No matter how much advertising has changed since the festival started nearly 70 years ago, the Film Lions, awarded on the last day of the festival, are still the biggest prize. This year there seems a fair chance it will go to a campaign that spreads joy, as a collective desire to look on the bright side pervades the festival.
On the film shortlist, the UK has done pretty well with 29 nominations, second only to the US’s 54. adam&eveDDB has scored a total of 11 entries for playful work including Marmite “Baby Scan” and “Nothing Fills a Hole Like a Pot Noodle.”
McDonald’s very light-hearted “Raise your arches” and Mother’s similarly humorous Uber Eats work have multiple chances to win, while New Commercial Arts, BMB, Neverland and Pablo are also among the 13 UK agencies on the shortlist.
On day two, however, the Craft categories went with some more serious winners. Kendrick Lamarr’s “We Cry Together” took the Film Craft Grand Prix, beating Apple’s “The Greatest” and Pharrell’s “Cash in Cash Out” after a final round of deliberation from the jury.
As the director of “The Greatest,” jury president Kim Gehrig had to excuse herself from the final decision. But the Apple ad won three Craft Gold Lions today, and a Grand Prix in Music (alongside Michael Kiwanuka’s “Beautiful Life” video).
The rest of today’s Grand Prix:
Digital Craft Grand Prix went to Nike and AKQA for ‘Never Done Evolving” featuring Serena Williams.
Gaming and Entertainment Grand Prix both went to Wieden+Kennedy Portland for its Clash of Clans 10th anniversary campaign, “Clash from the Past.”
Sport Grand Prix to “Dreamcaster” for Michelob ULTRA by FCB New York.
Design Grand Prix went to Microsoft and McCann New York for “ADLaM.”
Industry Craft Grand Prix went to “My Japan Railway” for JR GROUP by Dentsu Tokyo.
