Once again it is Cannes time. The time the advertising industry indulges its solipsistic streak and pretends it is as culturally significant as the cinema.

Of course, everyone there will, without exception, say that it really is frivolous, the awards are meaningless (unless you win one) and insinuate that they are attending purely in an ironic way. Yet still they go.

I often wonder if the waste management and remediation industry behaves in a similar fashion. It is, after all, worth almost exactly the same as advertising to the economy – around $150 billion - so it is has similar impact on the population. A greater one if you consider the impact of them not doing their jobs and a copywriter not writing a direct mail pack.

Then again, they are probably more interested in actually shifting shit than rewarding it.