Just a couple of weeks after scoring the Most Next Award signifying best in show at the AICP Next Awards, The New York Times' virtual reality documentary The Displaced–along with other NY Times VR fare–won the Mobile Grand Prix at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.
The Displaced tells the story of three children–from Syria, Ukraine and Sudan–who are refugees as a result of war and persecution. Vrse.works partnered with the The New York Times and Google to launch NYTVR with the VR film, which was directed by Vrse.works creator Imraan Ismail and NY Times journalist Ben Solomon.
The Displaced debuted when over a million subscribers to the Times received a special edition Google Cardboard to experience the VR documentary giving users a birds-eye view of what it’s like to have to flee a country ravaged by war. Nearly 60 million people around the world have been driven from their homes–more than any other time since World War II. Half are children.
Also helping to earn the Mobile Grand Prix was additional VR fare seen by New York Times viewers such as the GE video “Nature Is Inspiring Our Industrial Future” and Mini’s “Backwater.”
Click here for a rundown of Mobile Lions winners.
2nd Grand Prix
Y&R New Zealand won the Media Grand Prix for its integrated campaign “McWhopper” for Burger King Corporation. Burger King raised awareness for Peace Day by offering a public olive branch to its long time rival to create a burger mash-up (The Whopper and McDonald’s Big Mac) on behalf of world peace.
The Media Lions top honor’ came just two days after “McWhopper” scored the Print and Publishing Grand Prix at Cannes.
Click here for a rundown of Media Lions winners.
