A Speech I Haven't Stopped Thinking About

At Cannes Lions, every night ends with an awards show celebrating the winners from different categories. I see it as one of the best ways to understand where our industry is headed. The work that rises to the top says a lot about what we value right now.

Beyond the awards themselves, you also get to hear from the jury presidents. Their perspectives are always interesting. Not just because they unpack why certain work won, but because they're some of the industry's best creative leaders reflecting on where advertising is going.

Then there are the moments where the industry pauses to honor the people who've shaped it.

This year, Susan Credle received the Lion of St. Mark, Cannes Lions' lifetime achievement award, and her acceptance speech has stayed with me after leaving the Palais. That's saying something considering how much information (and this year, blazing hot temperatures) gets thrown at you during Cannes week.

I've always been inspired by Susan Credle. She’s helped women creatives see themselves in leadership roles. I’ve worked at agencies that were shaped by her perspective that great ideas aren't campaigns with an expiration date, they're platforms that evolve. That philosophy came through again in her speech as she talked about the value of building work that lasts instead of constantly chasing what's next.

A few things she said have been bouncing around in my head ever since:

"Fame is fleeting. Our industry moves forward, every generation gets their own heroes. This isn't a sad story because there is something people will remember, and that's the work. The really, really good work."

That struck me because advertising can feel obsessed with the next thing. Careers rise and fall. Agencies get hot and then aren't. But good work endures. Ideas change culture. Maybe that's the whole point. The goal isn't to become unforgettable. It's to make something that is.

"I have left Cannes many years disappointed, but disappointed, that emotion sits right next to grand ambition. We need grand creative ambition more than ever."

I loved the honesty of this. Cannes has a way of making you feel both inspired and inadequate at the same time. You see work that you wish you made. Or you didn’t get the metal for the campaign you obsessed over for the last year or two. But this sentiment inspired me to talk to my team about using any disappointment they may feel as fuel to create the next extraordinary campaign. 

"At the end of your career, what did you make besides money? That answer may just determine your happiness when you look back."

This one hit the hardest.

I've been thinking a lot lately about how things can change so quickly. Trends change. Social posts live for a day. Brands are caught in a cycle of producing what Susan has called "advertising pollution": endless content that's fast, cheap, and instantly forgettable.

But her question reframes success entirely. What did you build? What did you change? What ideas lasted? What people did you mentor? What brands were better because you touched them? Those are the things that outlive metrics or award counts.

Maybe that's why her speech has stayed with me, even after a week overloaded with inspiration. It wasn't really about advertising. It was about legacy. And in an industry built around what's next, having the conviction to create work that really stands for something and outlasts the moment is the kind of advertising, and the kind of career, I want to be a part of.

Klick Health is the world’s largest independent commercialization partner for life sciences and a leading full-service pharma marketing partner, serving as agency of record for leading pharma, biotech, and healthcare brands. Klick’s specialized offerings are rooted in deep medical and scientific understanding, including market insights, award-winning creative, and proprietary AI and data models to craft impactful brand narratives and seamless customer journeys. Backed by nearly 250 medical experts and advanced healthcare analytics, Klick delivers integrated marketing strategy and communications, from new product launch strategy to MLR review with real-world evidence, helping brands thrive in today’s complex healthcare landscape. Learn more at Klick.com.