By 10:30 on Sunday evening, it was standing room only at 72 Croisette or as it’s known by festival legend, “The Gutter Bar.” It’s a sure sign that things in Cannes are beginning to heat up. But the talk of the town is the shortlist winners, with Direct, Press, Outdoor and Media all posting this morning and bringing with it great news for the OMD.
For the second year in a row, the OMD network cleaned up with 24 entries shortlisted; combined with the BBDO/TBWA/DDB nods, there were 37 entries. With 1076 entries total and 150 entries shortlisted, OMD garnered 16% of the list and our network had an awesome 25%. Our closest competitor, Starcom Mediavest had 14 entries listed.
Proving that Spanish-language markets are pushing the boundaries in media, OMD Latin America led the way with 13 entries, include four for Colombia and their work for Chevrolet. OMD Spain topped our list for the most per country with five entries listed.
Europe had eight entries honored, with four coming from Poland, all of which were for their Heyah Mobile Network youth-targeted efforts. Rounding out the list were three entries for OMD U.S., who had previously never shortlisted at Cannes. The True Agency/OMD effort for Nissan got a mention in the Outdoor category, while the Cingular Need for Speed Underground 2 integration picked up two nods. For a full list of shortlist winners, visit http://www.canneslions.com.
In order to determine the shortlist, the 20 judges met in three groups for three days and then reconvened to vote on the shortlist contenders. They all have been tirelessly working 11 hour days and because of the process, by the time selecting the winners rolls around, the judges have seen the entries several times over. It takes a lot for an entry to stand out in their mind and make a good enough impression to shortlist, let alone win a Lion.
Across the board, the quality of the presentation of entries has improved since I was a judge in 2003. For each entry, a written submission, video and visual board must be submitted. Those that pop immediately are those truly composed as award entries and not as new business case studies; the judges are skilled at writing both so it is easy for them to spot those that got it right. Great entries also have equally great videos that concentrate only the work. In previous years, a good number of videos were of the “talking head” variety that showcased a media director rather than demonstrating the idea in action.
Today, the entire jury, including myself, will review and discuss each of the shortlist entries and then finally, take a vote to determine what wins a coveted Media Lion tomorrow evening at the awards ceremony. But regardless of how many Lions OMD wins, congratulations are in order across the world for a job well done.
Comparing shortlists of past years to this... do you detect any trends or particular standouts that may serve as a roadmap pointing towards near future innovation ?
Posted by: * Terry Torok | June 21, 2005 at 10:25 AM
Comparing shortlists of past years to this... do you detect any trends or particular standouts that may serve as a roadmap pointing towards near future innovation ?
Posted by: * Terry Torok | June 21, 2005 at 10:25 AM