Latest news with #CannesLionsInternationalFestivalofCreativity
Campaign ME
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Campaign ME
UAE says ‘Cannes-Do' to the ‘impossible'; creates conversations on the Croisette
For the second year in a row, the UAE Government Media Office has attracted incredible attention at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, with several hundred delegates, attendees and passers-by seen raising their phones to scan the QR Code on a massive billboard that read: 'An ad without a logo. There's only one country that would do something that risky.' Positioned perfectly at the busiest entry points within the heart of the Palais, and on the glass façade overlooking the Croisette, these billboards played on the inherent curiosity of the global creative, brand, marketing and advertising industry. Several similar billboards located within the Palais and along the Croisette also drew eyeballs. Campaign Middle East overheard conversations of the 'bold' and 'disuptive' ads from those who stood watching these billboards while waiting patiently in long queues – in the hopes to lay eyes on global celebrities such as Serena Williams, Jimmy Fallon and Reese Witherspoon. Many visitors and attendees at Cannes Lions raised the question about 'what it would be like to work in a country that is daring enough to have billboards that read': 'If ideas don't seem impossible, we're not interested.' 'You didn't get into this business to resize banners. Let's fix that.' 'Where ideas go from 'nice deck' to 'next landmark'.' Commenting on the campaign, Khaled AlShehhi, Executive Director of Marketing and Communication at the UAE Government Media Office, said, 'The UAE Government Media Office returned with louder confidence and sharper intent, taking over the Palais and the Croisette with bold, pointed headlines that did more than catch the eye.' He added, 'The strategically placed outdoor and indoor billboards didn't ask for attention. They earned it. But beyond scale or design, it was the tone that turned heads: not promotional, not ceremonial, but culturally fluent. Made for the creative crowd, by a country that now speaks their language fluently.' With an approach that included out-of-home (OOH) static billboards, digital-out-of-home (DOOH) billboards, and indoor billboards, the campaign created in collaboration with Impact BBDO, was also rolled out across some print publications. Furthermore, the campaign also showed up on digital and social channels as a result of user-generated content (UGC) at Cannes Lions 2025. Reacting to the buzz around the campaign, Ghassan Kassabji, CEO Dubai, CGO MENA, Impact BBDO said, 'The UAE didn't just show up at Cannes Lions. It showed the world what it stands for. If ideas don't seem impossible, they're not enough. This was a bold invitation to dream bigger, do more, and do it from the Emirates.' Ali Rez, Chief Creative Officer, Impact BBDO, added, 'We are beyond proud to have the opportunity to create this bold campaign for the UAE, a place which has always inspired us with its vision of making the impossible possible.' That said, Campaign Middle East also spoke to agency leaders who were not involved in the campaign. For instance, Natalie Shardan, Managing Partner, Serviceplan Group Middle East, and a jury member at Cannes Lions 2025, said, 'If there were a Grand Prix for turning the impossible into reality, the UAE would win it hands down.' She added. 'After 20 years of calling this place home, the UAE's relentless ambition – regionally and on the global stage – still leaves me in awe. And, as someone leading an advertising agency, I know bold messages like this don't just inspire – they attract ambitious creative minds who want to turn possibility into action.' This campaign also closed the loop on 'Bring Your Impossible': The platform launched by the Emirates at Cannes Lions 2024. What began as a campaign has since evolved into a narrative that continues to unfold: A narrative that calls on creators, founders and thinkers to go beyond ambition and move into execution. And, this year, that message was not only reinforced on the streets; but also within the Cannes Lions 2025 jury rooms. Khaled AlShehhi was selected as a PR Lions juror marking a quiet shift in how the UAE is showing up at the highest levels of creative influence. 'We didn't come to Cannes to be seen,' AlShehhi said. 'We came to be part of the conversation on the stage, in the jury room, and on the streets. Our message is simple: if you have an impossible idea, you'll find your partner in the Emirates.' The UAE's presence at Cannes Lions 2025 was further boosted by several UAE-based brands, government entities, and agencies that were seen engaging in the form of panels and partnerships throughout the festival. Additionally, FP7 McCann Dubai, Impact BBDO, VML Dubai and LEO Dubai picked up the coveted metal cat trophies at the Cannes Lions Awards 2025, adding credibility to the Emirates on the global creative stage. There's no doubt about it: These ads weren't just seen; they were felt. They didn't promote; they provoked. They didn't sell; they were invited. They didn't follow; they set a standard. 'And the message was clear,' AlShehhi concluded. 'The Emirates are open for ideas as long as those ideas are impossible.'
