As the 2024 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity approaches, the anticipation within the advertising and creative industries is palpable.
This year promises to be especially exhilarating, with an unprecedented array of innovative campaigns and groundbreaking work vying for the prestigious awards. To capture the essence of this creative fervor, Reel 360 News reached out to several leading creatives, seeking their predictions and insights on which campaigns, brands, and agencies are set to make a significant impact at Cannes Lions 2024.
These creatives bring a wealth of experience and diverse perspectives, offering a comprehensive look at the potential frontrunners in various categories. From cutting-edge digital innovations and emotionally resonant storytelling to daring brand activations and purpose-driven initiatives, our contributors delve into the work they believe will define this year’s festival.
Join us as we explore their predictions, uncover the trends shaping the future of advertising, and celebrate the creativity that drives our industry forward.
Chad Broude, Co-Founder, Co-CCO, Highdive
Figuring out a Cannes jury room is really tough. So I can’t tell you what I think WILL win. I can only tell you what I think SHOULD win. For me, I look for strong work that is both beloved by ad people and real people. These pieces of work seem to fall into that intersection:
Progressive – “Dr. Rick“
The writing continues to be insightful and hilarious.
Pop-Tarts – “The Edible Mascot”
As marketers we loved it but it was the type of idea my non-industry friends were texting about.
Apple – “Fuzzy Feelings”
It was lovely. And made you feel good weather you were an CCO or CPA.
State Farm Like A Good Neighbaaa”
(Shameless plug) Creatives across the industry seem to love this and I still can’t go a day without hearing a real world conversation of people quoting the spot.
Kirsten Rutherford, Executive Creative Director TBWA\Chiat\Day
I’m excited for work that celebrates the badassery of women in sport. Marcel’s ‘WoMen’s Football’ has swept the award shows leading up to our time on Le Croisette. I fully expect it to continue its winning streak next week.
I also love ‘Team Heroine’ out of DDB NZ: a tool that helped remove bias from the internet. Many of the world’s biggest sporting records are held by women. But when simple, non-gendered questions such as: “who has scored the most goals in international football?” are asked, search engines incorrectly favor popular male athletes, ignoring women’s achievements.
The campaign is built around an online tool, developed to highlight over 50 incorrect searches that promote bias, allowing people to report the correct information, creating feedback reports for the search engines on a scale that forced them to take action.
And if you want badassery in craft- don’t overlook W+K’s Nike Women’s World Cup film. Casting, writing, polish- it’s the creative hat trick.
Patricia Ortiz, Group Creative Director, The Martin Agency
Michael Cerave, CeraVe: They really hacked the system with an unexpected spokesperson bringing levity to the beauty category.
Snoop Dogg Goes Smokeless, Solo Stove: Cant forget Solo Stove x Snoop. When mom texted me about the news that’s when you know the idea became part of culture.
Chris Buhrman, Executive Creative Director, Hanson Dodge
I think the “WoMen’s Football” film for Orange will win big. It has all of the ingredients of the “win at Cannes” formula: it’s shedding new light on preconceived beliefs; it does it in a way that you don’t see coming (aka unexpected); and it’s flawlessly executed.
I also think that the Coors “Light’s Out” campaign will do well. It’s really a matter of fate, but a masterful job of taking advantage of what fate hands you.
One campaign/ad I hope wins is the Uber Eats video with Robert DeNiro and Asa Butterfield (“Best Friends”). It’s perfect: a tiny little film that was highly entertaining with the “brand as the stage” working so naturally. I don’t know how a Cannes Judge will look at it, but as a consumer, I say, “Well done!” And “More ads like this, please.”
Matt Kuttan, Chief Creative Officer
One of my favorite pieces of work in 2024 was Orange: Women’s Football. Google quickly fixed the fact that I had never heard of Orange and that it was not a gym. The French telecom giant’s sponsorship of the men’s and women’s national football teams showed that there was gender bias amongst fans, so they chose to confront this prejudice and spark conversations in a very interesting way.
Their film showed a amazing compilation of real, fast-paced action shots from the men’s team. Then comes the revelation that this video is actually a compilation of the women’s team’s moves. Using FX and editing, the women players’ bodies had been swapped with their male counterparts. Then we see the swap back and realize how they too have got game (if not better), destroying gender stereotypes.
Normally, I don’t fall for sports action spots, but this rug pull, done with amazing editing and storytelling really was a ‘piece de resistance’ that makes it my Cannes favorite.
REELated:
Glen D’Souza, Head of Creative of Forsman & Bodenfors Canada
It was such a privilege to be a shortlist judge at the 2024 Cannes Lions International Festival for Creativity in the “Social and Influencer” category. In reviewing around 380 cases from around the world, I was struck by how many profound ideas that thrived in social there were. But what really stood out were the handful of brands that elevated what they’re known for, while using social and influencers in unexpected and delightful ways.
One of the brands whose work did this perfectly was Marmite. It’s such a distinctive product, one that is famously polarizing—something they’ve owned in their advertising since basically forever.
Their campaign “Marmite Smugglers” was so much fun. Marmite is ridiculously expensive in NY (as the case study video informed me), so some individuals—those who have moved to the US from the UK or those who are curious about the product— encounter this massive barrier. Which is where the “Marmite Smugglers” come into play.
Marmite created a simple activation that makes it possible to smuggle Marmite across borders to those who really love it. And while staying true to the brand and product, there were so many fun social touch points in the campaign, including recruitment ads via WhatsApp, and a gritty docu-style film that demonstrated the thrilling rush of smuggling the contraband in a way that doesn’t take itself too seriously.
The campaign was the perfect mix of a brand staying true to its identity while connecting with their fans in unexpected ways.
Theo Gibson, Executive Creative Director, JOAN
Cerave
This campaign stands out as one of the most impactful of the past year. With a clever play on words, it created not just a joke but an entire brand world – something rarely seen in skincare. This innovative approach resonated deeply, making a lasting impression in the industry.
Makro
Through a thoughtful use of existing media and a unique approach to design, this campaign revolutionized how we perceive produce. It challenged us to unlearn bad habits that contribute to food waste, highlighting that the food in our fridge can last longer than we think.
This idea transcends products, influencing the way we grocery shop and cook, fostering a more sustainable approach to food consumption.
Stick with Reel 360 News and Reel Chicago as we bring you the winners from Cannes beginning next week from June 17 – 21.
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Colin Costello is the West Coast Editor of Reel 360. Contact him at colin@reel360.com or follow him on X at @colinthewriter1
