The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity has held the first of four awards ceremonies to honor the winners of the Promo & Activation, PR and Direct Lions categories.
The Promo & Activation Grand Prix and the Direct Grand Prix were awarded to Crispin Porter + Bogusky‘s “Small Business Gets an Official Day” for American Express. In the PR category JWT San Juan took home Puerto Rico’s first ever Grand Prix for “The Most Popular Song” for Banco Popular de Puerto Rico.
Of the 2,667 entries submitted in the Promo & Activation category, a 26% increase versus last year, 251 were shortlisted from which 86 were selected as winners by the international jury led by Nick Worthington, creative chairman, Colenso BBDO New Zealand. Along with the Grand Prix a further 17 Gold, 26 Silver and 42 Bronze Lions were also awarded.
Meanwhile, 2,357 entries were submitted into the Direct Lions category, an increase of 27% compared to 2011. 227 went on to make the shortlist of which 15 Gold, 25 Silver and 44 Bronze Lions were awarded. Gideon Amichay, former chief creative officer, joint managing partner of Shalmor Avnon Amichay/Y&R Interactive Tel Aviv, presided over the Direct Lions jury.
The PR category received 1,130 entries, up 38% from last year. The jury, chaired by Gail Heimann, vice chair of Weber Shandwick, shortlisted 134 and went on to award 20 Gold, 22 Silver and 26 Bronze Lions bringing the total number of winners in the category to 69.
The prestigious Direct Agency of the Year award was won by Serviceplan Munich with Wieden+Kennedy Portland coming in second and DDB Brasil São Paulo taking third.
All of the Promo & Activation, PR and Direct Lions winners along with their credits can be viewed online at www.canneslions.com/work.
Delegates attending the Festival have already experienced an exceptional content program with seminars coming from, amongst others, GroupM & Renren, The Globe and Mail, PARTY, Visa & TBWA and Cheil Worldwide. This year has also seen the introduction of The Forum, a new stream of content offering in-depth insight into the key industry issues, which saw six sessions taking place today including PMK*BNC and Kraft Foods.
The three Academies have also kicked off. The Roger Hatchuel Academy allows students a week of unrivalled learning and experiences, while the Creative Academy for Young Marketers provides intensive insight and training for young professionals working for client marketers, and the newly launched Creative Academy with Bob Isherwood gives Young Creatives already working in the industry the space to develop their talent and expand their personal creativity.
AD&Co. Launches Studio A; Davida Hall To Head New Venture As Sr. Director of Creative Content
Female-founded and led creative marketing agency AD&Co. has opened Studio A. The new venture will serve as AD&Co.’s in-house social brand content division, focused on developing and producing digital programming for advertising, social media, and influencer marketing campaigns designed to reach today’s audiences on the most popular and pivotal platforms. Davida Hall has been named to head Studio A as sr. director of creative content. She shifts over from AD&Co. where she held the same title since December 2023. Hall’s affiliations prior to AD&Co. include PopSugar and Studio71.
Amy Demas, founder and chief creative officer of AD&Co., said, “We understand content is king-—or queen—and that our clients need to engage their customer communities where they live. That inspired the logical expansion of AD&Co with Studio A, which is committed to producing only the most engaging and authentic brand stories.”
Studio A will harness both AD&Co’s and Hall’s deep expertise in the lifestyle sector, as content creators and avid consumers. Specializing in reaching audiences where they spend their time, the studio is immersed in social media, pop culture, and current trends, expertly crafting visuals, language, and storytelling to reinforce client brand identities and cut through the noise.
Studio A debuts with the “This Is Me” campaign for Love + Craft + Beauty, a brand dedicated to embracing and promoting diversity within the beauty space. “This Is Me” highlights Gen Z’s affinity for radical self-expression that allows individuals to tell their own stories, free from labels, using beauty and fashion as tools of authenticity. The campaign showcases models celebrating their unique qualities to present... Read More