Here is a roundup of 2017 Cannes Lions facts, stats, & notable news, our take on four key trends from work that won (including case studies of the winning work), and thought leadership from DigitasLBi attendees.
2. ABOUT CANNES LIONS
The 64th annual Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity spanned eight
days, from June 17 - 24, 2017.
• 15,000 marketers, advertisers, tech companies, and celebrities
• From 100+ countries
• 750+ high-profile speakers
• 41,170 campaigns submitted across 24 categories
• 4 segments: Cannes Lions, Lions Health, Lions Innovation, Lions Entertainment
FACTS + STATS
3. ABOUT CANNES LIONS
- Jurors were asked to use empathy as judging criteria, and "use their hearts and minds to determine if each
submission is acceptable".
- Entries overall were down about 4.5% this year compared to last year. This year, there were 41,170; last year,
there were 43,101 submissions (granted last year was a record year, with a 7% bump in entries).
- The Creative Effectiveness category, however (the only global Lion that connects creative work and business
results), saw a 59% increase in submissions year-over-year.
- Entries for Glass Lions were up by 31%. Started in 2015, the Glass Lions category recognizes outstanding
efforts to challenge gender biases. All entry fees for Glass are donated to organizations fighting gender
inequality worldwide. Wendy Clark, CEO, DDB Worldwide, served as Glass Lions Jury President.
- Clients entering work directly grew across all categories, up 69% year-over-year.
- Last but certainly not least, one of many headlines: “Cannes Clash: Publicis Groupe’s Pull-Out Shocks Marketers
and Agencies” – AdAge, 6-21-17
NEW + NOTABLE, 2017
4. ABOUT CANNES LIONS
Technology continued to play an important role at the Cannes Lions festival,
from the programming, to the awards, to the companies represented on
the ground.
Whether you were with us in the Palais or observing from afar, we’ve extracted
four key takeaways from winning work. In addition, we’ve included published
thought leadership from our experts on the ground, who provide unique points
of view on creativity, tech, data, media, marketing and content at Cannes,
from Cannes.
INSIGHT + INSPIRATION
5. RESULTS MATTER
Price on the Jersey, Walmart, DM9DDB, Gold Direct
Innovating Saving, Jet.com, R/GA, Grand Prix Media
Snickers Hungerithm, Mars Chocolate Australia, Clemenger BBDO
Melbourne, 6 Gold Direct, Mobile, Cyber, Media & More
Click each
image to
watch the
case study
TRENDS + TAKES FROM WINNING WORK
The Biggest Sports Endorsement Deal of All Time,
Archer + Wolf LLC, FCB Chicago, Silver Direct
Sure, you may see lots cool stuff on the floor of the Palais, but
unless it delivers results, it doesn't tend to make it past the shortlist.
6. TRENDS + TAKES FROM WINNING WORK
IKEA Retail Therapy, IKEA, Akestam Holst, 3 Bronze Cyber
Drag, Drop & Go, Cheapflights, Uncle Grey, Silver Direct
Green Light Run, Adidas, TBWAHAKUHODO,
2 Silver Direct & Creative Data
TRENDS + TAKES FROM WINNING WORK
Google Home of the Whopper, Burger King, David, 3 Gold
Direct & Mobile
LET THE HACKING BEGIN
Smart work that hacks existing platforms and systems tends to find success.
7. Meet Graham, Transport Accident Commission Victoria, Clemenger
BBDO Melbourne, 2 Grand Prix Cyber, Health & Wellness
IKEA: Cook this Page, IKEA Canada, Leo Burnett Toronto,
2 Gold Outdoor & Design
Fearless Girl, State Street Global Advisors, McCann New York,
Titanium, 3 Grand Prix Glass, Outdoor & PR
TRENDS + TAKES FROM WINNING WORK
Cheetos Museum, Cheetos, Goodby Silverstein & Partners,
4 Gold PR, Cyber, Promo & Activation
LOW TECH FTW
We have more technology at our disposal than ever before, but at the end of the
day, the best idea wins. Like a statue for example. Or an odd-shaped Cheeto.
Or a recipe.
8. The World's Biggest Asshole, Donate Life, The Martin Agency,
3 Gold Film, Film Craft, Health & Wellness
Care Counts™, Whirlpool, DigitasLBi, Grand Prix Creative Data
Payphone bank, Tigo-Une, Grey Colombia, Grand Prix
Product Design
TRENDS + TAKES FROM WINNING WORK
Boost your Voice, Boost Mobile, 180LA, Titanium, 2 Grand
Prix Integrated, Promo & Activation
ADVERTISING (STILL) WANTS TO SAVE THE WORLD
Maybe it's our guilty conscience, maybe it's our belief that ideas can truly
bring change, or maybe juries are just full of softies who like work with a heart.
Either way, the philanthropic streak continues.
