4 Thought-Provoking Impressions from C2 Montreal 2024
06.03.24
Kat Tischler
Senior Creative Director, Manager
4 Thought-Provoking Impressions from C2 Montreal 2024
As a Creative Director, I have long dreamed of experiencing the magic of C2 Montreal. Founded in 2012 by creative agency Sid Lee in partnership with Cirque du Soleil, C2 promises to bestow wonder and inspiration upon all who attend. This globally renowned festival stands at the intersection of creativity and commerce (the 2 Cs)—seamlessly blending storytelling with business while engaging audiences in innovative and meaningful ways.
This year, however, my experience fell short of the surprising and grand theatrics for which the festival is recognized. Perhaps C2 is still evolving and finding its way in this post-pandemic world, much like the rest of us. So, instead of “aha!” moments of amazement, I encountered several “hmm” moments of reflection— reminders that creativity doesn’t always need to WOW to make an impact.
1. Neurodiversity and atypical intelligence heighten creativity
Step aside DEI, there’s a new catchphrase taking over: neurodiversity and atypical intelligence. It rolls right off the tongue. This phrase emphasizes the value of teams with diverse thoughts, backgrounds, and experiences, whose brains work and think in different ways, leading to extraordinary things. While the term and concept aren’t entirely new, they were especially prominent at C2.
One panel on stage posed an intriguing question: if artificial intelligence exists, then surely its opposite must too…genuine intelligence. They went on to say that perhaps it’s not so nonbinary and they explored many forms of intelligence in between. In the Agora, a communal space for festival activations, there was an interactive lab called NEUROLASAGNA. The lab deconstructed the prejudices that all lasagnas must be the same shape, using the metaphor of preparing pasta to help better understand the complex dynamics surrounding neurodiversity. It was a delicious and memorable experience.
2. Long live silent disco headsets
That’s right, the 3-channel, light-up headphones are still around. Similar to how the QR code made a strong comeback during the pandemic out of necessity and convenience, the silent disco concept is still kicking. I’d even go so far as to say it’s thriving. C2 leveraged this technology across three of the interactive Lab experiences. While the headphones themselves were not a surprising innovation, it did make me take note. What was surprising was seeing how this concept continues to be effectively used in unique ways to create immersive and shared experiences at large-scale festivals in the post-pandemic era.
The main stage was adorned with lush greenery, leaning into the event's sustainability theme.
3. Unpopular opinion: artificial intelligence is crushing creativity
C2 wasn’t afraid to entertain both sides of the story, and as an attendee, I appreciated that. As a collective, we examined the unification and division of AI and creativity. The conference opened with an optimistic outlook from the main stage, highlighting that it’s a good time to be a maker with all the technology at our disposal. By Day 3, however, the pendulum took a sharp swing back in the opposite direction. Sessions had unnerving titles like “WHOSE FUTURE? WHOSE INTELLIGENCE? Reimagining the Default Settings of Technology & Society,” “AI: Are We Worrying About the Right Things?” and “UTOPIA & DYSTOPIA: NEUROTECH.”
Sarah Mackenzie, Director at Mutek Forum, kicked off her panel by saying that we’re in “a time where creativity and intelligence is in crisis.” In the same session, Florence Gagnon, Founder of Lez Spread the Word Magazine, pointed out that sometimes it seems like with inventing new technologies, we’re also just creating more problems. It’s evident that there is a stronger need now more than ever for atypical intelligent people to help solve these problems.
4. Curiosity is the answer to our derision
In the opening session, all panel members shared their experiential awakenings — the moment they discovered their deep curiosity for creativity. Directly following, curiosity expert Scott Shigeoka stated that as a society, “curiosity is the answer to our derision.” This simple and elegant solution stuck with me.
Throughout C2, curiosity prevailed, and others were asking the tough questions.
In the panel “Where Extraordinary Stories Live,” the facilitator asked the COO of Area 15, the VP of Cosm, and the Senior Director of Marketing at Moment Factory, “how do you battle mediocrity?”
An interactive coaching workshop blatantly asked the question in its title: “ARE YOU YOU?” It offered participants a fresh perspective on how to be present and creative in their field of expertise while enhancing communication skills. The workshop encouraged attendees to step out of their comfort zones, take risks, and be themselves‚—all through follow-the-leader movements, while wearing silent disco headphones, of course!
Perhaps we need to rethink the questions we are asking altogether. In a panel discussion titled “You Should be Strange,” Nathan Pyle, the author of the charming webcomic Strange Planet, challenged us not to ask, “is there anyone else out there?” but rather, “is there anyone else out there wearing socks?”
The lasting impression this festival left on me is that experiential success doesn’t require shock value to be successful. It just needs to foster a shared, human connection. To truly inspire, we must create an inclusive space where a creative group of individuals is encouraged to be strange, be themselves, be curious, and embrace AI. It’s about asking tough questions and engaging in meaningful interactions. And yes, it even means sometimes wearing silent disco headsets. This blend of authenticity and inclusivity is what makes experiences not just memorable but truly transformative.
If you’re looking to create impactful brand experiences that move your audiences to action, contact your InVision account representative or info@iv.com to learn more.