A 90-second ad capturing Michael Phelps as he makes his final push to the Rio 2016 Olympics walked away with a Lion in Cannes Saturday night during the final gala of the Festival.
“One More Day” – featuring the American swimmer as part of Under Armour’s ongoing “Rule Yourself” campaign from Droga5 New York — was awarded Grand Prix in Film Craft in Cannes.
A Canadian brand had just one chance to win a Film Craft Lion with Canada Goose’s “Out There” campaign on the shortlist released Friday, but the campaign came up empty handed.
Had the brand won, however, it wouldn’t officially register as a Canadian win because it was entered by the company’s U.S. agency CAA Marketing Los Angeles.
Unlike the Film Lions, where judges focus on the creative idea, Film Craft judges are looking at the technical skill and artistry in the production of the work.
Film Craft jury president Laura Gregory, founder and chief executive officer at Great Guns, said the jury was looking for work that elevated content beyond the written script.
“We’re judging categories like casting, animation, visual effects, sound design, adapted music, music; so all the time we’re looking for really different and unique qualities of that piece of work,” she said during a press conference Saturday morning announcing the winners. “The idea is always strong, but it’s not just about ideas.”
“We chose [One More Day for Grand Prix] because at the end, it’s the one piece that transcended the craft and reached out and touched us,” added jury member Steffen Gentis, chief production officer at BBDO Group Germany.
When asked if a small budget piece could ever medal in the Film Craft competition, Gregory said FCB Chicago’s “Looking Back” ad for Clark Street Bridge, which had “minimum budget and maximum craft” was in close contention for Grand Prix.
In total, 77 Film Craft Lions were awarded in a competition that saw 2,315 submissions this year (up from 2,205 a year ago), of which 216 made the shortlist, released Friday. Canadian interest this year was down somewhat this year with 31 entries compared to 50 in 2015.
The Film Craft Lions were handed out Saturday night along with the Film and Titanium and Integrated Lions.
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