DDB Canada Toronto president Melanie Johnston is the latest Canadian selected for jury duty. Johnston will sit on the Creative Effectiveness jury at the 2016 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.
It is the first time Johnston has served on a Cannes jury. She joins the growing list of advertising executives representing Canada in Cannes this year. In February it was announced Edelman’s John Clinton and Pirate Group’s Tom Eymundson, would lead the PR and Radio juries, respectively.
Last year, the Creative Effectiveness jury had just three Canadian entries–none of which went home with a Lion. Johnston told Marketing she hopes to see more representation from fellow Canucks this year. “I hope to see more of Canada’s business-building campaign work entered into Cannes this year – and that we bring home some Lions,” she said.
Johnston also shared some of her picks for exceptional work she hopes to review as a jury member. Among her picks were CVS’s “Cigarettes Out. Health In” campaign, which promoted the retailer’s decision to stop selling cigarettes, and UPS’ “Wishes Delivered,” a charity-based campaign that earned significant buzz with a charming video about a child who dreamed of being a UPS driver.
In terms of Canadian hopefuls, Johnston chose the YMCA’s “#NotOkay” campaign, an effort calling attention to the culture of violence against women.
“This powerful campaign shines a light on violence against women and makes you question why this issue is treated lightly in popular culture,” Johnston said. “It yielded some great results and really makes you think twice about the media you consume.”
