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.
Utah Leaders and Locals Rally To Keep Sundance Film Festival In The State
With the 2025 Sundance Film Festival underway, Utah leaders, locals and longtime attendees are making a final push — one that could include paying millions of dollars — to keep the world-renowned film festival as its directors consider uprooting.
Thousands of festivalgoers affixed bright yellow stickers to their winter coats that read "Keep Sundance in Utah" in a last-ditch effort to convince festival leadership and state officials to keep it in Park City, its home of 41 years.
Gov. Spencer Cox said previously that Utah would not throw as much money at the festival as other states hoping to lure it away. Now his office is urging the Legislature to carve out $3 million for Sundance in the state budget, weeks before the independent film festival is expected to pick a home for the next decade.
It could retain a small presence in picturesque Park City and center itself in nearby Salt Lake City, or move to another finalist — Cincinnati, Ohio, or Boulder, Colorado — beginning in 2027.
"Sundance is Utah, and Utah is Sundance. You can't really separate those two," Cox said. "This is your home, and we desperately hope it will be your home forever."
Last year's festival generated about $132 million for the state of Utah, according to Sundance's 2024 economic impact report.
Festival Director Eugene Hernandez told reporters last week that they had not made a final decision. An announcement is expected this year by early spring.
Colorado is trying to further sweeten its offer. The state is considering legislation giving up to $34 million in tax incentives to film festivals like Sundance through 2036 — on top of the $1.5 million in funds already approved to lure the Utah festival to its neighboring... Read More