#digitascannes

On Tuesday, the buzz around the Palais de Festival was palpable.

Creative thought leaders from around the globe showcased best in class work, provocative and inspiring seminars, and new perspectives on advertising and the ever-evolving world that we live in. And like yesterday, the theme of storytelling as the key to successful marketing carried through.

In an inspiring seminar, Paul Adams of Facebook discussed "The Psychology and Creativity of Sharing", summing it up as such: "Social is going to go away."

Disruptive. And not something you'd expect to hear from one of the lead product developers at Facebook, the largest social platform on the planet.

He continued: "Social is going to go away. The social web will just be the web. Social campaigns will just be campaigns."

The world is social. And all of our interactions, the stories we tell, the content we consume, the products we buy – they all have layers of social relevance. He contended that just as 'digital' was considered a new form of advertising, social too will become ingrained in the shared human experience, not a separate entity.

Adams posed another provocative yet illuminating thought: "Our research indicates that this theory of 'influence and influencers', is false"

Someone with many Twitter followers or Facebook fans isn't necessarily more likely to influence perspective or purchase decisions than an individual who has what we'd consider to be 'low' social relevance. Your friend who was a competitive tennis player in college, who may not even have a Facebook or Twitter profile, is more likely to influence your decision on which racquet to buy than even the most 'socially influential' identities.

So how do we connect with, inspire and influence those across all circles? Storytelling. By creating interesting stories that resonate on a human, personal level. If the story feels credible and authentic, it can reach all audiences.

Later in the afternoon AOL’s David Shing and Digitas France’s Chief Creative Officer Bridget Jung gathered in a panel to speak freely about creativity. Where it comes from. Where it's headed. And how to inspire it from their teams.

The key? There is no secret recipe to be had. Creativity and inspiration can come from all places, moments and people. And, of course, from the stories we tell, hear, and pass on that resonate and inspire the most creative minds in the world.