Time of India
10 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Beyond eye candy: A Cannes Lions Creative Data Special: BE Extraordinary
At the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, a wide spectrum of creative work is recognised, extending beyond Grand Prix winners to include notable campaigns that earn silvers and bronzes. In " BE Extraordinary ," a series collaborating with Harsh Kapadia, CCO, Grey India , we highlight work that warrants discussion for its execution and results. This segment focuses on campaigns that effectively utilised data to drive their creative strategy and generate significant outcomes. Acko - Acko Tailor Test - Leo India Acko, a digital insurance company in India, utilised a unique insight into local health behaviors for its "Acko Tailor Test" campaign, developed in collaboration with Leo India. The core premise was based on the medical insight that the difference between a person's waistline and hipline can serve as an indicator of potential heart conditions. Recognising a prevalent cultural behavior in India, particularly among lower-income segments, where regular visits to tailors for clothing adjustments are common, but doctor visits might be avoided due to cost or access, Acko integrated a preventative health screening into this existing routine. The campaign involved training tailors across the country to use a specific chart to accurately measure clients' waist and hip ratios. Based on these measurements, tailors were empowered to advise individuals if their ratios suggested a potential heart condition, recommending a consultation with a doctor for further assessment. This grassroots approach effectively leveraged an accessible and trusted community point of contact to deliver crucial health information, demonstrating a data-driven strategy for promoting preventative health and early detection. Efficient Way To Pay - Consul Appliances, DM9 São Paulo In Brazil, a common challenge faced by many households is their reliance on outdated and inefficient electronic appliances. While often a result of financial constraints, these older models paradoxically lead to higher electricity bills, hindering their ability to save for newer, more efficient replacements. Consul Appliances, in collaboration with DM9 São Paulo, developed the "Efficient Way To Pay" program to address this economic cycle. The campaign leveraged data on energy consumption to directly demonstrate that replacing older electronics with new, energy-efficient Consul appliances would result in tangible savings on monthly electricity bills. Consul then designed an innovative payment plan: these verified electricity bill savings could be directly allocated to pay off the cost of the new appliances. This initiative effectively established a novel ecosystem for appliance purchasing. By creating a clear, data-driven economic model, Consul Appliances empowered consumers to upgrade their household electronics, turning their ongoing energy expenses into a means of financing more sustainable and cost-effective solutions. So Many Dicks - ELF Beauty, New York ELF Beauty, an American beauty brand, utilised compelling data to drive its "So Many Dicks" campaign, focusing on corporate diversity. The campaign stemmed from research that revealed a significant majority of corporate board members were white men. Strikingly, the data further highlighted that more men named "Dick" held board positions than entire groups of underrepresented people combined. As a company that itself boasts a board composed of 78 per cent women and 44 per cent diverse individuals, ELF Beauty leveraged this data to create a viral campaign that directly called attention to the lack of diversity in corporate boardrooms. The campaign's aim was to spark conversations and actively promote change. ELF directly linked diversity to profitability through a "not so white paper" they released, and collaborated with organisations like the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) to facilitate the successful placement of diverse candidates on corporate boards. This data-driven approach allowed ELF Beauty to advocate for tangible change in corporate governance, grounded in both ethical considerations and demonstrated business success. Ikea Hidden Tags - Ikea (Portugal), Uzina Ikea in Portugal, in collaboration with Uzina, embarked on a campaign titled "Ikea Hidden Tags" to address a common perception among consumers that its furniture is not built for durability. The brand ingeniously utilised an existing, yet often overlooked, piece of internal product data: a small, hidden tag on every Ikea furniture item that indicates its precise manufacturing date. To directly counter the misconception about product longevity, Ikea launched a country-wide "Tag Hunt." This initiative invited customers to actively participate by locating these hidden tags on their Ikea furniture to determine its age. A significant prize was offered for the oldest piece of Ikea furniture found in Portugal. This campaign effectively transformed a simple internal product detail into an engaging, interactive contest. By encouraging customers to physically examine their furniture and discover its actual age, Ikea leveraged existing customer ownership and direct interaction with the furniture's embedded data to demonstrate the unexpected durability and longevity of its products firsthand. (At BE Extraordinary, a series about the winners at Cannes Lions in collaboration with Harsh Kapadia, CCO, Grey India, we peer outside the Grand Prix, and look at clutter breaking work that picked the silvers and the bronzes, but don't often get discussed.)
