e4m@Cannes:  Cannes isn’t the only measure of success: Dentsu’s Abbey Klaassen

As Cannes Lions 2025 kicks off, Abbey Klaassen, Global Brand President, Dentsu Creative, shares a timely and insightful look into the agency’s ongoing evolution structurally, creatively, and strategically.

In this candid conversation, Klaassen unpacks why Dentsu Creative India is revisiting its brand architecture after previously consolidating under a single banner, and how the agency strikes a balance between global consistency and local nuance. She also reflects on what the future of creativity might look like in an AI-augmented world.

From the unique dynamics of the Indian market to the lessons since Dentsu Creative India’s historic Cannes Lions Agency of the Year win in 2022, Klaassen emphasizes that creative effectiveness, not just accolades, remains the ultimate goal.

She weighs in on the growing tension between viral content and long-term brand building, the true cost of uninspired advertising, and the non-negotiable role of strategy in shaping meaningful work.

Excerpts from the conversation:

Over the past few years, Dentsu Creative has acquired multiple agencies, subsequently integrating them under a unified banner, and is now reintroducing names such as Dentsu Creative Webchutney and Isobar. What has prompted this shift in strategic direction, and why are these structural decisions being revisited so soon?

We have a strong presence in India, and globally, our focus has been on unifying into a single, cohesive agency network. In many markets, we’ve brought together our various creative brands, each with deep expertise in its niche, under one organization, one P&L, and one global brand: Dentsu Creative.

This integration allows us to serve as a modern, future-facing partner to marketers with increasingly diverse and evolving needs. That said, every market has its nuances. In India, while we’ve retained a few sub-brands, they all operate under the shared philosophy of Dentsu Creative, anchored in transformative creativity that drives real impact.

This hybrid model enables us to present a unified global identity to international clients while still offering the local depth and agility required to succeed in a complex and dynamic market like India.

In the context of India specifically, is the decision to retain sub-brands driven by the challenge of servicing competing clients under a single agency structure? Are clients actively seeking this kind of separation to ensure confidentiality and dedicated focus?

In our industry, there is often a debate about whether clients prefer consolidation or specialisation. The reality is that clients are a diverse group with varying needs, some seek fully integrated solutions, while others prioritize deep, specialised expertise.

Our role is to offer consistency in the areas that matter universally, such as creative excellence, craftsmanship, and shared values, while maintaining the flexibility to adapt to specific client requirements. This balance is at the core of how we operate, both globally and within the Indian market.

Dentsu Creative India made history in 2022 by winning Cannes Agency of the Year, but momentum seems to have dipped since. What changed, and could 2024 mark a comeback?

Let me begin by addressing this from a broader industry perspective. At Cannes, each year plays out differently. Sometimes, a particular market or agency stands out because of one or two campaigns that capture the jury’s imagination. That’s simply the nature of how awards work.

However, Cannes isn’t the only or even primary measure of our success. For us, the true metric is the impact we deliver for our clients. That said, I feel genuinely optimistic about this year’s entries. I love the Hug of Life campaign by SBI India which is a beautifully simple yet powerful idea. Garuda Rakshak for DSP Mutual Funds is another standout campaign.

On the global front, we’re especially proud of Japan’s ‘SATO 253’1, the work coming out of Canada, and campaigns from the U.S. like Crayola’s Color the World and the Nutter Butter piece.

What I’m most proud of, though, is the sheer diversity in our portfolio. We’re not a one-style network. Whether it’s physical product innovation, influencer-driven content, social-first ideas, or traditional film, our work demonstrates the many dynamic ways we show up for clients around the world.

As some agencies chase virality through celebrity-led content in India, often at the cost of strategy, do you believe brands can sustain long-term success without a strong strategic foundation?

I'm a firm believer in the power of strategy. Yes, virality can occur without it, but to what purpose? Strategy is the compass that ensures any success is directed toward something meaningful. You can move quickly, but if you're headed in the wrong direction, speed becomes irrelevant.

A strong strategic foundation ensures that your message aligns with your brand’s purpose and long-term goals. Without it, you may capture attention, but you risk missing out on affinity, relevance, and lasting impact.

You've previously spoken about the concept of the "dull trap", how uninspired advertising can cost brands more. Could you elaborate on that insight and what it means for creative effectiveness today?

Yes, the Cost of Dull study was featured at Cannes last year and conducted by a consortium including WARC, System1, and others, who analysed advertising effectiveness data from the UK. The findings were striking: ads that were considered creatively engaging significantly outperformed their dull counterparts.

The research showed that uninspired advertising requires 24% more media spend to achieve the same results as high-quality, engaging creative. So, investing in strong creativity isn’t just about making better ads; it’s more efficient and cost-effective.

At Dentsu Creative, we tackle this in three ways:

• Courage – to push boundaries and pursue unconventional ideas.
  
  
• Clear strategy – to ensure the creative is always aligned with the brand’s objectives.
  
  
• Craft and personalization – to make the work resonate deeply with the audience.
  
  

In short, bold creativity doesn’t just cut through, it delivers better returns.

How do you see the relationship between AI and creative teams evolving over the next 2–3 years? Additionally, what ethical considerations are top of mind as AI becomes more integrated into the creative process?

Two contrasting narratives are emerging. On one hand, some platforms suggest that creativity can be fully automated. Facebook once claimed they could solve brand challenges with zero creative input, and Sam Altman predicted that 95% of advertising could soon be AI-driven.

On the other hand, we’re seeing a resurgence of high-craft, human-made work that commands attention and earns a premium.

Our belief lies somewhere in between. We see AI not as a replacement, but as a powerful augmentor. It can help us sharpen briefs, enhance strategic thinking, strengthen ideation, and enable personalization at scale.

We’re also collaborating closely with Adobe. Dentsu is their global scaled agency of record, and we’re actively co-developing and testing tools from their GenStudio suite, which supports AI-powered content creation.

I believe AI can supercharge the process, but it can’t replace human ingenuity, instinct, or taste. It's a tool to elevate creativity, not a substitute for it.