Aussie expat Jake Barrow leads VML to win Czech Republic’s first-ever Grand Prix at Cannes Lions

Aussie expat Jake Barrow has helped steer VML Prague to a historic win at the 2025 Cannes Lions, securing the first-ever Grand Prix for the Czech Republic for KitKat “Take a Break from Your Phone”. The campaign, which launched earlier this year, stood out in a field of nearly 2,000 entries from around the world, with only 202 making the shortlist.

Just eight months into his role as Chief Creative Officer of VML Czech Republic, Barrow led the charge on the campaign, which picked up the Outdoor Grand Prix and a Silver Lion in Print & Publishing, making it one of the most awarded Outdoor campaigns of the year – a milestone for Czech creativity.

Barrow, who spent more than a decade at VML Melbourne before taking on the CCO role in Prague in 2024, said the win is a proud moment for the agency and a testament to the strength of the idea and the team behind it: “I’m over the moon. Winning the top prize in Cannes after just eight months with VML Prague is an incredible moment. It proves that world-class ideas can come from anywhere, even from Prague. The Grand Prix is not just recognition of a great idea, but also of the team that brought it to life and the client who had the courage to go all in.”

The concept originated from an internal VML global pitch for Nestlé’s marketing team, which saw more than 400 entries.

Back in 1957, JWT copywriter Donald Gilles coined the now iconic line “Have a break, have a KitKat.” Little did he know that in 2025 – in a screen-obsessed world – taking a real break would be harder than ever. With phones constantly in our hands, KitKat’s message feels more relevant than ever. The campaign responds to today’s screen fatigue and encourages people to disconnect not just from work, but from their phones too.

VML’s outdoor visuals show everyday scenes – people waiting for the bus or standing in line – holding a bright red KitKat bar instead of a phone. With no slogans, headlines, or logos, the message hits harder. The work stood out by breaking the rules – using no text, just bold imagery that plays off KitKat’s well-known tagline without explicitly saying it. In the background, the message is clear: “Put your phone down. Take a break. Have a KitKat.”

The visuals were shot by award-winning Slovak photographer Miro Minarovych, based in Prague.

The agency credits the entire team and strong client trust for this win, seeing it as proof that VML Czechia plays in the top league.

Says Iva Welker, CEO of VML Czech Republic: “This award shows that our Czech VML team can compete with the best in the world. We believe in simple, strong ideas, and one of them just made waves at Cannes. The fact that we developed, approved, and launched the campaign in record time is thanks to a tight-knit team, including our media partners at Mindshare, now WPP Media, who helped get it out fast. That’s the power of our WPP Campus, where creative, PR, digital, and media experts work under one roof.”

The campaign’s visibility was also supported by strong media partners: BigBoard provided outdoor space, and the print ads ran in Mafra, Czech News Center, and Burda titles.

Iva Welker – CEO VML Czechia
Bas Korsten – Global Chief Creative Officer, Innovation & Co-Chief Creative Officer VML EMEA
Jaime Mandelbaum – Co-Chief Creative Officer VML EMEA
Jake Barrow – _Chief Creative Officer VML Czechia
Mauro Fardin – Executive Creative Director VML Czechia
Wanslez Quaresma – Head of Art VML Czechia
Karla Calheiros – Head of Copy VML Czechia
Carlos Paboudjian – Art Director VML Czechia
Helena Johnston – Senior Copywriter VML Czechia
Johnny Gaponenko – Copywriter VML Czechia
Soumik Babuya – Senior Digital Designer
Kristyna Ochvatova – Head of Strategy VML Czechia
Kristyna Hlinakova – Communication Manager VML Czechia
Miro Minarovic – Photographer
Jozef Pavleje – Producer
B612 Studio – Retouching
Aneta Jungvirt – Account Manager VML Czechia
Jana Stoklasová – Head of OOH

Mindshare Czechia
Kateřina Pánková – Senior OOH Planner

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