Yes, The Lost Class by Leo Burnett Chicago for Change The Ref is the #1 most likely winner at Cannes this year. This was an easy guess. Heinz’ Draw Ketchup by Rethink Canada, also. What are Leo Burnett’s other 18 predictions?
Leo Burnett has released its 34th annual Cannes Predictions, predicting the top 20 campaigns likely to win Lions at his year’s Cannes Lions International Festival. So far, Leo Burnett has achieved a nearly 99% accuracy in predicting winners. The pressure is on Leo Burnett global chief creative officer, Chaka Sobhani, who has curated the list for the second year in a row.
“If there’s one thing I can tell you after looking at this year’s crop of contenders — our industry has plenty worth celebrating. We’ve got big work against our biggest brands, and the breadth of creativity across the board is the most diverse in years,” she stated.
The annual Cannes Predictions list is compiled from a year-long evaluation of work that reflects global industry trends. This year, four key themes emerged:
Bringing Back the Daft: “As brands seized the opportunity to lighten the mood, one of the prevailing themes is levity. Marketers delivered the dose of irreverence (and sometimes silliness) that audiences are craving after a challenging couple of years.”
Two food brands stood out here for Leo Burnett – Heinz confidently asking people across the globe to Draw Ketchup and Oreo’s Oreo THINS Camo Packs to help parents disguise their sweet treats from snack-seeking kids.
View this post on Instagram
IRL: “After two years of living life through virtual forums, brands are reconnecting with people ‘in real life’ to offer engagement beyond the screen. We’re seeing brands back the need to create impact in person – from rich immersive experiences to captivating out of home and print advertising.”
The three standouts for Leo Burnett are adidas, Liquid Billboard experience, which challenged cultural stigmas in the Middle East, by inviting women of all backgrounds to take a swim, Motown Museum’s celebration of Marvin Gaye’s 50th Anniversary and Pepsi, which shook up traditional print with burger bag origami for Better with Pepsi.
ALL burgers go #BetterWithPepsi…even when we’re not on the menu, we’re always in the picture. 😉 Try for yourself this Friday on #NationalBurgerDay and the Pepsi is on us pic.twitter.com/6KRF77ONnf
— Pepsi (@pepsi) May 26, 2021
The Power of Purpose: “A perennial conversation is the share of honours split between brands and non-profits. We’re seeing strong examples of both headed into Cannes this year, as the industry doubles down on purpose-driven creative.”
P&G’s Whisper tackled the strong taboos around periods in India with The Missing Chapter, lobbying for menstruation education in Indian schoolbooks. A new law to mandate this chapter will transform the lives of generations to come.
And The Lost Class for Change the Ref, tricked a gun leader into delivering a tribute to a “class” of 3,044 seniors who never graduated high school due to gun violence.
A Whole New World: “Into the metaverse and back again, technology continues to transform the industry’s potential for storytelling and connection on emerging platforms. Every year, Cannes rewards the latest innovation and 2022 will be no exception.”
The two strongest pieces of work here, Leo Burnett says, are Sick Beats from Woojer, which synched a life-saving medical vest with Spotify’s music library to enhance the daily treatment experience for young patients of cystic fibrosis, and Carrefour’s The Healthy Map in Fortnite, which rewarded players with revitalising life points for consuming only healthy foods.
Here is the full list of Leo’s Top 20 Cannes Contenders from around the world:
1. Change The Ref Inc. “The Lost Class” – Leo Burnett Chicago (USA)
2. Verizon “9/12: The Untold Story Of Reconnecting New York” – Verizon (USA)
3. Kraft Heinz Canada “Heinz Draw Ketchup” – Rethink (Canada)
4. Family Equality “Love, Lawyers, And The Government” – TBWA\Chiat\Day N (USA)
5. Pepsi “Better With Pepsi” – Alma DDB (USA)
6. Channel 4 “Super. Human.” – 4Creative (USA)
7. Dove “Reverse Selfie” – Ogilvy UK (UK)
8. Fondation Emergence “Colours of Pride” – Rethink (Canada)
9. Faff Harley-Davidson “Tough Turban” – Zulu Alpha Kilo (Canada)
10. Penny “The Wish” – Serviceplan Campaign (Germany)
11. Eos “Bless Your F**Ing Cooch” – Mischief @ No Fixed Address (USA)
12. Adidas “Liquid Billboard” – Havas Middle East Dubai (UAE)
13. Oreo “Oreo Thins Camo Packs” – The Community (USA)
14. Carrefour “The Healthy Map — Carrefour X Fortnite” – Publicis Conseil (France)
15. The Kiyan Prince Foundation “Long Live The Prince” – Engine Creative (UK)
16. Motown Museum “Marvin Gaye 50th Anniversary” – Commonwealth//McCann (USA)
17. P&G Whisper “The Missing Chapter” – Leo Burnett India (India)
18. Woojer “Sick Beats” – Area 23 (USA)
19. Burberry “Open Spaces” – Megaforce (Uk)
20. Burger King “Confusing Times” – David Madrid (Spain)
