Indian Railways “Lucky Yatra” at Cannes Lions #FeelingFriday

Here’s what I’m packing in my suitcase back from Cannes …

I’m noticing a very consistent trend at the Cannes Lions awards this year … simplicity. The winning ideas are SO simple. So simple that I want to kick myself as I say, “why didn’t I think of that!”

The consistent trend is so clear that I am clearly going to go back to my teams and remind us all to keep our ideation simple. We tend to think that we have to have these big complex ideas to breakthrough the clutter.

No. Simple.

Sometimes all it takes is a simple idea, solving a clear problem with a very simple execution to break through a very complex issue.

Case in point from this Gold Lions winner this year … Indian Railways. A huge percentage of their ridership does not pay for their tickets. They jump the turnstiles as we say in New York. That’s exhibit A.

Exhibit B is we have a culture in India that is obsessed with lottery tickets. They gobble them up in the hopes that they will be a winning millionaire, buying a ticket every day.

There in lies the simple idea … make every train ticket an automatic lottery ticket. Suddenly everyone is now buying their train ticket instead of jumping the turnstile. Bam!

Sheer brilliance. I’ve been talking about it all week, even to my non-industry friends who just smile (maybe they are just humoring me, like they always do gotta love them).

Oh, and by the way, incredible news stories every time one of the train riders wins the lottery which just fuels the ticket buying frenzy every single day. A self-fulling marketing engine at work on the Indian Railways.

Ah, I just love it when it all comes together.

I’m packing in my suitcase home a reminder to keep the ideas simple and focused … and solve a problem every time you can. Bam.

What are you packing in your suitcase home? What’s your experience? JIM