Igniting creative excellence since 1954, the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity has been providing the definitive benchmark for creativeness that drives progress globally. This year, the festival has recorded a 6 percent rise in entries, with a total of 26,992 entries.
The awards have seen an 18 percent increase in the number of entries directly by consumer product brand companies demonstrating the value being placed on creativity that drives business. Cannes Lions said strong industry engagement with the Entertainment Lions for Gaming in its inaugural year shows the increasing collaboration between brands and Gaming. It highlighted that the growth and breadth of entries show a growing confidence and investment in non-traditional channels.
Simon Cook, CEO, LIONS, said the shifts in the work that’s been entered provide a powerful insight into the industry landscape and the emerging trends. “A high increase in submissions made directly from consumer product brand companies demonstrates the value being placed on creativity that drives business. The strong engagement across a breadth of Lions, including emerging areas like B2B, Gaming, Commerce, and Business Transformation – shows us that there is a growing confidence and investment in non-traditional channels.” Cook said their juries will curate a body of Lion-worthy work and set the global benchmark that will propel them into the year ahead, supporting those using creativity to drive progress.
Philip Thomas, Chairman, LIONS, said the Entertainment Lions for Gaming received 609 submissions, demonstrating the increase of collaboration between brands and the growing Gaming industry. “The number of submissions received in its first year shows a really strong engagement with the Gaming Lion and is a testament to the relevance and opportunity that Gaming now holds within the creative marketing community.”
Lions with increased engagement include the Brand Experience & Activation Lions which have seen an increase of 16 percent. This reflects the brand’s renewed focus on enhancing customer experience and brand building. The annual event noted that Creative Strategy Lions have increased by 35 percent. The Creative Business Transformation Lions, now in its third year, have seen a 59 percent increase. This shows creativity as a driving force behind successful businesses going through a time of change. The Creative Commerce Lions increased by 25 percent, demonstrating an area of high innovation in creating customer journeys and paths to purchase.
Furthermore, Outdoor Lions saw an increase of 7 percent in submissions, driven by the FMCG sector where entries grew by 30 percent, as well as from the travel sector which saw an 84 percent increase.
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