Cannes Lions predictions: ‘The Lost Class’, ‘Long Live the Prince’, ‘Save Ralph’ and more
What will win at Cannes Lions this year? We asked What’s Possible Creative Studio’s managing director David Hughes for his predictions.
It’s that time of year and Cannes is actually happening face to face, live and direct. It might feel very different this year. So much seems to have changed as a result of the pandemic, priorities have shifted, consumers and ad industry values have changed. Diversity, security, health, sustainability, equality are all things brands and agencies are juggling. So when you’re asked to pick winners, it sometimes feels more like ’pick a cause’. I’ll call out some of the work I think could do well.
In light of the recent tragedy at Uvalde, ’The Lost Class’ by Leo Burnett Chicago seems prescient as pressure builds on the Senate and the NRA to do more to control assault rifle ownership in the US (or anything for that matter). While I find it hard to watch the speech as he clearly doesn’t know who he is addressing, desperate times call for desperate measures. It’s powerful work and did well at D&AD.
Flying the flag for the UK, Engine’s work in collaboration with Framestore for the Kiyan Prince Foundation takes a similar tack to issues of tragedy with a well-executed ‘what if?’ approach, but using a mind boggling array of touchpoints – from a CGI rendered Fifa 21 character to QPR team sheets and card collectables. Definitely turning a negative into a positive.
The next campaign is a bit of a David and Goliath one. DDB New Zealand helped Samsung engage with people who are too wedded to their iPhones with a clever and thoughtful nudge at Apple store staff. An app that makes your iPhone work like an Android handset – it makes it that easy. Clever use of direct and mobile media too. It called it the iTest.
The use of animation in ‘Save Ralph’ will have you reaching for the hankies. From the Humane Society International by Arch Film Studio, it’s very cleverly written and executed.
But to put a smile back on your face, ’Super. Human’ by 4Creative for Channel 4 strikes just the right tone and has a lovely emotional arc, from hardship to celebration. It also features a song from Bugsy Malone, a film I watched in the cinema (and fell in love with Jodie Foster). Super human indeed.
So maybe it’s not about winning but taking part. Now, where’s the rosé?
David Hughes is managing director of What’s Possible Creative Studio.