Marketing’s news editor David Brown is covering the 55th International Advertising Festival in Cannes this week. This is his first report:
The first day of competition at the 55th annual International Advertising Festival in Cannes began sunny and warm but it quickly became a gloomy day for Canada’s Promo competition entrants.
No Canadian entries made the Promo Lions short list which was revealed here this morning.
“I was surprised,” said Spider Marketing president Rico DiGiovanni, Canada’s representative on the Promo jury. Though he was expecting to see competitive promotional work from Canada, the entries he reviewed just didn’t measure up. “I was not impressed with the quality of the work that came from Canada,” he said. Canada submitted 23 entries to the Promo competition, up from just six last year and 14 the year before that.
On the other hand, the day looks a lot brighter for agencies in the Direct, Media, Press, Outdoor and Radio competitions. Canada would seem to have the best chance for a Lion in the Press Competition, making the short list 18 times for nine different campaigns.
DDB Toronto made the list for two different clients. The Canadian Blood Services’ “18 lives” and “3 lives” are still in the running for a Lion as is DDB’s “Crotch,” “Nuts,” and “Poop” campaign for Timmie Doggie Outfitters.
Taxi Toronto’s four call-for-entry posters for the Young Guns International Advertising Awards made the short list as did the agency’s “Stock ad” for Toronto homeless youth shelter Covenant House.
BBDO Toronto is in the running with creative from two different clients: “Fat Bear” for Chrysler Canada and “Cheers” for Fedex Canada.
Sid Lee’s “Paint” and “Thermostat” ads for Reno Depot made the list, as did Leo Burnett’s “Worship” and “Jog” ads for the Toronto Humane Society.
Finally, Crispin Porter + Bogusky’s “Ground kisser” and “Pee stain family” ads for Volkswagen Canada also made the list.
In the Media Competition, nine Canadian entries made the short list, for eight different clients.
Starcom Mediavest Group is on the list twice: once for “Breaking through the boundaries” for Johnnie Walker and again for “Smarter than a 5th Grader” for Nintendo Canada. Cossette Montreal also has two chances for a Lion, though both for Perfetti Van Melle. “Pop your art” for Mentos gum (part of the Marketing Awards Best of Show winning campaign for Mentos) could win a Lion, as could “Real gum fresco stunts.”
Canadian Blood Services’ and DDB’s “3 lives,” Sid Lee and the Quebec Foundation for the Blind’s “Black,” Due North and Dairy Farmers of Canada’s “Due North milk,” JWT’s “Elevator” for Johnson & and Johnson, and Rogers’ and Mediacom Toronto’s “Rogers Grammys” are also still in contention.
DDB is leading the way in the Radio Competition with two spots from its Toronto office for Philips Canada’s “Shave Everywhere” campaign—which performed well at the Marketing Awards and the RMB Crystals—making the short list: “Gardening tips” and “Housekeeping tips.” DDB Vancouver is also in contention for “No-added-sugar guy” for Sun-Rype.
Two Rethink ads for Science World—“Two seconds” and “Bacteria”—could also win. Sid Lee and Jean Lacasse Antiquaire’s very small “What’s New?” 5-second radio spot continues to make a big impact while Zig’s “Low voice” for IKEA is also on the list. Finally, MacLaren McCann Toronto’s “Dinner/Movers” ad for Durex Condoms, submitted by Oink Ink Radio in New York could also win a Lion. That makes eight Canadian entries for six different campaigns still with a chance to bring home a Radio Lion.
In the Outdoor competition, five Canadian entries have been shortlisted for four different campaigns.
Mattel Canada’s “Cake jumper” and “Cake” executions from Ogilvy & Mather Toronto both made the list. Venture Communications Toronto’s “Chairlift” for Travel Alberta; Grey Toronto’s “Rapunzel” for P&G; and Rethink’s “Stihl chainsaw billboard” for Kerrisdale Equipment also made the list. Finally, in the Direct Competition, Proximity BBDO’s “Crime doesn’t pay” campaign for Royal Bank of Canada is nominated twice in two different categories. Joining them on the short list are Wunderman and MSN Canada for “Video’s back” and Leo Burnett for The Score’s annual report.
The festival’s first Lion was also handed to the Netherlands this morning, with a creative team from Willem de Kooning Academy winning Gold in the Print Young Lions competition. Canada was represented by TBWA Vancouver copywriters Jon Murray and Addie Gillespie.
Winners in the Promo and Direct competitions will be announced this evening (see today’s Marketing Daily PM edition at 3 p.m. EST), while the Lions in the Press, Outdoor and Media competitions will be handed out on Tuesday and the Press winners announced Wednesday.
