only seen it all - she's been involved in quite a lot of it too. Stanners is the jury president at this year's Cannes Lions festival (an honour that she has been afforded before), this time in the Film category.

We sat down with her to talk about what she's hoping to see from this year's entries, how to successfully chair a judging panel, and what she thinks of the standard of global creativity.

Creative Salon: What are your expectations about being jury president this year? Is there anything you’re particularly excited about?

Kate Stanners: I’ve been jury president before but never for film, so that makes it quite special. I’ve sat on the film jury a couple of times, and actually, the first time I ever went to Cannes was straight in on the film jury. It was my first experience of anything Cannes-related and definitely a baptism of fire. That was 20 years ago. I’d just joined Saatchis, so coming back now as President feels like a bit of an anniversary.

Back then, there were 21 jurors, and we were locked in a room for eight days - sometimes until one in the morning. It was pretty intense - there was no prejudging, and it’s still one of the chunkiest categories. As Cannes [Lions] keeps reminding me, it’s the oldest one, something like 78 years old, so no pressure!

What's interesting about it is the death toll of film has been rung a million times in the last 10 years, and obviously, film has emerged as the primary way we communicate it. Whether that’s two seconds on Instagram or TikTok, or whether it is much longer formats - 20 minutes, 30 minutes online - it's becoming even richer and powerful, and used more than ever, and is much more diverse. 

I have the expectation of recognising the diversity of film. I've been going back through a lot of the past, the most recent winners, reminding myself of the work, and in the end, it’s the stuff you remember that stands out. 

CS: Having been both a jury president and jury member in the past, what about the process do you most enjoy and look forward to diving into again this year?

KS: It’s one of those real privileges - being with other creatives and getting the chance to almost go back to school. It feels like being back at college. There’s nothing better than sitting around and talking about amazing work.

And sadly, why does that feel so amazing? Because we don’t do it enough in our day jobs.

The joy of being surrounded by people you really respect, people with different perspectives, is just incredible. That’s something I particularly enjoy. My day job is global, so I get to work with people from all over the world and I love that. People bring such different experiences and viewpoints.

That’s what’s so great about the jury: really different voices and ways of seeing things. And part of the job of president, I think, is making sure those voices are heard and that people feel comfortable speaking up.

CS: What makes a strong Jury President? What kind of characteristics are needed to ensure that diversity of opinion is truly heard and catered for?

KS: It comes down to emotional intelligence and, perhaps surprisingly, no ego, which is odd because people are often picked for these roles because of their careers and strong personalities. And of course, we all have an ego. The industry encourages it, and it’s not necessarily a bad thing, but in this context, it’s not about you. It’s about everyone else in the room.

As a jury president, you need to be present but in many ways also invisible. It’s really about listening. Proper listening. And that can be exhausting - especially for people like us, who are usually more comfortable being on broadcast.

Allowing the conversation to play out but also knowing when you need to just try and refocus it without steering it to a particular direction without an agenda. When you're a president, you come in just as you are. Not your agency, not your network, not your country, not your gender. You have to be you. 

CS: Within what you’ll be judging this year, what are you really hoping to see from the entrants? What’s the key thing you’ll be looking for from a winner?

KS: I’d love us to come out with a real celebration of the power of film. I’ve been going back through past winners, and the best ones always remind you why we use this medium in the first place.

With so many ways to communicate now, the question becomes: what is film really for? What’s the best use of it in its entirety? Is it about telling an emotional story? Is it about pulling together lots of strands from a broader campaign into one singular, representational narrative? I think great film can do all of that. It’s such an essential part of our armory as communicators, and I want us to celebrate that.

And then, honestly, I also want us to find work that brings real joy. I’d love to see a spectrum of work that shows all the different ways film can be used. That might mean something high-end with incredible production values or something much cheaper where the idea shines through so clearly that it doesn’t need anything else.

The Holy Grail is when an idea and its execution are completely intertwined - but sometimes the execution is the idea. That’s why it’s such a hard category to judge.

What I don’t want is for people to get hung up on category boundaries - whether something belongs in online or film or wherever. I’d love for all of that to fall away so we can just say: that is great work.

