:: adgruntie :: Cannes Winners

+ So, yesterday Media Lions and Direct Lion winners were announced. For the most part they were OK, some were much more deserving than others. But such is the way of Cannes.

Today, Press, Outdoor, and Cyber winners were announced. TBWA/Paris took home the Grand Prix for their music piracy campaign for EMI. Very artsy. Not really what I'd consider a Cannes winner though. Then again, very rarely what I'd think should win does. There weren't many print ads that blew me away again this year. Sure some were passable and all, but very few were "I wish I had done that" caliber.

Ogilvy & Mather Santiago, Chile took home the Grand Prix for Outdoor with an ad for LEGO on the side of a building. It's pretty cool, although I prefered Clemenger BBDO's "Shadow" billboard for Sunsense Sunscreen. I can't believe that only got a Bronze. Could someone please explain the Wonderbra "Whiteboard" ad to me? If it's what I think it's supposed to be, why the heck is there an arm on the edge of the ad with an eraser? I don't get it. Shame they don't make the press and outdoor zoomable like they did with the direct and media. Some of the copy is so hard to read so small. And why did those Viagra ads win anything? Blah. What crap. That Sunsense ad should have gotten Silver before either of those other ads did. And like most award shows, a lot of what won for press also won in outdoor.

For the Cyber Grand Prix, Crispin won for their Method "Come Clean" site. Quite honestly, I don't think it was that good. It didn't have much of a viral life. It's one of those things to visit once and never return to. It's nicely designed but as a mini site with a "viral" aspect to it, it's a shame that it won. There was another Cyber Lion handed out to DDB Brasil for their site for Henkel Super Bonder Instant Glue, which I think was more deserving. Better viral/ user return type stuff on there. Also nicely designed. What I really can't believe is that McDonald's Lincoln Fry got a bronze. Come on judges. Crispin's Chicken Fight only got bronze as well, which is a bit of a disappointment. Quite honestly I think it was a bit better than the Method site.

So far, I'm not really impressed. Cannes gets made into such a big "to-do" every year in the world of advertising, and every year (well many of the recent ones) I find I'm let down a bit. I've found work that at least I think is better in the silver and bronze categories. Then again, such is the way of many awards shows. Which is truly a shame.

Tomorrow the Film, Radio and Titanium shortlists will be posted and Saturday the winners will be up. So far from the Press and Outdoor, it's looking like TBWA/Paris has a good chance to get agency of the year. Although Radio and Film entries might change that.

DDB Brasil was awarded Interactive Agency of the Year (followed by Crispin Porter Bogusky/Miami, and EURO RSCG 4D/São Paulo).This prize is given to the agency in one country that obtains the highest score for entries in the Press, Outdoor and Film sections, irrespective of whether these have been entered by the agency or another party. DM Agency of the year went to Nordpol Hamburg Agentur Fur Kommunikation (followed by Harrison Troughton Wunderman/London and Ogilvy & Mather/Vienna).

Agency of the year, Journalists' Award and Palme d'Or will be announced on Saturday.