It's finally here - Cannes Lions 2024 has begun! And with its first day comes the winners of the first five categories - Pharma Lions, Health & Wellness Lions, Print & Publishing Lions, Outdoor Lions, Audio & Radio Lions and the Health Grand Prix for Good.
Taking home the awards show's top prize on day one are seven winners spanning the US, UK, Spain, UAE and New Zealand - with two of those Grands Prix being awarded in the Outdoor category. The winners include campaigns like Coca-Cola and Ogilvy New York's drive to get customers recycling their favourite soft drink, some stunning black and white outdoor photography from ice cream brand Magnum and LOLA MullenLowe, and an updated rendition of a Rick Astley hit from Specsavers and Golin.
See all of Monday's Grand Prix winners here:
Pharma Lions
An MRI machine can be louder than a jet, which makes the experience frightening for children. To make those scans less disturbing, Siemens Healthineers teamed up with Area 23, an IPG Health Network agency, to create audiobooks that use each scan's unique sequence of noises as sound effects for the stories. The project had a successful pilot programme in Portugal, now eyeing further expansion.
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.”
Health & Wellness Lions
Dramamine is the most popular anti-nausea medication in the US. But as its popularity has risen, usage of the humble barf bag has diminished. Alongside agency partners FCB Chicago, Sunny Sixteen, 360PR+ and The Shipyard, Dramamine decided to explore the cultural impact of the barf bag's invention - resulting in a documentary, a limited collection of upcycled, repurposed bags and a pop-up museum exhibition.
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.”
Print & Publishing Lions
Supporting Coke's 'World Without Waste' strategy, the soft drink giant and WPP Open X (led by Ogilvy New York) created a series of powerful OOH activations depicting the Coca-Cola logo after a can has been crushed during the recycling process. Accompanied by the ‘Recycle Me’ call to action from the side of the can, the visuals puts recycling front of mind and encourages the consumer to take positive action after drinking a can of Coke.
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.”
Outdoor Lions
In winter, people often deny themselves the pleasure of a Magnum ice cream - so Magnum decided to shift that perception and help people 'find their summer' in the cold months. Created by LOLA MullenLowe, the initiative featured a monochromatic print and outdoor campaign from Ale Burset, capturing individuals relishing a Magnum in the small, narrow, and fleeting moments of sunshine during winter. In Glasgow, digital posters identified specific locations from weather data where moments of summer could be found, and people could also find their own summer spots in real time using an online tracker.
This campaign addresses the 12 million dogs in shelters worldwide by combining proprietary AI technology with Pedigree’s ad reach to put real, adoptable shelter dogs at the centre of global advertising. By turning every Pedigree ad into an ad for a shelter dog, the pet care brand's 'Adoptable' project accelerates its mission to end dog homelessness.
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.”
Audio & Radio Lions
To create a mass hearing test on a nation-wide scale, Specsavers got pop singer Rick Astley to record an altered version of his hit single ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ - but this time full of commonly misheard lyrics. In eight hours, 20 million people played the new 'Misheard Version', doubling online searches for hearing loss and making it a nationally trending topic on Google. Specsavers also saw its hearing test bookings exceed its target by a record 1220%.
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.”
Health Grand Prix for Good
According to UNICEF, 21% of girls in Pakistan are married off before they turn 18, making 19 million child brides. Fighting against the harmful practice, charity UN Women targeted leaders with a direct mail campaign. UN Women sent members of the National Assembly of Pakistan invitations to fictional weddings, designed entirely by children, in the hopes to convince lawmakers to increase the minimum age of marriage to 18.