CS: With the best submissions you’ve seen over the years that really stood out? And what advice would you give to anyone trying to win over a jury with their submission?

KS: What I find really interesting - and honestly one of the joys of judging film - is that there are no case studies. Hallelujah, right?

Every other category relies on a case study, and the thing is, case studies can make almost anything look amazing. They’re all cut from the same cloth, and after a while you get case study fatigue. You have to strip away the hype to figure out what’s actually there. With film, what you see is what you get. You might groan when you see something’s five hours long, but you’re judging the work as it is. That’s incredibly refreshing.

If you’ve made a film, your best chance is to let it speak for itself  but be honest with yourself - don’t enter something unless you truly believe it has a shot. We all make a lot of work and not all of it is award-worthy. That’s fine. Don’t enter it just because you can.

I’m quite pragmatic about it. I tell our creative directors [at Saatchi & Saatchi] that we make great work that works. That’s what I care about. If over the course of the year we’ve made something that fits the mould of award-winning work, and we all know what that looks like, then yes, it deserves the chance to be seen on a global stage.

It doesn’t mean other work is lesser. It’s just that not everything will cut through at Cannes. So my advice is: be honest about what your work is and if you’re entering a case study-based category, keep it short, even though that’s one of the hardest things to do: being concise. However, the jury will thank you.

CS: Looking at the global creative landscape today, how would you describe it? And how does it compare to, say, five years ago?

KS: I think even in the last six months, the world has shifted quite a bit. We’re at a point where creativity has become more vital than ever.

I’ve always believed that creativity in all its forms will be the superpower of the future. We’re just one part of that creative landscape. The world needs creativity, creative minds across every field. Whether it’s on boards, in political discussions, or beyond the political sphere, creativity offers an alternative perspective. It challenges ideas, makes leaps, and brings new ways of thinking.

That said, the landscape has become more cautious. There’s a strong focus on efficiency and delivering at scale. Production is being squeezed, and much of the technology that drives that efficiency has its limits.

CS: Have there been any particular trends you've seen globally that give you hope for the future of creativity?

KS: One thing I’m really noticing is that creativity thrives during these collective moments, the shared experiences that unite people across regions. Whether it’s the Super Bowl in the US, Christmas campaigns in the UK, Chinese New Year in China, or even Ramadan - these events are when creativity is truly unleashed.

What gives me hope is the ability to create more of those moments. Entertainment is now so personal, streamed on small screens, often consumed one-on-one. So, creating something that feels like a collective ‘water cooler moment’ is more important than ever.

For instance, one of my favorite pieces in recent years was the Orange Women’s Football campaign. It was a perfect example of breaking through. It wasn’t something I saw first in an advertising forum - I saw it on my phone after I’d been sent it by my son. I knew the team behind it and I just thought, ‘Yes, more of this.’

It had purpose, it was joyful, and it was executed with a light touch. It wasn’t heavy-handed. It was entertaining in a way that made you want to engage with it, and it sparked ongoing conversations. That’s what I mean by creating your own ‘water cooler moment’. 

We’re seeing the same thing with TV series like 'Adolescence', which had a huge cultural impact. Long-form content, when done right, can spark these extended conversations and be consumed in a very different way than traditional ads.

CS: Is there something you’d like to see more of in the future that you’re not seeing enough of right now?

KS: I think we’re a bit old-fashioned, but I’d love to see more integrated campaigns. One example we’re really proud of at Saatchi & Saatchi is the Waitrose Christmas campaign. Its power came from how it worked as a complete ecosystem. Some of my favourite parts were the social pieces - they really brought everything together.

And, of course, the CeraVe campaign is another standout. It capitalised on the Super Bowl as a cultural moment, but it didn’t stop there. The content built up to that moment, and it created its own ongoing conversation.

CS: In the past year, what are some highlights of the work Saatchi & Saatchi has put out globally?

KS: There’s some fantastic work across the board. One of my favourites is the work we’ve done for Tide in New York - year in, year out, it consistently impresses. This year, there was a standout piece in partnership with Marvel - it’s hilarious, very clever and really works.

I’m also a huge fan of our EE work. The collective body of that work is just brilliant. It might be very British in tone, so I’m not sure how it will land internationally in awards, but I’m incredibly proud of it.

