The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity tonight announced the final winners that took home trophies from the 2014 awards. The news of the latest Grand Prix honors awarded was balanced by two categories–Film Craft and Branded Content & Entertainment–for which judges felt there wasn’t any work deserving of Grand Prix distinction.
For some, though, there was an embarrassment of riches as reflected in the overall Cannes showing by the two Film Grand Prix winners–one in the TV/Cinema category to adam&eveDDB, London, for the Harvey Nichols’ ad “Sorry I Spent it on Myself” while the Internet Film or Other Screens category saw the Grand Prix go to Forsman & Bodenfors in Gothenburg, Sweden for Volvo Trucks “The Epic Split,” which was diercted by Andreas Nilsson of Folke Film.
Directed by James Rouse via Outsider (Rouse is repped stateside by Station Film), “Sorry I Spent it on Myself” is a tongue-in-cheek 180-degree departure from the yuletide spirit, encouraging folks to be unreasonably selfish and spend less on Xmas gifts for their loved ones in order to spend as much as possible on themselves at retailer Harvey Nichols. Towards that end, adam&eveDDB, conceived and designed a new Harvey Nichols gift collection consisting of a range of Ultra Low Net Worth presents such as neatly packaged paper clips, wooden toothpicks and a sink plug. The film consists of vignettes in which people open their Ultra Low Net Worth presents as the gift givers enjoy the lavish gifts they bought themselves.
The same night it garnered a Film Grand Prix, adam&eveDDB scored an Integrated Grand Prix, also for Harvey Nichols’ “Sorry I Spent it on Myself.”
Earlier in the week at Cannes, “Sorry I Spent it on Myself” won the Promo & Activation Grand Prix. And two days later, adam&eve DDB took the Press Grand Prix for Harvey Nichols’ “Christmas Lunch,” “Gravel,” “Wire Wool” and “Toothbrush.”
Meanwhile Forsman & Bodenfors’ work for Volvo Trucks earlier copped a Grand Prix in the Cyber Lions competition–specifically in the Social category for Volvo’s “Live Test Series.”
Of the 2838 entries in the Film category, the jury, led by Amir Kassaei, chief creative officer, DDB Worldwide, shortlisted 280 entries of which 13 were awarded Gold, 29 Silver and 61 Bronze Lions.
In the Film Craft category, 2073 entries were received. Brian Carmody, CEO, chief creative officer, Smuggler, presided over the Film Craft jury who shortlisted 135 entries and awarded 16 Gold, 22 Silver and 28 Bronze Lions. No Grand Prix was awarded in this category.
During the ceremony, the Branded Content & Entertainment Grand Prix winners were presented with their trophies by jury president Doug Scott, president, founder, OgilvyEntertainment. 1178 entries from 62 countries were received for this category of which 91 were shortlisted and 11 gold, 20 silver and 35 bronze Lions were awarded. No Grand Prix was awarded in this category.
In the Innovation Lions category, which saw shortlisted entrants presenting their work to the jury which was presided over by Tom Bedecarré, chairman, AKQA, and president WPP Ventures, 206 entries were received and 30 shortlisted. Winning Russia’s first Grand Prix, the Innovation Grand Prix went to Megafon Moscow / Axis Moscow / Asif Khan Ltd London, Russia, for their Megafaces Pavilion at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games. Elsewhere, three Innovations Lions trophies were also given.
In the Titanium and Integrated category, the jury voted on 378 entries to reach a shortlist of 16 for Titanium and 20 for Integrated, of which one gold, two silver and five bronze Integrated Lions were awarded and three Titanium Lions given. The highly sought after Titanium Grand Prix, awarded for truly ground-breaking work, was presented to Dentsu Tokyo for “Sound of Honda / Ayrton Senna 1989” for Honda Motor Co.
The Titanium and Integrated Jury was also responsible for awarding the Grand Prix for Good. From a list of 32 contenders–made up of gold Lion winners from across all charities & public services categories ineligible to win a Grand Prix in their own awards section–the accolade was presented to Lemz, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, for “Sweetie” created for Terre des Hommes Netherlands. The Titanium and Integrated jury was presided over by Prasoon Joshi, chairman, CEO, chief creative officer, India/South Asia, McCann Worldgroup.
During the awards, director Joe Pytka of PYTKA was honored and presented with the Lion of St. Mark, presented in recognition of his outstanding contribution to creativity in advertising and communications.
Other awards presented at this evening’s ceremony were:
Agency of the Year was given to adam&eveDDB, London. Dentsu, Tokyo came in second and AlmapBBDO, São Paulo third.
Independent Agency of the Year went to Forsman & Bodenfors, Gothenburg. Second place went to Lemz, Amsterdam, and third to Wieden + Kennedy, Portland.
The Palme d’Or, given to the most awarded production company, was presented to MJZ, USA. O Positive Films, USA, came second and Outsider, UK third.
The Network of the Year award was presented to Ogilvy & Mather with BBDO taking second place and DDB finishing third.
The inaugural Regional Network of the Year winners were announced as:
APAC –BBDO
EMEA – DDB
North America – BBDO
South America – Ogilvy & Mather
Also awarded was the Holding Company of the Year which went to WPP. Omnicom took second place and Publicis third.
The coveted Creative Marketer of the Year trophy was presented to McDonald’s in honor of its consistency in placing creativity at the heart of its advertising and communications and distinguishing themselves by inspiring innovative marketing of their products. Steve Easterbrook, sr. executive VP and global chief brand officer, was present to collect the accolade.
The winners of the Young Lions Film Competition were also announced, with the Bulgarian team, Vladimir Gerasimov and Zhelez Atanasov winning the Gold medal.
The Young Marketers Competition saw the dedicated jury award the team from Russia, Marisol Diaz Rozic and Marianela Frick from Pepsico, with the Gold medal.
