Close-Up: Live issue - Have the UK's creatives lost the plot?

After an underwhelming showing for the UK at Cannes, Campaign asked three global creatives to explain the issues around the UK's performance - and found mixed messages of gloom and hope.

In its recent showing at Cannes, the UK effort resembled our standard Olympic performance: individual flare followed by the inevitable overall disappointment. The following points apply to no particular agency or network. They come from five years' working as a creative director across 40 countries, many responsible for breaking the old transatlantic dominance of the awards shows.

Brainstorms The UK is the tectonic epicentre of brainstorming. While they can make clients feel like Leonardo da Vinci for an afternoon, the 'creative workshop' often serves only to work over a great creative idea until it's pulped. Too often, promising thinking is hijacked by folk with little intuition for what engages customers.

London-centricity New York has Chicago, Barcelona has Madrid, Frankfurt has Dusseldorf. Regional diversity provides competition and a sense of creative identity. With a few notable exceptions, London's domination of the UK scene contributes to a more inwardly focused mono-culture.

Puns The good news is that the UK still leads the worldwide wordplay league. Trouble is, we're the only player. If the UK stopped punning, we would win more awards. Leave it to the tabloid sub-editors.

Tunnel vision In most other countries, advertising is celebrated as a vital dynamic in popular culture. Supported by agencies, creatives take passionate interest in literature, film, music and art. In the UK, there has been a tendency towards 'ads for ads' sake'. Recent grassroots initiatives like Short and Sweet for budding film-makers in advertising and beyond could provide a much-needed catalyst.

Poor training Agencies must shoulder some of the blame, but why do so many clients find it hard to evaluate an idea against a brief? More critically, how many have the confidence to go off-brief with an idea that redefines the whole challenge? (For answer, see next ...)