Creativity is leaving the campaign behind, says Droga5 Japan’s Masaya Asai

In the fast-moving corridors of the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, adobo Magazine Editor-in-Chief Angel Guerrero briefly caught up with Masaya Asai.

It was one of those fleeting Cannes encounters, part hallway exchange, part terrace conversation, just enough time to take the pulse of an industry in flux. 

Between meetings and screenings, Asai reflected on how dramatically the definition of creativity is expanding. 

Asai, who serves as Chief Creative Officer of Droga5 Japan, has been instrumental in shaping its systems-led, innovation-driven approach within Accenture Song. At Cannes, he described a festival where the center of gravity has clearly shifted.

From campaigns to creation

“I’m seeing a lot of work that requires more than advertising or campaigns,” Asai said. “It’s less about amplification now, and more about building.”

Across Cannes this year, that shift is visible in work that behaves less like traditional advertising and more like product or systems innovation.

He pointed to The Lego Group’s Smart Play initiatives as an example of brand-led innovation expanding beyond communication into new product ecosystems.

He also referenced the widely discussed M&M’s work, which moved beyond messaging into deeper operational and supply chain transformation.

The brief has expanded beyond advertising

For Asai, one of the clearest shifts at Cannes 2026 is how far upstream creativity now operates.

Creatives are no longer speaking only to CMOs. “They’re talking to CEOs now. Different departments. Different parts of the company.”

The brief has expanded into product development, business systems, and end-to-end value chain thinking. “The entire value chain of the business,” Asai said, is now within creative scope.

Proof has become part of the idea

Winning at Cannes this year was significantly harder—not only because of competition, but because of the level of proof required.

“The proof of impact was a lot of work,” Asai said. “It’s harder, but it’s a good challenge.”

Creativity is now judged not only on ideas, but on measurable, sustained outcomes.

Beyond the AI hype cycle

“There’s less noise about AI,” he observed. “Maybe because everyone is used to it now.” Instead of hype, the focus has shifted toward application—how technology is embedded into real products, platforms, and systems rather than treated as a standalone narrative.

Influencers as Co-Creators

Asai cited Vaseline’s Singapore work as a standout example, where influencers were not just media channels but contributors to product thinking itself.

“They’re helping shape packaging and framing,” he said. “Not just promoting.”

Influence is becoming upstream—part of how products are conceived, not just sold.

Droga5’s global Cannes footprint

Across the Droga5 network, Cannes 2026 marked another strong showing under Accenture Song.

Droga5 São Paulo earned multiple Lions, including Gold, Silver, and Bronze for “Limpa Nome” for Cif and Serasa, a standout work blending brand experience with real-world financial impact.

Droga5 London picked up a Bronze Lion in Film for “Bring a Book to Life” for Amazon Books, a campaign that transformed reading into immersive, imagination-led storytelling.

Droga5 Tokyo’s “Un(dangered) Vegetables” (Solament) drew attention for turning industrial heat-shielding technology into agricultural innovation to protect Japan’s heirloom crops from climate change.

Droga5 Australia’s “The Ad That Can Only Be Seen on SBS” added another layer to the network’s Cannes presence, marking SBS’s 50th anniversary with a provocative media idea that challenged visibility and format itself.

Creativity is becoming infrastructure

Creativity is no longer confined to campaigns. It is entering systems, supply chains, products, and infrastructure.

And for agencies, that means a fundamental shift in role—from storytellers to builders.

Before heading back into the Cannes crowd, Guerrero thanked Asai for the quick exchange and asked for a photo.

Another fleeting moment in Cannes. Another glimpse of where creativity is heading next.

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