Time of India
10 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Mouth to market: A Cannes Lions B2B Special
The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity recognises a wide spectrum of creative work, extending beyond Grand Prix winners to include notable campaigns that earn silvers and bronzes. In " BE Extraordinary ," a series collaborating with Harsh Kapadia, CCO, Grey India, we highlight work that warrants discussion for its execution and results. This segment focuses on B2B campaigns, examining their strategic approaches and impact on businesses. Still Open - JCDecaux, DAVID Madrid "Still Open" was a B2B initiative from Madrid that addressed the significant impact of severe flooding on small, street-level businesses, many of which were forced to cease operations. JCDecaux, an outdoor advertising company, in collaboration with DAVID Madrid, responded by converting closed physical storefronts into active commerce channels using their Out-of-Home (OOH) ad spaces. They displayed images of the affected shops and their owners on billboards, particularly in high-traffic areas like Madrid's subway system. Commuters could then donate the price of a product that the shops typically sold, directly to the owners. This initiative utilised premium ad space to support struggling entrepreneurs, demonstrating OOH's capacity to maintain business continuity during emergencies and showcasing its value beyond traditional advertising. This B2B initiative from Madrid addressed the significant impact of severe flooding on small, street-level businesses, many of which were forced to cease operations. JC Decaux, an outdoor advertising company, responded by converting closed physical storefronts into commerce channels using their Out-of-Home (OOH) ad spaces. They displayed images of the affected shops and their owners on billboards, particularly in high-traffic areas like Madrid's subway. Commuters could then donate the price of a product that the shops typically sold, directly to the owners. This initiative utilised premium ad space to support struggling entrepreneurs, demonstrating OOH's capacity to maintain business continuity during emergencies and showing its value beyond traditional advertising. Estibadores - Mibanco, Circus Grey Perú In Peru, a government law was enacted to limit the weight that 'handcart' workers, often informal port or market workers, could carry. While intended to improve their health, this measure inadvertently reduced their income, as their remuneration was directly tied to the weight transported. Mi Banco, a leading bank focused on entrepreneurs and financial inclusion, in collaboration with Circus Grey Perú, addressed this issue by transforming these handcarts into mobile advertising mediums. By making the carts' surfaces available as ad spaces, workers could secure additional income through the sale of advertising. This allowed them to comply with the new weight limits, carry a lighter physical load, and still maintain their earnings. The initiative not only provided a steady income source but also aimed to foster financial inclusion for this essential but often overlooked segment of the workforce. By integrating its services into the daily operations of these small-scale entrepreneurs, Mi Banco positioned itself as a tangible supporter of their well-being and economic progress. Act Like You Know, GoDaddy Airo - GoDaddy (USA) GoDaddy, a recognised provider of website creation tools, launched "GoDaddy Airo - Act Like You Know" to demonstrate the ease of building websites using its new AI-powered features within a complex technological landscape. The campaign's core involved GoDaddy creating a fictional brand to showcase the simplicity of its GoDaddy Airo AI platform. This was achieved by launching a real product: Walter Goggins' Goggle Glasses. Partnering with actor Walton Goggins, GoDaddy established an entire sunglasses company. This included everything from product development to a fully functional e-commerce website and integrated social media content, all constructed using GoDaddy Airo. The campaign functioned as a direct product demonstration, illustrating GoDaddy Airo's practical application by making professional website creation accessible to a broader user base, even those without prior experience. GoDaddy, known for its website creation tools, aimed to demonstrate the ease of building websites using its new AI-powered features amidst a complex technological landscape. GoDaddy created a fictional brand, "Airo," and then showcased the simplicity of its AI platform by launching a real product: Walter Goggins' Goggle Glasses. Partnering with actor Walton Goggins, they established an entire sunglasses company, from product development to a fully functional e-commerce website and social media content, all built using GoDaddy Airo. This campaign functioned as a direct product demonstration, illustrating AI's practical application by making website creation accessible to a broader user base. The Deskbreak Clause - Asics (Golin London / LePub Milan) Asics, a well-known sports footwear company, expanded into the B2B sector with "The Deskbreak Clause," an initiative designed to address the health implications associated with prolonged sitting in professional environments. Recognising that extended sedentary behavior is a significant modern health challenge, Asics, in collaboration with Golin London and LePub Milan, developed a practical solution for corporate wellness. The core of the campaign involved encouraging businesses to incorporate a specific "Deskbreak Clause" directly into their employment contracts. This clause formally encouraged employees to take a 15-minute movement break during their workday. Asics supported this recommendation with data from King's College London, which indicated that just 15 minutes of physical activity could mitigate some of the negative effects of extended sitting. By promoting this concrete, data-backed approach, Asics encouraged businesses to adopt healthier policies for their workforce. The B2B campaign subtly connected Asics' products to tangible health benefits, presenting movement as an essential component of a healthy work-life, thereby positioning the brand as a partner in corporate well-being. (At BE Extraordinary, a series about the winners at Cannes Lions in collaboration with Harsh Kapadia, CCO, Grey India, we peer outside the Grand Prix, and look at clutter breaking work that picked the silvers and the bronzes, but don't often get discussed.)
