• by Richard Whitman , Columnist, June 23, 2015

As a fun little experiment during Cannes Lions -- because, after all, sitting on a yacht drinking rose all day long gets pretty boring -- Barbarian Group has handed out 80 old and bricked phones, each programmed with only five numbers. 

Each of the 80 people can call or receive calls from 5 of the other 80 people to have a random chat, meet in person or, well, you can use your imagination.

Advertising Age's Alexandra Bruell is testing one out and has had calls with an anonymous fellow with a British accent, a Vox Media person inviting her to a party, a French person who spoke no English and Nick Parish from Contagious.