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The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, which kicked off Monday June 17, has announced the first winners of the week in the Health & Wellness, Outdoor, Pharma, Print & Publishing and Audio & Radio Lions. 

Simon Cook, CEO, LIONS, said, “As we kick off the 71st year of Cannes Lions, we couldn’t be more excited to share the first round of winners across Monday’s Lions. I’d like to thank the Jurors who have joined us from all around the world to generously provide their wisdom, time and energy to choose the best creativity our industry has to offer.”

The Outdoor Lions, celebrating creativity experienced out of home, received 2053 entries, and 57 Lions were awarded: 10 Gold, 18 Silver and 27 Bronze. There were two Grands Prix awarded within the category this year. The first went to LOLA Mullenlowe, Madrid, Spain, for its Magnum Ice Cream campaign ‘Find Your Summer’. Magnum’s striking January ads depicted people yearning for the summer by finding a ray of sunshine in a Magnum ice cream.

The second went to ‘Adoptable by Pedigree’, for Pedigree, by Colenso BBDO, Auckland, New Zealand. In the brand’s ongoing ambition to end dog homelessness, Pedigree democratised dog adoption ads using AI to transform the image of a shelter dog into studio-quality photography. 

Commenting on the two Grands Prix this year, Outdoor Jury President, Marco Venturelli, Chief Creative Officer, Publicis Groupe, France, said: “For the two Grands Prix I’ve asked my wonderful Jurors to split their tired brains in two. On one side looking for how a beautifully crafted picture and perfectly formulated wording can still make us crazy jealous. On the other, to search for a sign of what the future of Outdoor may hold. Long live Outdoor.”

In the Print & Publishing Lions, which honour creativity in circulation, 734 entries were received and 21 Lions awarded: four Gold, three Silver, and 13 Bronze Lions and the Grand Prix, which went to ‘Recycle Me’ for Coca-Cola, by Ogilvy, New York, USA. The brand crushed its signature red cans to make new misshapen logos and promote recycling on a mass scale. 

Print & Publishing Jury President John Raúl Forero, President and Chief Creative Officer, DDB, Colombia, said: “‘Recycle Me’ is a reminder of the power of simplicity, boldness, purity, and elegance in print advertising. In a world that often seeks to dazzle with technology, this campaign stands out by revindicating the classic print. It’s a Grand Prix-winning effort for a major brand that will undoubtedly be remembered for years to come.”

The Audio & Radio Lions, celebrating creativity that is wired for sound, received 759 entries, and 23 Lions were awarded: four Gold, six Silver and 12 Bronze Lions. The Grand Prix went to ‘The Misheard Version’ for Specsavers by Golin, London, UK. The healthcare specialists in vision and hearing employed artist Rick Astley to covertly re-record the lyrics to his hit single Never Gonna Give You Up to convince people to sign up for a free hearing test. 

Audio & Radio Jury President Simon Vicars, Chief Creative Officer, Colenso BBDO, New Zealand, said: “‘The Misheard Version’ by Specsavers is a brilliant example of creativity turned up to 11. A nationwide hearing test, disguised inside an iconic song. Creative to its core and recklessly ambitious in its execution. It powered business results and broke into culture. Thank you, Specsavers for making us laugh, for committing properly to this idea, and for making our Jury’s biggest decision an easy one.”

In the Health & Wellness Lions, honouring creativity for personal well-being, 1252 entries were received and 38 Lions awarded: five Gold, 14 Silver and 18 Bronze. The Grand Prix went to ‘The Last Barf Bag’ for Dramamine by FCB Chicago, USA. The nausea medication created an ode to the humble barf bag, launching an integrated campaign that featured a 13-minute documentary on the competitor its own effectiveness has helped to kill.

Health & Wellness Jury President Wendy Chan, Health Creative Lead, Asia Pacific, Edelman, APAC, said: “This Grand Prix-winning work showcases how a brand no matter its size can cut through the noise of a crowded market. It talks about the brand without mentioning it, by using light-heartedness, with an unexpected but relevant way in. It’s an example that will inspire all to push boundaries.”

In the Pharma Lions, which celebrate life-changing creativity, from 232 entries, seven Lions were awarded: one Gold, two Silver and three Bronze Lions. The Jury awarded the Pharma Grand Prix to ‘Magnetic Stories’ for Siemens Healthineers by Area 23 New York (An IPG Health Network Company), USA. The MRI manufacturer created a series of children’s audiobooks that integrated the frightening sounds from the medical equipment into fun fantastical elements of the stories so children undergoing the exam would be less scared. 

Pharma Jury President Collette Douaihy, Global Chief Creative Officer, Health, Dentsu Health, Global, said: “The best way to exemplify the power of creativity is by having a direct impact on people's lives. The winning work did just that by producing audiobooks for children undergoing MRI scans, transforming a disorientating and frightening medical procedure into an engaging and immersive experience. The stories were meticulously crafted by renowned authors and sound designers to precisely sync each sound of the scan with exciting story moments, alleviating fear and enhancing the experience. This is storytelling at its best.”

The Lions Health and United Nations Foundation Grand Prix for Good went to Impact BBDO, Dubai, UAE, for ‘Child Wedding Cards’ for UN Women. 

This low-budget, direct-mail campaign titled “Child Wedding Cards,” and created by IMPACT BBDO in collaboration with UN Women, directly engaged lawmakers in Pakistan by sending them invitation cards to a child’s fictional wedding. Invitation cards that were designed entirely by children, ranging in ages from 5 to 15.

Pakistan currently has the sixth highest number of child brides, and efforts have been ongoing to lift the minimum age for marriage to 18. Lawmakers who received the child wedding cards proceeded to make videos holding the cards up, while affirming their commitment in the fight against child marriage. Dozens spoke up, generating a reach of more than 25 million. Most impactfully, efforts from lawmakers fighting for the cause have led to actual legislative shifts, both through the National Assembly and in the Shariat Court, the highest religious body in Pakistan.

The campaign worked on the insight of the Pakistani cultural nuance of the wedding card delivery, which is highly symbolic for any wedding – printed cards are delivered by hand even today. Each lawmaker was directly targeted through the mail campaign. The entire production, in collaboration with BBDO Pakistan, was low budget and cost under $1500.

A powerful film capturing the construction of the cards, in which faceless children are seen painting and drawing the invites, was directed and produced by Shiny Toy Guns, with music provided by Zohaib Kazi at Karma Kolectiv.

Dani Richa, CEO and Chairman, BBDO EMEA, said, “Winning a Grand Prix in Cannes is rewarding on multiple levels, with the most significant being the opportunity to shine a spotlight on this important cause on a global stage.”

Ali Rez, Regional Chief Creative Officer at IMPACT BBDO commented, “This campaign demonstrates the true power of creativity: the ability to deliver a highly impactful message without relying on massive budgets, and an emphasis on emotional voltage. We are fortunate to have a brave brand partner like UN Women, who have been incredibly inspiring in the way they have been fighting this important fight against child marriage.”