Time of India
13 hours ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
Shubhranshu Singh and Sumit Virmani in Global Most Influential CMOs list: Cannes Lions 2025
India's marketers made a significant mark on the global stage at Cannes Lions 2025 . Two prominent Indian marketing leaders, Shubhranshu Singh , global CMO of Tata Motors Commercial Vehicles and Sumit Virmani of Infosys, are named in a prestigious Forbes compilation that records the 2025 list of the World's Most Influential CMOs . The announcement, made at the ongoing Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, underscores the rising impact of Indian marketing leaders in redefining the modern CMO role through innovation, data-led strategies, and cultural resonance. Singh's inclusion on this esteemed annual list highlights his significant contributions to building brand equity for Tata Motors Commercial Vehicles. He is particularly recognised for his deep cultural insights, category leadership, and an unwavering focus on national and business purpose. "Under his guidance, Tata Motors has executed transformative campaigns that have successfully positioned the company as a forward-looking and trusted name in commercial mobility," the report said. Further solidifying his influence, earlier this week, Singh also joined the inaugural board of the Effie LIONS foundation. This global marketing apex organization, incorporated as a not-for-profit in New York, aims to educate and empower the next generation of marketing talent globally, with a particular emphasis on underrepresented communities. Sumit Virmani, global chief marketing officer at Infosys, also features prominently on the Forbes list, a testament to his transformative leadership in the technology sector. Virmani is credited with significantly enhancing Infosys' global brand ambitions and helping it navigate into the league of the world's top 100 brands, evolving into one of the fastest-growing IT services brands globally. "His approach emphasises a creatively-driven, human-first strategy in B2B marketing, placing strategic priority on customer experience. Under his leadership, Infosys has made significant investments in global partnerships, notably in tennis, providing in-match analytics and insights to enhance personalized fan experiences, and more recently, expanding into Formula E Racing to illustrate mission-critical solutions to B2B customers. Virmani is also a staunch proponent of business's role in driving positive social impact, even amidst pushback on ESG and DEI efforts in some international markets," the report said. The Forbes World's Most Influential CMOs List, now in its 13th year, is a rigorous evaluation of marketing leaders based on criteria such as digital engagement, campaign effectiveness, brand and community engagement, media visibility, and overall business impact. The presence of both Singh and Virmani on this global roster places them alongside some of the most impactful marketing voices from around the world.
Business Insider
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Business Insider
Jamie Lee Curtis explains the bold career pivot she took, even though she had a thriving acting career
Jamie Lee Curtis shifted to starring in commercials to spend more time with her children. Curtis faced skepticism from her team but proved them wrong as her career still thrived afterward. This article is part of " CMO Insider," a series on marketing leadership and innovation. When Jamie Lee Curtis became a mom, she knew her acting career had to change. After having a storied career as an actor, Curtis decided to transition to selling stuff in commercials — from Hertz rental cars, her first advertising gig, to becoming the spokesperson for Activia in the 2010s. "My agents and lawyers and many friends questioned why I would do such a thing when I was still acting in things and pretending to be other people," she told an engaged crowd Monday at the Amazon Port during the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. "I was trying to stay home with my kid," she explained. Curtis and her husband, Christopher Guest, adopted two children after dealing with infertility issues. Doing advertisements for brands such as L'eggs pantyhose, Hitachi, and a regional phone carrier, Voice Stream Wireless, which eventually became T-Mobile, meant Curtis spent less time on movie sets and more time raising her girls, Annie and Ruby, who are now adults. The actor noted that despite hesitations from her team about what starring in commercials would do to her film career, she'd still go on to star in blockbuster films such as 2018's " Halloween," 2019's " Knives Out," and 2022's " Everything Everywhere All at Once," for which she earned a supporting actress Oscar award for playing IRS auditor, Deirdre Beaubeirdre. "I sold yogurt that makes you shit for six years and I won an Oscar," she told moderator, Sue Kroll, the head of global marketing at Amazon MGM Studios. "I believe that that crossover has now happened. We can advertise and pretend simultaneously. There has been a paradigm shift in the way we as consumers take on our content, and there is no stigma anymore." Curtis's next project is an adaptation of Patricia Cornwell's novels for a Prime Video series titled "Scarpetta." The show stars Nicole Kidman as a medical examiner. Both Curtis and Kidman are executive producers.
