France retaliates with freedom awards.

The Creativity e-mail reports:

U.S. shops won just three Lions in Press & Poster, not one of them Gold. India did better, winning two Golds and three Lions in all. Last year, the U.S. won a world-beating 15 Lions.
This year, on the other hand, belonged to Brazil, which landed 16 trophies, followed by Spain with 11, France and South Africa with 10 each, Germany with nine, and the United Kingdom with eight.

This is rather strange. Did the US and UK not send tons of entries? Or did they French get their revenge for freedom fries?

Is Cannes going the way of Miss Universe and Miss World, where contestants from Brazil, India, Argentina and other emerging economies traditionally win? The sole purpose of these beauty contests is to line the pockets of the promoters, who get a cut on the endorsements.

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Anonymous Adgrunt's picture
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anonymous's picture

Unlike the D&AD, which is a non-profit organization and did not award a single gold medal this year, Cannes is purely driven by profits.

"We were accused by the Brazilians of having changed the rules so that they would not be agency of the year. I hope you realize that because I am profit driven, my strategy is neutrality. Neutral! Neutral! Neutral!"

-Roger Hatchuel. Chairman of the International Advertising Festival, Cannes

http://www.adage.com/news.cms?newsId=38005

It naturally follows that Mr Hatchuel cannot deny any country that has sent a large number of entries an award. It would defeat the purpose of his profit-driven festival.

To quote Ad Age:
"He (Roger Hatchuel) "unashamedly" suggests there is an optimum number of total film lions (between 110 and 120). But, unconvincingly, he denies putting pressure on chairmen to award more Lions. "

http://www.adage.com/news.cms?newsId=38005

tlevitz's picture

oooh, an international ass-kicking has been administered! But, should our US creatives really have to suffer for geopolitical reasons?

There is some great stuff coming out of South America, etc... wasn't it a Brazilian agency that did that car campaign strarring Jesus (like in a high speed chase among other things?) a few years back? They're my heroes!

wpeepee's picture

Yes Brazil has been doing great stuff for years, but the reason India won was because it sent over 100 entries. A huge number when the usual is just 10 to 20. Also Asian countries seek recognition from Europe and USA.
Also with all due respect, I would like to ask Dan Weiden, who has gone on records as saying the Coca Cola ad from India was brilliant, did he understand the ad? The line is cannot be translated in English without losing its meaning and flavour.
Does he know the ad was a bad adaptation of the brilliantTV campaign, which was scripted by the famous Indian actor Aamir Khan?

anonymous's picture

American agencies did very well on the Film shortlist rating more than quarter of the almost 600 spots on the list, from which the the jury will select the Lions that will be presented here Saturday night.

Dabitch's picture

Revenge for freedom fries is a foreign concept in adland - awards are won by the Jurors agencies and countries politics are left out of it - we play ad-agency politics - which may explain so many South African award winners back in their dark apartheid days, and Thai winners today. Nice try though.