The 46th annual Cannes International Advertising Festival, to be held later this month (6/21-26), is expected to be the largest to date, both in terms of the number of entrants and attendees. Nearly 5,000 commercials from about 70 countries will be screened during the Festival week, and between 7,000 and 8,000 people are expected to attend.
"The figures are again very strong," said Susan Lilley, U.S. marketing director for the Cannes Advertising Festival. Lilley is a staffer at Screenvision Cinema Network, U.S. sponsor of the Cannes Fest.
Last year’s figures showed significant growth, especially on the U.S. front with American entries in the broadcast competition topping the 1,000 mark. By comparison, ’97’s tally was 847. In ’99 that trend continues, with U.S. film entries numbering 1,034. In all, 4,757 broadcast ads will be screened throughout the Festival week.
However, this year it is the press and poster categories that register the most growth, with the number of American entries having increased "substantially," Lilley said. Of a total 7,330 entries, 844 hail from the U.S., as compared to last year’s entry pool, which numbered about 500.
New Lion In The Den
Further evidence of the Festival’s growth-as well as its commitment to honoring emerging media and trends in advertising-is a new award competition, the Media Lions. Lilley said there have been 420 submissions, 77 of them from the U.S. The Media Lions, she continued, will reward "the most innovative and creative use of media in terms of strategies used in reaching a target audience, as well as strategically sound originality, and work that is both relevant and differentiated."
Last year’s newcomer, the Cyber Lions, which honor excellence in interactive advertising and Web sites, continues to flourish now with 590 entries, 203 of which are American. Last year, the category drew a total of 401 entries.
As previously reported (SHOOT, 4/23, p. 8), Keith Reinhard, chairman, CEO of DDB Needham Worldwide Communications Group, has been named the ’99 jury president. He will be joined by Nina DiSesa, chairman, chief creative officer of McCann-Erickson Worldwide, New York, who serves on this year’s film jury, and Bill Ludwig, vice-chairman, chief creative officer of Campbell-Ewald Advertising, Warren, Mich., who serves on the press and poster jury.
Throughout Festival week, broadcast ads will be screened continuously in auditoriums of the Palais des Festivals. Also preceding the Film Awards Ceremony, which will be held Saturday evening (6/26), are several seminars and awards banquets. On Tuesday, the Press & Poster and Cyber Awards Ceremony precedes the Young Creatives Party. On Wednesday, Leo Burnett will host a best spots seminar while Saatchi & Saatchi will showcase top new directing talent. The Media Awards Dinner will also be held that night. The following day, USA Today is hosting a panel on advertising that has pushed the envelope. Foote, Cone & Belding, Kodak and Industrial Light + Magic Commercial Productions are also sponsoring individual seminars on Thursday, however as SHOOT went to press, the subjects had not been announced.
The stateside commercial community dominated last year’s Advertising Festival. San Francisco-based Goodby, Silverstein & Partners’ Nike campaign took home the Grand Prix and bicoastal/international @radical.media copped the Palme d’Or. Additionally, American fare took home a total of 39 out of 121 Gold, Silver and Bronze Lions in the TV/ film derby.
News and updates, as well as information about past winners, can be found at the festival’s official Website, www.canneslions.com.
