Cracking the Cannes Code: Unlocking the Secrets of the Entertainment Lion

Prepare for Cannes Lions & dive deep into what made past winners stand out and gear up for your successful entry into the Entertainment Lions.

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The Entertainment Lion at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity is more than just an award; it’s a testament to campaigns that turned branded content into culture.

As we anticipate the upcoming Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, it’s crucial to strategize your campaign submissions, especially for the coveted Entertainment Lion. To help with your decisions, we’ve delved into the 2022 festival’s metrics, providing a snapshot of the level of competition and insights into what catches the jury’s eye.

Key takeaways from Cannes Lions 2022:

  • 64 entries were shortlisted and made it to the final, originating from 19 countries.
  • The US showcased its creative might, grabbing almost 50% of the nominations.
  • Only 8 campaigns got shortlisted multiple times. Both “A future begins” by Observatory LA & Nexusstudios London and “Los Santos +3 degrees” by VMLY&R Sao Paulo leading the charge with 3 shortlists each. This underscores the fierceness of the competition and indicates that only top-tier campaigns achieve this honor.
  • Of these finalists, 25 Lions were handed out: 13 Bronze, 7 Silver, 4 Gold and 1 Grand Prix – a 39% rate of shortlisted entries winning a trophy.
  • Specifically, the trophies went to 23 campaigns from 11 countries.

And the winner is..

The judges emphasized the importance of creativity in this Lion, and McCann Stockholm’s groundbreaking campaign “Eat a Swede” for the Swedish Food Federation became the star, seizing both a Grand Prix (Fiction Film: 5-30 minutes) and a Silver Lion (Innovation in Branded Content). Their satirical 18-minute documentary encapsulates what the Cannes jury treasures: ingenious and engaging creativity.

It’s worth the full 18 minute of watching, you can do here:

Whether you’re a Cannes first-timer or recalibrating after a previous attempt, our expertise can be your guiding star. With our team of Cannes jury veterans, we present the Cannes Post-Mortem call. Submit your case film and the Lions categories it targeted, and receive invaluable jury-centric feedback. Turn past oversights into future triumphs and increase your Cannes Lions prospects.

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Check out our Cannes Lions services to make your pre-submission life a lot easier.

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