9. DigitasLBi took home a Creative Data Grand Prix for Whirlpool Care Counts™, as well
as a Gold Lion in PR for Research, Data Analytics & Insight Generation, and two Bronze
PR Lions for Integrated Campaign Lead by PR and Durable Consumer Goods. The campaign
was also shortlisted in Titanium, Outdoor for Use of Ambient Outdoor, and Entertainment
for Excellence in Partnership in a Brand Experience.
Care Counts™ was launched in an effort to increase attendance rates in schools by
providing students with access to clean laundry. Studies show that one in five students
struggle with access to clean clothes, ultimately resulting in absenteeism - an issue
impacting an estimated five to ten million students each year. After installing washers
and dryers in 17 schools, 90% of participating students increased their attendance rates,
and extracurricular participation and overall attitude toward school skyrocketed.
DigitasLBi had a presence (both awards and shortlists) in 10 categories this year:
Creative Data, Mobile, Innovation, Promo & Activation, Film, Branded Content, PR, Product
Design, Outdoor, and, most prestigious of them all, Titanium. The Dunkin’ Donuts #WTFast
campaign and PlayStation Horizon Zero Dawn were shortlisted in multiple categories.
Whirlpool Care Counts™
Grand Prix in Creative Data; Gold in PR; two Bronze in PR
#WINNING
10. From AdAge to ADWEEK to The Drum and HUFFPOST, agency experts
across creativity, tech, data, media, marketing, and content shared
unique insights going into, and coming out of, Cannes Lions 2017.
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
11. A Hater's Guide to Cannes, or How I Learned
to Quit Complaining and Love the Lions
Doug Ryan - Ad Age
Doug Ryan (President, North America) admits
that it’s easy to poke fun at the Cannes Lions
Festival. But he warns that in doing this, there’s
a risk of overlooking its fundamental substance.
Check out his strategies for finding the
substance of Cannes in his POV in Ad Age.
12. From Data to Ta-da! These 8 Creative Data
Campaigns Brought the Magic
Ronald Ng - ADWEEK
When Cannes introduced the Creative Data Lions
in 2015 it gave the industry the push it needed to
recognize data as precious fuel for creativity.
According to Ronald Ng (Chief Creative Officer),
Creative Data is now the category to win – for
agencies and clients – at Cannes. ADWEEK
published Ronald’s top picks for data-inspired
campaigns at Cannes this year.
13. The E(mpathy)-Factor:
Why Empathy Won this Week at Cannes
Jill Kelly – The Drum
For Jill Kelly (Chief Marketing and
Communications Officer), empathy won at
Cannes, enforcing the idea that doing good
is good business. This year, the Festival
instituted Empathy as the main criteria for
jurors, allowing jury members to object and
reject any submission that reflects gender
bias and inequality. In her POV published in
The Drum, Jill argues that this is an important
reminder of why we attend Cannes: to bear
witness to the work that irresistibly binds, as
citizens of the world, with hearts that beat,
break, and bond.
14. Burning Cannes: What an Ad Festival
and an Art Festival have in Common
Scott Donaton – The Drum
In his POV in The Drum, Scott Donaton
(Chief Content Officer) examines the unlikely
link between Cannes and Burning Man, the
annual late-summer gathering that takes place
in the Nevada desert. The biggest and perhaps
most important connection? Attendees at both
get out of them whatever they put in.
15. Technology Has a Transparency Problem,
Too (It’s Not Just Media)
Tony Bailey – HUFFPOST
For Tony Bailey (SVP, Technology), technology
has too often become the idea in and of itself,
rather than the enabler of a great idea. He shares
his secret three-step formula to Lions-winning
ideas in HUFFPOST.
16. Cannes Lions Innovation
Rewards the 99% Perspiration
Lorenzo Wood – HUFFPOST
Lorenzo Wood (Chief Innovation Officer,
Publicis.Sapient) reveals the clear signals sent to
brands at this year’s Cannes Lions in the innovation
and creative data categories: less focus on
campaigns, aim high, collaborate, look for impact,
and persist. As Thomas Edison famously said,
describing genius: “[it’s] one percent inspiration
and ninety-nine percent perspiration.” Check out
Lorenzo’s POV on HUFFPOST.
17. Everything is Data:
The Silent Foundation of Creativity
Jen Colton – HUFFPOST
Data was everywhere at Cannes this year. It
spanned across categories, channels, topics, and
countries. In her POV in HUFFPOST, Jen Colton
(EVP, Data & Analysis), discussed three specific
themes relating to data: 1) an extensive variety
in how data was used; 2) safety and fitness as
recurring subjects where data can be implemented;
and 3) how AI and machine learning will change
the world.
18. Don’t Lose Sight of the Humanity in Data
Shreya Kushari – HUFFPOST
With data-driven campaigns on the rise, is there
still a humanity in data that we can’t lose sight of?
Or do brands only care about seamless connection
points without allowing time to enjoy the beauty?
In her POV in HUFFPOST, Shreya Kushari (SVP,
Search Marketing, Paid Social and Performance
Media) argues that the inspiring and award-winning
work at Cannes proves that this is far from the
truth.