The organizers of the 59th Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, the world’s largest and most prestigious global annual awards celebrating creative excellence in advertising and communications, are pleased to announce that the 2012 recipient of the prestigious Advertiser of the Year Award will be awarded to Mars, Incorporated manufacturer of chocolate, gum and confections, pet food, drinks and other food products.
This important accolade is presented to advertisers who have distinguished themselves for inspiring innovative marketing of their products and who embrace and encourage the creative work produced by their agencies.
Since winning its first Cannes Lion in 1990, Mars commercials have gone on to win 77 Lions across different categories (11 Gold, 10 Silver and 46 Bronze Lions), as well as the Radio Grand Prix in 2007 for the SNICKERSยฎ ‘Hoedown’ ad.
“Mars’s creative and skilful approach to the brand communication of its diverse product portfolio has been rewarded at Cannes for many years,” says Philip Thomas, Cannes Lions CEO. “Lions have been won for work from countries as diverse as France, the US, the UK, Brazil, South Africa, Portugal, Chile, and many more – a testament to a company which truly embraces creativity and demands outstanding work from its agencies. We congratulate all the marketers at Mars, as well as their agency partners around the world, on this well-deserved honour.”
Commenting on the award, Paul S. Michaels, President of Mars, Incorporated, said; “We are grateful for the recognition of the Cannes Lions Advertiser of the Year Award. This award is a testament to the fantastic work of our Mars Associates and our agency teams at BBDO and DDB. Ultimately great advertising is effective advertising, particularly when I see sustained growth on 80 year old brands such as SNICKERSยฎ as an example. Outstanding creativity connects with consumers across generations, geographies, cultures and languages and I am proud of the work being generated on our whole portfolio of iconic brands.”
The Advertiser of the Year trophy will be presented in Cannes to Bruce McColl, Chief Marketing Officer of Mars, Incorporated, during the Film, Film Craft, Branded Entertainment & Content and Titanium & Integrated Lions on Saturday 23 June 2012.
Marketing at Mars
For nearly one hundred years, Mars has recognised the importance of advertising and the power of creativity to build household name global brands such as M&M’Sยฎ, SNICKERSยฎ, PEDIGREEยฎ, WHISKASยฎ, SKITTLESยฎ, EXTRAยฎ, 5, UNCLE BEN’Sยฎ and more. As Mars includes six business segments and operates across 73 countries worldwide, there is critical emphasis put upon connecting a network of country based marketers, and their agency staff at BBDO and DDB.
Bruce McColl, chief marketing officer, Mars, Incorporated believes that “powerful ideas travel fast. Our PEDIGREEยฎ Dog Adoption campaign was born in the US and was rapidly embraced in over 40 markets. We want talented people working on real time business challenges. When they find a solution that works, their global colleagues are eager to share in that success. It is why we value people that can both develop and recognise great work. I am delighted that their combined efforts are being acknowledged with such a prestigious award”.
Mars brands include: Petcare โ PEDIGREEยฎ, ROYAL CANINยฎ, WHISKASยฎ, KITEKATยฎ, BANFIELDยฎ Pet Hospital and NUTROยฎ; Chocolate โ M&M’Sยฎ, SNICKERSยฎ, DOVEยฎ, GALAXYยฎ, MARSยฎ, MILKY WAYยฎ and TWIXยฎ; Wrigley โ DOUBLEMINTยฎ, EXTRAยฎ, ORBITยฎ and 5โข chewing gums, SKITTLESยฎ and STARBURSTยฎ candies, and ALTOIDSยฎ AND LIFESAVERSยฎ mints. Food โ UNCLE BEN’Sยฎ, DOLMIOยฎ, EBLYยฎ, MASTERFOODSยฎ, SEEDS OF CHANGEยฎ and ROYCOยฎ; Drinks โ ALTERRA COFFEE ROASTERSโข, THE BRIGHT TEA COMPANYโข, KLIXยฎ and FLAVIAยฎ; Symbioscience โ COCOAVIAโข, WISDOM PANELโข and SERAMISยฎ.
To register to attend the 59th Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, please visit www.canneslions.com
59th Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, 17-23 June 2012, Cannes, France
The International Festival of Creativity, also known as Cannes Lions, is the world’s leading celebration of creativity in communications. Founded in 1954, the Festival takes place every June in Cannes, France.
As the most prestigious international annual advertising and communications awards, over 28,800 entries from all over the world are showcased and judged at the Festival. Winning companies receive the highly coveted Lion trophy honouring the most creative Film, Print, Outdoor, Interactive, Radio, Design, Promo & Activation, Film Craft, Mobile, Branded Entertainment and Integrated advertising, as well as the best Media, Direct, PR, Titanium and Creative Effectiveness ideas. The Festival is also the only truly global meeting place for advertisers, advertising and communication professionals. Close to 9,500 delegates from 95 countries attend seven days of exhibitions, screenings, as well as 57 high-profile seminars, 20 workshops and master classes presented by renowned worldwide industry leaders. As the networking and learning opportunity of the year, Cannes Lions is the must-attend event for anyone involved in brand communication.
Lions Festivals
Lions Festivals is the organiser of the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity and Eurobest as well as co-organisers, with its joint venture partners, of the Dubai Lynx International Advertising Festival, Spikes Asia Festival of Creativity, the Asian Marketing Effectiveness Festival and the Digital Media Festival for Asia Pacific. The business is managed by i2i Events Group, which delivers world-class exhibitions, large-scale events and festivals in key sectors including the home and gift, fashion, retail, healthcare, energy, environment, education, technology, media and creative industries. Its portfolio of world-wide events includes World Retail Congress, Spring Fair, Naidex, BVE, BETT and Pure. It prides itself on opening up possibilities for its customers and each year brings more than 250,000 decision makers together to network, source, test, buy and sell brilliant products, services, ideas and solutions. i2i Events is powered by Top Right Group, formerly known as Emap International Limited. www.i2ieventsgroup.com
About Mars, Incorporated
In 1911, Frank C. Mars made the first Mars candies in his Tacoma, Washington, kitchen and established Mars’ roots as a confectionery company. In the 1920s, Forrest E. Mars, Sr. joined his father in business and together they launched the MILKY WAYยฎ bar. In 1932, Forrest, Sr. moved to the United Kingdom with a dream of building a business based on the philosophy of a “mutuality of benefits” for all stakeholders โ this vision serves as the foundation of Mars, Incorporated today. Based in McLean, Virginia, Mars has net sales of more than $30 billion, six business segments including Petcare, Chocolate, Wrigley, Food, Drinks, Symbioscience, and approximately 70,000 Associates worldwide that are putting its Principles into action to make a difference for people and the planet through its performance.
For further information, please visit www.canneslions.com.