Our Cannes correspendent Alex Rogers reports from the festival:

There is lots of whispering
on the Carlton terrace. Partly to keep the noise down for those with rosé-fuelled hangovers. Partly as there is suspicious
chat about judging and results.

Awards. That is really why most of us are here this week after all. So
when you have dedicated months, sometimes years, to perfecting a
campaign, then elect to submit it for a panel of esteemed industry
experts to critique, any hint of foul play is 'kind of a big deal'. And
so the whispers begin.

I am absolutely not suggesting that there is any malpractice with the
judging process or the jurors at Cannes, merely relaying conversations
which may or may not have been overheard whilst the process takes place
behind semi-closed doors.

Scamvertising isn't new news but it is more prevalent. We are seeing a
rise in the number of 'case studies' relaying campaigns whose only trace
of existence takes the form of an awards entry. And it is surely
getting easier to do this in the less 'traditional' media where campaigns
can disappear overnight.

Block voting. Since the first awards show known to man there has been
talk of networks awarding the work from their sister partners to boost
the holding company's haul.

Territorial favouritism. Eurovision Song Contest style. Is there really
that much better work coming from emerging markets or are the more
emerging markets voting for each other? Too many tactical 'nil points'.

It seems to me there is enough brilliantly creative, smartly innovative
and 'proven to be effective' work in our industry to let politics or
provenance stop the best work from winning. I've been honoured to see
some world class creative on show this week; from the boards in the
Palais, to the campaigns presented at agency sessions, to the video
recaps for the winning gold gongs.  Here's hoping the whisperings are
just 'industry tittle tattle' as the final awards are announced tonight
and may the best work win.