First winners announced at Cannes Lions 2024

The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, which kicked off yesterday, has announced the first winners of the week in the Health & Wellness, Outdoor, Pharma, Print & Publishing and Audio & Radio Lions.

Simon Cook, CEO, LIONS, said, “As we kick off the 71st year of Cannes Lions, we couldn’t be more excited to share the first round of winners across Monday’s Lions. I’d like to thank the Jurors who have joined us from all around the world to generously provide their wisdom, time and energy to choose the best creativity our industry has to offer.”

The Outdoor Lions, celebrating creativity experienced out of home, received 2053 entries, and 57 Lions were awarded: 10 Gold, 18 Silver and 27 Bronze. There were two Grands Prix awarded within the category this year. The first went to LOLA Mullenlowe, Madrid, Spain, for its Magnum Ice Cream campaign ‘Find Your Summer’. Magnum’s striking January ads depicted people yearning for the summer by finding a ray of sunshine in a Magnum ice cream.

The second went to ‘Adoptable by Pedigree’, for Pedigree, by Colenso BBDO, Auckland, New Zealand. In the brand’s ongoing ambition to end dog homelessness, Pedigree democratised dog adoption ads using AI to transform the image of a shelter dog into studio-quality photography.

Commenting on the two Grands Prix this year, Outdoor Jury President, Marco Venturelli, Chief Creative Officer, Publicis Groupe, France, said: “For the two Grands Prix I’ve asked my wonderful Jurors to split their tired brains in two. On one side looking for how a beautifully crafted picture and perfectly formulated wording can still make us crazy jealous. On the other, to search for a sign of what the future of Outdoor may hold. Long live Outdoor.”

In the Print & Publishing Lions, which honour creativity in circulation, 734 entries were received and 21 Lions awarded: four Gold, three Silver, and 13 Bronze Lions and the Grand Prix, which went to ‘Recycle Me’ for Coca-Cola, by Ogilvy, New York, USA. The brand crushed its signature red cans to make new misshapen logos and promote recycling on a mass scale.

Print & Publishing Jury President John Raúl Forero, President and Chief Creative Officer, DDB, Colombia, said: “‘Recycle Me’ is a reminder of the power of simplicity, boldness, purity, and elegance in print advertising. In a world that often seeks to dazzle with technology, this campaign stands out by revindicating the classic print. It’s a Grand Prix-winning effort for a major brand that will undoubtedly be remembered for years to come.”

The Audio & Radio Lions, celebrating creativity that is wired for sound, received 759 entries, and 23 Lions were awarded: four Gold, six Silver and 12 Bronze Lions. The Grand Prix went to ‘The Misheard Version’ for Specsavers by Golin, London, UK. The healthcare specialists in vision and hearing employed artist Rick Astley to covertly re-record the lyrics to his hit single Never Gonna Give You Up to convince people to sign up for a free hearing test.

Audio & Radio Jury President Simon Vicars, Chief Creative Officer, Colenso BBDO, New Zealand, said: “‘The Misheard Version’ by Specsavers is a brilliant example of creativity turned up to 11. A nationwide hearing test, disguised inside an iconic song. Creative to its core and recklessly ambitious in its execution. It powered business results and broke into culture. Thank you, Specsavers for making us laugh, for committing properly to this idea, and for making our Jury’s biggest decision an easy one.”

In the Health & Wellness Lions, honouring creativity for personal well-being, 1252 entries were received and 38 Lions awarded: five Gold, 14 Silver and 18 Bronze. The Grand Prix went to ‘The Last Barf Bag’ for Dramamine by FCB Chicago, USA. The nausea medication created an ode to the humble barf bag, launching an integrated campaign that featured a 13-minute documentary on the competitor its own effectiveness has helped to kill.

Health & Wellness Jury President Wendy Chan, Health Creative Lead, Asia Pacific, Edelman, APAC, said: “This Grand Prix-winning work showcases how a brand no matter its size can cut through the noise of a crowded market. It talks about the brand without mentioning it, by using light-heartedness, with an unexpected but relevant way in. It’s an example that will inspire all to push boundaries.”

In the Pharma Lions, which celebrate life-changing creativity, from 232 entries, seven Lions were awarded: one Gold, two Silver and three Bronze Lions. The Jury awarded the Pharma Grand Prix to ‘Magnetic Stories’ for Siemens Healthineers by Area 23 New York (An IPG Health Network Company), USA. The MRI manufacturer created a series of children’s audiobooks that integrated the frightening sounds from the medical equipment into fun fantastical elements of the stories so children undergoing the exam would be less scared.

Pharma Jury President Collette Douaihy, Global Chief Creative Officer, Health, Dentsu Health, Global, said: “The best way to exemplify the power of creativity is by having a direct impact on people’s lives. The winning work did just that by producing audiobooks for children undergoing MRI scans, transforming a disorientating and frightening medical procedure into an engaging and immersive experience. The stories were meticulously crafted by renowned authors and sound designers to precisely sync each sound of the scan with exciting story moments, alleviating fear and enhancing the experience. This is storytelling at its best.”

The Lions Health and United Nations Foundation Grand Prix for Good went to Impact BBDO, Dubai, UAE, for ‘Child Wedding Cards’ for UN Women.

Special Awards also awarded:

Healthcare Network of the Year
1. FCB Health
2. Klick Health
3. Havas Health

Healthcare Agency of the Year
1. AREA 23, an IPG Health Network Company, New York, USA
2. Klick Health, Toronto, Canada
3. Havas Health, Manchester, UK

Winners of the Lions will be announced at the Award Shows taking place each evening throughout the Festival, from 17 to 21 June 2024. All shortlists and winners will also be available to view on The Work. Further information on Cannes Lions can be found at canneslions.com.

Image Credit: Getty Images