Procter & Gamble had a stellar evening at Cannes, scoring Grand Prix wins in the Press and inaugural Glass Lions competitions. On the latter score, P&G feminine hygiene/sanitary napkins brand Whisper’s “Touch the Pickle” from BBDO India topped a Glass category which was launched this year to recognize work that breaks through gender bias, shattering stereotypical depictions of men and women. The campaign included a viral film, comic books, a TED talk and celebs to help remove the stigma around menstruation in Indian society.
Glass Jury president Cindy Gallop, founder and CEO, IfWeRanTheWorld / MakeLoveNotPorn, said judges came to the decision to go with “Touch the Pickle” for the Grand Prix following lengthy discussion, informed by a strong sense of responsibility for what the category represents. “Ultimately we unanimously agreed on work tackling a gender issue that impacts every single woman worldwide; does it in a way that is innovative and disruptive while entertaining and engaging; comes naturally from a brand for whom effecting change in this area is not only its innate social responsibility but of tremendous business benefit; and which has achieved amazing results in one of the most conservative markets in the world.”
There were but eight Glass Lions awarded in year one, including another BBDO Mumbai win for P&G Ariel Matic’s “Share the Load,” Droga5 NY’s “Equal Pay Back Project,” and the Leo Burnett (Toronto, Chicago, London), sister digital agency Holler, London, and MSL Group NY’s “#LikeAGirl” initiative for P&G’s Always, the feminine hygiene U.S. brand counterpart to India’s Whisper.
“#LikeAGirl” also scored the PR Grand Prix honor at Cannes. Centerpiece of the campaign is a viral film directed by Lauren Greenfield of Chelsea Pictures which took the negative “like a girl” stereotype (you run “like a girl,” throw “like a girl”) and turned it into an empowering movement celebrating the strength and willpower embodied in doing things “like a girl.” The video has generated a staggering 4.5 billion online impressions worldwide.
PR Lions Jury president Lynne Anne Davis, president & sr. partner of Asia Pacific for FleishmanHillard, movingly described discussion amongst the jury that had led to the awarding of their Grand Prix to “#Like A Girl”. “There were two jury members who had showed it to their children, and they will never know ‘like a girl’ to be a put-down,” she said. “This is a campaign that marries a brand promise with brand purpose and commercial pursuit. It’s not just counting the people reached, but reaching the people who count.” She also highlighted that over half of this year’s 79 PR Lion-winners had come from PR specialists, attributing the increase to the creativity gap having “completely closed” between advertising and PR agencies.
Creative Effectiveness, Outdoor, Media Lions
The Creative Effectiveness Lions saw the continuation of a winning streak for Volvo, with Forsman & Bodenfors, Stockholm, receiving the Grand Prix for Volvo Trucks “Live Test Series” which Jury president Wendy Clark, president, Sparkling Brands & Strategic Marketing, Coca-Cola North America, emphatically called “a gift to the industry” that demonstrated the power of creative bravery as a conduit to exceptional effectiveness. “This was unapologetic advertising, proud to communicate its message. Every jury member was jealous of the work.” A further 16 Creative Effectiveness Lions were also bestowed.
131 Outdoor Lions were awarded. TBWA/Media Arts Lab Los Angeles and Apple claimed the Grand Prix for the “World Gallery” iPhone 6 integrated campaign, described by Jury president Juan Carlos Ortiz, president & CEO of DDB, as a ground-breaking blend of innovation and simplicity-of-thought that made the jury’s choice easy. “We didn’t choose the Grand Prix–the Grand Prix chose us,” he said.
Finally, in Media, 80 Lions were awarded including the Grand Prix to Y&R Team Red, Istanbul for Vodafone, “Vodafone Red Light Application/Between Us.” Speaking about the work, Nick Emery, Global CEO, Mindshare, said that it was clever, a good cause and a great media idea. “It embraces the best of both a corporate campaign and the originality of an NGO approach. Technology was at its heart and it also has an adaptable and flexible media approach, personalized to the women of Turkey.”
