Cannes Lions have evolved, but the trophy is still a prize for agencies and brands

The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity begins this week. The week is stuffed with official programming, brand activations, and parties.

In the midst of all that, It’s easy to forget that, at its most

The Cannes Lions awards have been around for more than 70 years, so they must constantly evolve to keep up with industry trends. This year, there are a number of changes that mirror what’s happening not only in the marketing industry, but society.

One of these includes expanding the aperture of Glass: The Lion for Change, which celebrates creativity that promotes equal representation, beyond just gender, to include disability, race, sexuality, and social inequity.

“Expanding its scope allows us to celebrate ideas promoting equitable representation across a broader range of communities, while emphasizing authentic inclusivity throughout the creative process,” said Marian Brannelly, the global director of awards for the Lions, in an email to Business Insider.

Another addition is subtle, but important in terms of the growing presence of B2B campaigns at the Lions. The Creative B2B Lions submission will now include a question to help clarify the type of work submitted. Entrants will need to specify if the work is for a traditional B2B model where one business sells directly to another, one involving a partnership between businesses to reach consumers, or work aimed at attracting consumers as a way to engage a business customer.

“Ultimately, the jury is looking for work that redefines how B2B brands engage with their audiences, showcasing exceptional craft, long-term brand building, or game-changing ideas that challenge industry norms,” said Simon Cook, the CEO of the Lions, in an email to Business Insider

Awards maintain importance

Even amid these changes, agencies’ view of the Lions and its importance essentially has remained the same. Rafael Rizuto, the chief creative officer of Ogilvy North America, described the Lions as the “Holy Grail” of awards. He added that for Ogilvy —which won a Grand Prix for its “Michael CeraVe” campaign last year and counts among its shortlisted campaigns this year “The Athlete’s Code” for Powerade — winning a Lion is important for many reasons, including attracting talent.

“An agency that wins awards attracts the best talent, who produces the best work and so on,” he said.

Rizuto himself is an Ogilvy “boomerang,” coming back to the agency 10 months ago after two previous stints. He cited the CeraVe campaign as one of the motivations for returning. “I want to do more work like that,” he added.

Abbey Klaassen, the global president and US CEO for Dentsu Creative, which won a Grand Prix last year for a campaign with Dutch telecom company KPN, said winning a Lion can strengthen the client-agency partnership and the conversations about the work. “If we focus with clients about the ideas that move people in business, it’s actually a great opportunity for gaining learning and perspective,” she said.

Each year, Dentsu offers its clients the opportunity to dissect the work that has won a Lion — not just client wins, but others in the industry, given that a number of people across the agency sit on juries. “They bring those insights of those conversations that happen inside the jury room,” she said.

Not surprisingly, winning a Lion also has an impact on employee morale. “It gives teams across our creative network a source of pride,” she said. “We think about what winning work communicates about us as an agency… and the type of work we do.”

Raising the bar

Diana Littman, the CEO of MSL US and a jury member for the PR Lions, which has been a category since 2009, said awards can be “a validation” for clients. Last year, MSL US won several Cannes Lions, including one for Dunkin’ featuring Ben Affleck.

Littman said winning an award also provides the opportunity to push the envelope creatively for future work with a client.

“I think one of the most exciting things is if you win, it gives you a new baseline and you get to keep building blocks on top of that.” She added that some clients will mention their desire to win a Lion in their initial business brief, something Littman appreciates.

“I really like to have open conversations and sit down with clients,” she said. “If they want to be winning awards, let’s really put that out on the table and talk about what it takes to win awards. At the core of it, it’s the business brief that you have to be doing, but the way you wrap a business brief can look very different.”

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