After the pandemic caused it to be canceled last year, Cannes Lions will be fully digital in 2021. The virtual edition is set to run as Cannes Lions Live from June 21-25.
Philip Thomas, chairman, LIONS, said, “Over the last year, we’ve been consulting with our customers and working on our plans, including the development of Cannes Lions Live as part of the new LIONS Membership platform. We are now able to move fully to this format for 2021–which will have all the celebration, inspiration and participation of Cannes Lions–to unite the global community virtually during Cannes Lions Live this June.”
Cannes Lions Live will bring live and on-demand content and experiences delivered by exceptional talent, as well as revealing, analyzing and celebrating the winners of the Lions. Access to Cannes Lions Live is included in the fee for LIONS Membership.
Simon Cook, managing director, LIONS, said, “Cannes Lions Live will also signal the return of the Lions awards. After the benchmark of the awards was paused last year, we want to be able to give our community the chance to immerse themselves in the creative work once again. We’ll be championing the work on a huge scale–tracking progress throughout the week, analyzing the winners, delivering insights, identifying new talent–it’s the return of the benchmark and a moment for the industry to reflect but also look forward.”
LIONS Membership, which launches in May, will unite the world’s largest creative network of people and businesses to drive professional, personal and societal progress through creativity. All LIONS members will receive complimentary access to Cannes Lions Live as part of their membership. Annual LIONS membership is priced at €249 (about $295). All Lion winners, past and present, will be gifted complimentary membership.
Further information on Cannes Lions Live will be released over the coming weeks, including details of the immersive experiences and talent lined up to be a part of the week. A standalone digital pass to Cannes Lions Live (without membership benefits) costs the same as annual LIONS membership, with lower rates available for the under 30s and future talent. LIONS Membership and Cannes Lions Live Digital Passes will be available for purchase in May.
Eleanor Adds Director Candice Vernon To Its Roster For Spots and Branded Content
Director Candice Vernon has joined production house Eleanor for U.S. representation spanning commercials and branded content. She has already wrapped several jobs at Eleanor, which waited to announce her until they had a body of work together.
Via Eleanor, Vernon made history as the first Black director on a Febreze commercial. The “Small Spaces” campaign marks a major departure from Febreze’s typical blue-and-white world. The home of the “Revolving Door” commercial is a beautiful array of bold sunset hues, African prints, and African art.
Vernon said, “I asked myself, what feels right to me? What feels new? I wanted to bring an essence of not just Black Americans but the full diaspora. I wanted to make a statement that we’re not a monolith.”
Following the success of the “Small Spaces” campaign, Febreze brought Vernon back for a comedy-infused trifecta exploring the hilarious situations that call for an air freshening hero.
Febreze Brand VP Angelica Matthews said, “About two years ago, we realized the consumers that were the most loyal to Febreze were the African American consumers. And the more we learned, the more we realized the richness that we were really missing. So we said we have to go beyond just Black casting, we need to get Black directors that truly understand the culture that truly understand how to bring authentic performances out on screen. We really looked around the industry and noticed there’s actually a shortage of African American directors who have experience doing commercials. When we all saw Candice’s reel, we could all tell the passion for the craft, passion for really trying to help us from where we are to where we’re trying to go.”
Vernon brings a unique lens to... Read More