Half The Wins, Twice The Pride

India was not shining bright as the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity kicked off, but two Grand Prix and the Lion of St. Mark changed all that, making this a historic year for the country

- Noor Fathima Warsia & Ruhail Amin

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF CANNES Lions International Festival of Creativity for the world of marketers and advertising professionals has never been in doubt, even as the festival went through a trial by fire of sorts last year. Global industry leaders, for different reasons, suggested that the festival had digressed from its raison d’être, which is to fuel and cultivate creativity in its various forms in marketing and advertising.

Cannes Lions organisers responded, and the result was a more compact, much more serious event. For those who have attended the event in the last many years would say the ‘buzz’ was missing this year. But nearly all global CEOs felt that was required, and was important.

A direct ramification of this streamlining, which also saw a reduction in the number of categories, coupled with Publicis Groupe’s decision to abstain from the festival this year, was a decreased number of entries, and wins, for several countries.

This however was not necessarily true for India. In comparison to the 953 entries that Indian agencies had entered in 2017, this year a total of 979 entries were sent from India. Out of these, 69 made it to the shortlists. While Indian agencies won a record 40 Lions in 2017, in 2018, India brings home only 21 Lions. This is one of the lowest Lions count from India in the last five years — the 15 Lions of 2015 being the only exception.

The Big Wins

 This low Lions count was outshined by the quality of the wins. Apart from India’s two Grand Prix, and Asia’s first Lion of St Mark, it was also noteworthy that the likes of FCB India won its first-ever Gold Lion and that one of the Grand Prix was for TBWAIndia — agencies that have undergone transformation in recent years, and now have awards to show for it.