In the UK, I loved what we did with Waitrose, and the John Lewis campaign with the anthem was another highlight. The film told only part of the story, and the real magic came from the soundtrack, which turned it into an X-Factor moment.

Another piece I love is from New Zealand for Toyota. It’s a 3.5-ton headline - a massive metal headline that weighs the same as the Hilux truck can pull. It’s one of those ideas that just makes you go, ‘Why has no one done that before?’ It’s simple, but genius.

CS: Cannes Lions recently released its ‘State of Creativity’ report, and one of the key findings was that only 13 per cent of businesses feel they can take bold, risky creative decisions. What are your thoughts on this, and what can agencies do to help shift that mindset in the industry?

KS: It's really interesting because I don’t fully understand what qualifies as ‘risky’ creativity. For me, creativity itself - standing out, doing something that resonates with people - is not risky. The risk is not doing that. 

One thing I’ve noticed is that, as creatives, we sometimes talk about ‘brave work’ when we work with clients. I think that term can be intimidating for clients. The reality is it’s not about being brave, it’s about doing work that will actually work. It’s about creating something that people will engage with and respond to.

We probably don’t help ourselves when we frame it in terms of ‘bravery’. There’s a lot to unpack. What is actually risky? Is it looking like everyone else? Following the conventional path? 

Social media has created a space where feedback and conversation are inevitable, and I think that makes some clients nervous. They become risk-averse because they're worried about how they’ll be perceived in a forum that’s so open to critique.

Let’s be honest - clients are under huge pressure. They have financial concerns, they’re working within businesses with many challenges, and the economy has been difficult to navigate, especially with recent global discussions around tariffs. But this is where creativity can help. We need to use creative thinking to address these challenges. Maybe not following the same path as before - the tried and tested approach might be exactly what’s needed. This is a great opportunity to test, learn, and try new things.

CS: Karen Martin has begun her reign as IPA president with an agenda focusing on embracing creativity and returning to the basics of being creative. What are your thoughts on that? Why is it more important now than ever?

KS: First of all, I think Karen's message is wonderful and I love the way she expressed it. The IPA has often been a place where creativity and the creative side of the business have been somewhat excluded. We may have ourselves to blame for that to some extent but I also think that as creatives we’ve sometimes excluded the business side from our view of creativity. We need to remember that we are one business, and I 100 per cent recognise the importance of being more vocal about the power that creativity can bring to the table.

This idea of ‘craft’ is so crucial. When you look at films that are meticulously crafted - like the EE films, for example - people respond to that. It’s the casting, the music, the attention to detail. Humans have a visceral response to that kind of craft. Putting human emotion and idiosyncrasies into the craft of what we do has a powerful impact. Unfortunately, this kind of creative craft has been stripped away in favor of expediency and efficiency, and I think that’s one of the biggest challenges we face today.

Now, when you think about AI and how it can produce something that’s good, it makes you question the value of true creativity. AI can do the basics but the work that really stands out - the work that connects humans to humans in a meaningful way is something that can’t be replicated by a machine. For me, what Karen is saying is spot-on. It’s about bringing back that emotional, human-centered creative work.

In many ways, our industry has become overly policed by research, data, cost concerns, and implementation deadlines. We’ve allowed these things to strip away the empathy and emotion that is the core of what we do. The small, human touches - whether it’s a perfect piece of writing, a brilliantly crafted ad, or an unexpected moment in a campaign are what people remember. Those are the things that last, the things that leave an imprint on our minds for years to come.

I don’t believe a machine can replicate that kind of craft, especially in areas like comedy writing. There’s an art to it that goes beyond formulas.

For me, everything Karen said really resonates. I am a huge fan of her statement, and I think it’s something we all need to remember: what we do is incredibly powerful, and we shouldn’t diminish its value. The industry has struggled with this for years, and unfortunately, we often find ourselves valuing our work based on timesheets and cost menus, which doesn't reflect the true worth of what we create. Creativity is something that should be celebrated, and we need to remind ourselves of that.

Stay tuned to find out what else has entered this year's awards throughout the week and keep up to date with our Cannes Lions 2025 coverage.