Courtesy: W+K London
Wieden + Kennedy took home three Grand Prix trophies this week at the Cannes advertising festival, one for Old Spice in the film category, the other two for Nike in the cyber and integrated contests.
Nike ‘Chalkbot’ by Wieden + Kennedy Portland was awarded Cyber Lion Grand Prix in Interactive. The campaign was acclaimed as a prime example of two themes that emerged from the best work seen during the judging process: invisible technology and “real-time” interaction. The greatest innovations supported “this notion that technology will reach its peak when you don’t even realize it’s there,” said Jury President Jeff Benjamin (of Crispin Porter Bogusky). “The stuff that was so innovative was the stuff that seemed magical. It had technology, but that’s not what was showing.”
The Nike’s Livestrong campaign, of which Chalkbot was a part, took home the integrated Grand Prix. The campaign incorporated everything from events, outdoor, online, web films, and “Chalkbot”. “We saw brilliant work in every aspect of the campaign – print, broadband, an event and specifically Chalkbot, that in itself showed true innovation in numerous channels,” said Jury President Bob Greenberg. “The execution was flawless in every way shape and form and we voted unanimously.” And while “Chalkbot” has been the most celebrated aspect of the campaign so far, some jurors found the campaign’s most brilliant component to be its opening gambit — Armstrong’s decision to return to the Tour De France in the name of Livestrong.
“We have to look at that as part of the advertising,” said juror Rob Reilly, CCO of Crispin, Porter & Bogusky. “That’s where integration is going. It’s not just another TV spot. His coming back was a calculated move to start this campaign. To me, that’s the most important part. Chalkbot is an incredible tool, but the decision to come back in the first place, as a marketing idea, is brilliant.”
The Grand Prix for film at this year’s Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival was awarded to a TV commercial for Old Spice, “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like”, also by Wieden & Kennedy, Portland.
“It took an old, sleepy brand and woke it up, and overnight wove its way into popular culture,” said jury President Mark Tutssel, global chief creative officer of Leo Burnett Worldwide. He noted that the commercial showed “the power of creativity to ignite a sleeping giant.”
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