OMD global boss Mainardo de Nardis on the definition of innovation, scam in media awards, and why it’s not a media agency’s job to take risks

Mainardo de Nardis is the global CEO of OMD, the most awarded media agency network in the world.

Mumbrella Asia editor Robin Hicks caught up with the straight-talking Italian in Cannes about why the Media Lions are always so controversial, scam in media awards, competing with his former employer WPP, and why it is not a media agency’s job to take risks.

Clients don’t care about awards, do they? Particularly media agencies who enter awards?

I disagree entirely. All of our biggest clients are forcing us to look at how we can be more creative and innovative, and they’re using these ideas to assimilate creativity and innovation in to their own operations. Awards stimulate people to do better work. Ask the likes of Visa or McDonald’s, clients who expect innovative ideas from their agencies.