Tuesday, 17 June 2014

croisette and cocktails - a foodie based post from Cannes

As McCann left... in came the Gunners.


We began with a reunion lunch, all sat round the table catching up, chatting and some meeting for the first time. The team flew in from all over the world and Maria and her team utterly spoilt us with a gorgeous sit down meal to kick off our Cannes.

We started with a white and green asparagus, wild mushroom, parmesan and white balsamic salad and BBQ flat peaches with prosciutto, pecorino fresco, truffle and honey.


The main course was incredible - radicchio and strawberry risotto with balsamic oil. The dessert stole the show and was perfect on a hot, sunny day in Cannes - avocado sorbet with chocolate and coffee ganache, coffee jelly, cocoa soil and chocolate popping candy. YUM.

Lunch finished and we started getting ready for our first big dinner. The tables were set for 40 fabulous dinner guests and the evening kicked off with mojitos and some great music from Massive Music.




The lovely Laura Jordan-Bambach President of D&AD with Kelly and Janene from Great Guns enjoying the last of the sunshine. 



Some happy Gunners girls!


Great Guns Director Karel Van Bellingen and Bonnie Reilly of Vaudeville


Kat Friis - Producer at RGA LA


Britt Nolan from Leo Burnett Chicago


Bonnie & Nick 


Scott North and Stephen Clark from Leo Burnett Chicago 


Great Guns director Remo Camerota and Laura Jordan-Bambach

Great Guns Director Olivier Venturini 


Pete & David our amazing get-it-doners 


Al Moseley from 180Amsterdam 


Janene Fitzgerald our EP in Shanghai 


Dinner was delicious. We were treated to a selection of salads & huge platters of pulled pork wraps. 


A totally gorgeous evening spent in amazing company. Looking forward to doing it all again tonight! 

Another foodie related post up tomorrow on day 2 at La Maison Bouffe - so check back soon..  Until then we're off to enjoy another glass of rosé...



The Gunners x





Sunday, 15 June 2014

#McCannesHealth & the first ever Lions Health Awards

You may or may not have seen our blog posts on last year in Cannes with McCann Health and the launch of the Health Lions... If you haven't you can read all about how it started here: 


and here: 


We collaborated with McCann Health for the second year running and the outcome was incredible. Continue reading to see just how McCann Health spent their Lions Health

The McCann Health Balcony on the Croisette 

Our work with McCann Health for Cannes started when Jeremy Perrot, President of the Pharma Jury at the inaugural Cannes Health Lions and ringmaster of the 2nd McCann Health Balcony lunch and dinner debates gave us a brief to find a speaker for the closing session of Lions Health talks, as well as finding a presenter to open the awards ceremony itself. 

The Pharma Jury and Jeremy Perrot - The Pharma President and Global Creative Director of McCann Health
read his interview on the Lions Health page HERE
We agreed on Game of Thrones Director David Nutter -  he spoke about what is means to 'Fight For Your Creative Life' in his world and how it related to the world of Health as briefed by Jeremy. 

David Nutter being interviewed by Ellie Parpis from McCann Health NY on the McCann Health Balcony in Cannes
We were incredibly excited to confirm Francesca Martinez, the hilarious comedian with cerebral palsy as the official presenter to open the first Health Lions awards ceremony. Her set, again briefed by Jeremy, lit up the night with smiles and belly laughs, and included her talking about her new book 'What the F**K is Normal?'. 

Francesca Martinez with Global Chief Executive Office of McCann Health - John Cahill

She segued beautifully into the announcement of a clutch of Gold, Silver and Bronze awards for McCann Health in a fierce battle to showcase the strongest global Health work. The standard was incredible and has paved the was for Health to find its rightful place in one of the most coveted award shows in the world. 

Executive Creative Director June Laffey with McCann Health's GOLD Lion


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While Jeremy was locked away inside the Palais with his Jury, John Cahill led the balcony lunches and dinners down on La Croisette at La Maison Bouffe - McCann Health's pop up restaurant headed up by celebrity chef Maria Elia.  



John introduced the incredible speakers. Her Excellency Toyin Saraki, who spoke about her work in Nigeria and her new role as the Global Goodwill Ambassador for the International Confederation of Midwives.

Kathy Calvin the President and CEO of the United Nations Foundation, who gave a stirring speech on behalf of the partnership the UN Foundation has with McCann health, and the groundbreaking work they have done and are doing together for the UN.

