The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity concluded with a spectacular final awards show, celebrating the year’s most innovative and impactful advertising campaigns. This year winners demonstrated the power of creativity to drive change and inspire audiences worldwide.
Orange’s ‘WoMen’s Football’ campaign by Marcel, Paris, France, was the highlight of the night, winning its third Grand Prix. The campaign cleverly used deepfake technology to showcase the skills of the French women’s national football team disguised as the men’s team. Film Lions Jury President Tor Myhren, VP Marketing Communications at Apple Inc, Global, praised the campaign, saying, “Sometimes the idea wins out over everything. This was hands down the best, most empowering idea in film this year. To see it is to love it, and we fell in love the first day of judging.”
Singapore also celebrated a significant milestone with its first Grand Prix of the year for ‘Transition Body Lotion’ for Vaseline Proderma by Ogilvy, Singapore. The campaign focused on a new body lotion designed for transitioning women. Cindy Gallop, Jury President of Glass: The Lion for Change, and Founder & CEO of MakeLoveNotPorn, Global, commended the campaign: “Vaseline’s ‘Transition Body Lotion’ impressed the entire Glass Lion Jury with its demonstration of how driving social change is good business. The two-year R&D process conducted in close collaboration with the target customer on the principle of ‘Nothing about us without us’, the innovation of isoflavones, and the delivery of product efficacy while making its customers feel seen, respected and included, represent a holistic approach to gender equality at its finest and made it an easy unanimous decision to award Vaseline the Glass Grand Prix.”
Other notable winners included the Sydney Opera House’s ‘Play It Safe’ by The Monkeys, Accenture Song, Sydney, which won the second Film Lions Grand Prix. Myhren described it as “a celebration of the creative spirit, of brave ideas and taking huge risks in the face of critics and controversy and cultural norms. Quite simply, it’s the best film of the year and makes you proud to be in this industry.”
In the Sustainable Development Goals category, Renault’s ‘Cars To Work’ initiative by Publicis Conseil, Paris, France, was awarded the Grand Prix. Gustavo Lauria, Sustainable Development Goals Lions Jury President, and Co-Founder, President & Chief Creative Officer at We Believers, United States, said: “The Grand Prix reflects the essential goal we should achieve in advertising. It is an idea that is good for people and good for business. By helping people get the access they need to secure a job, Renault ends up selling cars and transforms consumers into loyal believers in the brand. It is a great example of a brave brand that cares, takes risks, and gets results.”
The Dan Wieden Titanium Grand Prix went to DoorDash’s ‘All-The-Ads’ campaign by Wieden+Kennedy, Portland and Superette, San Francisco. Debbi Vandeven, Titanium Lions Jury President, and Global Chief Creative Officer at VML, Global, remarked: “When work makes the most of a moment in time, it truly reflects groundbreaking creativity. We wanted to award this idea that hijacked a key cultural moment to make the world look at this company in a fresh and broader way. The idea is simple on the surface, yet daring in execution. At its core, it’s a spectacular product demonstration at a scale we’ve never seen before.”
The Grand Prix for Good honored ‘The First Speech’ series for Reporters Without Borders by Innocean, Berlin. Debbi Vandeven highlighted the importance of the campaign, stating, “In today’s unparalleled age, the preservation of free speech for generations to come is crucial. ‘First Speech’ is a captivating series of films that skillfully combine simplicity and creativity to leave a lasting impact on the viewer. This collection of films illuminates a critical issue affecting global democracy and our evolution as communicators.”
Simon Cook, CEO of LIONS, expressed his pride in this year’s winners, saying, “As we wrap up another year of the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, I hope everyone feels an extraordinary sense of pride and a rejuvenated sense of energy and inspiration in our industry. I’d like to congratulate each and every winner – as well as those shortlisted – on being recognized by your peers as demonstrating the greatest, most effective creativity our industry has to offer.”
Special awards were also presented, recognizing outstanding contributions in various categories. Notably, WPP was named Creative Company of the Year, Ogilvy won Network of the Year, and Rethink, Toronto, Canada, was celebrated as Independent Agency of the Year.
This year festival highlighted the power of creativity to drive social change and inspire new ways of thinking.
