Often dubbed the Oscars of advertising, the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, has grown year-on-year on all counts. The Cannes Lions festival generated £42.5 million ($61.5 million) in revenue for 2015, up by 3.7 per cent from 2014, as per the annual report that parent company Ascential published in April. This makes it not only the most prestigious but also one of the most expensive awards for the global advertising industry.
Needless to say, this is one week when Indian marketers, creative leaders, senior industry figures including officials from media companies are all headed to the South of France to celebrate creativity on a global stage. Global bosses highlight successes of their team members in India and applaud the performance of their India businesses.
As the Festival has grown, so has India’s place on the global stage. Minus a few low years, that included the performance in 2015, India has consistently raised the bar of its own performance maintaining a steady show at Lions. Last year India had entered 1035 entries and walked home with only 13 Lions that included a Grand Prix in Glass, Lions for Good, category.
This year, India has entered 1315 entries. And for now, 2016 has begun with an unprecedented high.
In the recently launched Lions Health category, India’s healthcare independent agency, Medulla has been crowned Healthcare Agency of the year. This is a first-ever for an Indian agency. Many global companies may have well begun eyeing the Akali Brothers’ team, that also runs the digital agency ‘What’s Your Problem’, for tie-ups and/or acquisitions but the important takeaway is that creativity is in fact shifting address to the East, and India is leading the way in this.
Indian industry’s self-critical nature has posed the question time and again on why the home of 1.2 billion people does not win more Grand Prix or is seen taking over the stage at such events but Indian agencies have proved their mettle more often than not. The rest of the week will see creative Chiefs discussing trends that are shaping the global advertising and marketing industry, and from the look of it, India will be an integral part of that discussion.
