The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, which kicked off today (17/6), announced its first winners this week in the Health & Wellness, Outdoor, Pharmaceutical, Print & Publishing, and Audio & Radio categories.
Celebrating creativity experienced outdoors, the Outdoor Lions received 2,053 submissions and awarded 57 Lions: 10 Gold, 18 Silver and 27 Bronze. This year, two Grand Prizes were awarded in this category. The first was awarded to LOLA MullenLowe in Madrid, Spain, for their Magnum Ice Cream campaign, “Find Your Summer.” Magnum’s striking January ad depicts people finding sunshine in their Magnum ice cream and longing for summer.
Coming in second was “Adoptable by Pedigree” by Colenso BBDO’s Pedigree in Auckland, New Zealand. As part of the brand’s ongoing goal to end dog homelessness, Pedigree used AI to transform images of rescue dogs into studio-quality photos, democratizing dog adoption ads.
Commenting on this year’s two Grand Prizes, Marco Venturelli, Chief Creative Officer of France’s Publicis Groupe and Chair of the Outdoor jury, said: “For the two Grand Prizes, I asked our incredible jury to split their tired brains in two. On the one hand, we will explore why beautifully crafted images and perfectly composed words make us madly jealous, and on the other, we will look for signs of what the future of the outdoors might hold. Long live outdoor.”
The Printing & Publishing category, which celebrates creativity in distribution, received 734 submissions and 21 were awarded. Four gold, three silver, 13 bronze and the Grand Prize went to Ogilvy of New York for Coca-Cola’s “Recycle Me.” The brand crushed its iconic red can to create a clunky new logo to promote recycling on a large scale.
John Raul Forero, president of the Print & Publishing judging category and president and chief creative officer of DDB in Colombia, said: “‘Recycle Me’ reminds us of the power of simplicity, boldness, purity and elegance in print advertising. In a world that often tries to dazzle us with technology, this campaign stands out by reviving the classic print. This is a Grand Prix winner from a major brand that will undoubtedly be remembered for years to come.”
The Audio & Radio Lions, which celebrate sound-focused creativity, received 759 submissions and won 23 Lions: four Gold, six Silver and 12 Bronze. The Grand Prize went to “The Misheard Version” by Specsavers by Gorin, London. The vision and hearing healthcare professional hired artist Rick Astley to secretly re-record the lyrics to his hit single “Never Gonna Give You Up” to sign people up for free hearing tests.
Simon Vickers, chair of the Audio & Radio judging committee and chief creative officer of Colenso BBDO New Zealand, said: “Specsavers’ The Misheard Version is a fantastic example of creativity turned up to 11 – hiding a nationwide hearing test inside an iconic song. Radically creative and recklessly ambitious in its execution, it’s driven business results and permeated culture. Thanks to Specsavers for making us laugh, tackling the idea so well and making one of the judges’ biggest decisions easier.”
The Health & Wellness category, which celebrates creativity for personal health, received 1,252 submissions and awarded 38 Lions: 5 Gold, 14 Silver and 18 Bronze. The Grand Prize went to FCB Chicago’s Dramamine’s “The Last Barf Bag,” directed by Sunny Sixteen (a directing collective represented through production company Rakish). The anti-nausea drug launched an integrated campaign that produced an ode to the humble anti-nausea bag and featured a 13-minute documentary about a competitor who died from its effects.
Wendy Chan, chair of the Health & Wellness judging panel and Edelman’s Health Creative Lead, Asia Pacific, said: “This Grand Prize winner shows that brands, regardless of size, can cut through the noise of a crowded market. It speaks effortlessly and in an unexpected, yet relevant way without referencing the brand. It’s an inspiring example for all to push the boundaries.”
Pharma Lions, which celebrates life-changing creativity, awarded seven Lions from 232 submissions: one Gold, two Silver and three Bronze. Judges awarded the Pharma Grand Prix to Siemens Healthineers’ “Magnetic Stories” by Area 23 New York, an IPG Health Network Company. The MRI manufacturer created a children’s audiobook series that integrates the scary sounds of medical equipment into the story’s fun fantasy elements to ease the fears of kids getting tested.
Collette Douay, chair of the Pharmaceutical judging committee and Global Chief Creative Officer at Dentsu Health, said: “The best way to demonstrate the power of creativity is to directly impact people’s lives. The winning submission has done just that, creating an audiobook for children undergoing MRI scans, transforming a disorienting and frightening medical procedure into a fascinating, immersive experience. The story was meticulously crafted by renowned authors and sound designers, who precisely synchronized each sound of the scan with an exciting story moment, easing fear and enhancing the experience. This is storytelling at its finest.”
The Lions Health/UN Foundation Grand Prix for Good Award went to Impact BBDO, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, for its Children’s Wedding Cards for UN Women.
Special prizes will also be awarded:
Healthcare Network of the Year
- 1. FCB’s health
- 2. Click Health
- 3. Havas Health
Healthcare Agency of the Year
- 1. AREA 23 (New York, USA, an IPG Health Network Company)
- 2. Click Health (Toronto, Canada)
- 3. Havas Health (Manchester, UK)