And finally, the incredible young couple Sophia Klumpp and Paul Grinvalds who founded AFRIPADS spoke about why they've lived in Uganda for the last 6 years on a mission to provide Menstrual Kits for young girls so they can go to school. They were inspiring and proud to tell the audience they were about to open their first factory in Uganda. Their talk made us all feel like we could do a little more... So if you know anyone with some old pedal sewing machines, let us know... they need them!

Sophia Klumpp & Paul Grinvalds from AFRIPADS
McCann Health with H.E. Toyin Saraki and Kathy Calvin outside the Palais, Sophia and Paul from AFRIPADS speaking over the McCann Health Lunch and a Tuna Niçoise Salad from Maria Elia's 'La Maison Bouffe'. 
After lunch, H.E. Toyin Saraki, Kathy Calvin and Derk Hendriksen, GM of EKOCENTER at The Coca-Cola Company joined McCann Healh and the UNF Panel to discuss Empowering Health Consumers: Driving Progress for Global Health Goals.





All this was put into place by Jeremy Perrot and John Cahill to challenge and entertain the delegates. They were the talk of the town!

After a packed day at the Palais, guests were invited back to the McCanns Health Balcony for an 'Incredible Sharing Dinner' at La Maison Bouffe. People started to arrive and were met with grapefruit cocktails and bacon popcorn, before sitting down to plates of salads, followed by paprika chicken in a tomato and peach sauce, which was topped off with a cardamom and orange blossom rice pudding with pistachios and fairy floss.






It was an incredible evening with wonderful friends from around the world.



The McCann Health PR team - Debs Zdobinski, Ellie Parpis, Jeremy Miller and Rahel Rasu, texted, tweeted and filmed all the speakers in and out of the Palais, the juice runs, and the general McCann Health vibe in Cannes. Along with Jeremy and John they brought an awesome show to town. 


Cheers to another amazing, successful few days. We can't wait for next year!


The Gunners x

#cannespopup
@greatgunstv

Friday, 9 May 2014

a great update

Friday has come round again and have we got loads of news for you! 

We've had a busy couple of weeks at Great Guns. The prep for Cannes has well and truly started (a mere 34 days until the GG crew touch down in the French Riviera) we've revamped one of our offices, made a big announcement, launched an exhibition, changed a website... and we're about to tell you all about it! 

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Announcements should come first and ours is a good'un. Jonathon Ker, former Partner and EP at Paydirt has joined the family as Partner and CEO of Great Guns USA. Joining Ker at GG USA will be Executive Producer Annie Hanlon, who's focus will be on digital and new media work. 



Ker and Hanlon will work closely with Laura and her team of Great Guns EP's and Producers in London. 

You can read all about it on LBB: HERE

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With big announcements comes office revamps and the LA office has undergone a beautiful one. The lovely Nanna who transformed our UK office a few years ago jetted out to LA to work her interior design magic. 








Vaudeville's sound suite is up and running after their successful LA launch a few weeks ago.

The revamped space is now effortlessly cool and more like a gorgeous home than an office. Check out the amazing grassy balcony (we even have a BBQ!)


View of our LA home from Soho House LA! 

We're very happy with our LA home! 

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With a new home comes a new look and we've done just that on the Great Guns website. With loads of new features there's lots to see!



Go on... go explore it www.greatguns.com 

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Moving on to events, we've had a few recently. We headed into central last week to watch the launch of the D&AD Next Director Awards. Laura is Foreman on the Jury. 

The event was held at Google just off Tottenham Court Road.




Like all great events it started with canapés and excited chatter. 



Then the speeches got underway and the 2014 jury was introduced by Laura. 




The Next Director Award is a brand new award which aims to expose the best new directorial talent (directors with 2 years or less professional experience). The winner and nominees will get amazing exposure at international screenings, the D&AD platform and YouTube as well as mentoring from top production companies. 

You can still enter your work now if you're interested CLICK HERE

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We ended this week with an event for Timothy Allen at Glassworks in Soho. It was an evening to launch his new exhibition 'Travels Around Our Human Planet'. 



The exhibition features 20 of Tim's favourite prints from his travels around the world. The exhibition will remain in London for a month before traveling to Glassworks in Amsterdam.





2 Timothy Allen fans all the way from St. Albans!


Tim spent a few minutes talking about his favourite prints to a lovely crowd. We then enjoyed nibbles and wine, while admiring the amazing photographs. The evening was a big success and everyone had a great time. 

Don't worry if you missed it as the exhibition will return to London for a closing party towards the end of the summer. Watch this space! 

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No restaurant suggestions this week but we'll come back with a killer one next time... On that note, have a fantastic weekend wherever you are. 

The Gunners x