According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, advertising agencies are likely to cut the number of delegates they send to Cannes -- bad news for Cannes chairman Roger Hatchuel, who told the paper that in normal circumstances he would expect to attract around 10% more people to the festival. Last year, there were some 7,000 attendees.
WPP Group's Ogilvy & Mather is reported to be sending a "handful" of delegates from Europe; J Walter Thompson, also part of WPP, is to cancel its regular cocktail party; and Omnicom's DDB said it would be "watching its budget".
Among US agencies, however, it is not just financial factors that are being taken into consideration. Gary Goldsmith, chairman and chief creative officer of Lowe North America, told the paper: "All these factors combine -- the fear of travel, the French thing, the money thing. It's got to have some impact."
Hatchuel said that direct marketing was expected to be bigger than last year, and that he anticipates receiving around the same number of entries as last year, with a possible increase in the cyber category.
The fesival takes place between June 15 and June 21.
If you have an opinion on this or any other issue raised on Brand Republic, join the debate in the .