Cannes predictions—12 food and drink campaigns that could win awards

As the 2024 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity kicks off today, everyone has their predictions about which campaigns could bring home some hardware. Very near the top of the pile, in terms of categories, is food and beverage—which always produces creative advertising. For this piece, Olaf van Gerwen, founder and global creative director of Chuck Studios, a creative production house focused on the food and drink space, gives us his picks for Lion winners. Cannes Lions coverage See all of the Grand Prix winners here Top 5 Grand Prix campaigns Food and drink are basic human necessities. The first brands in the world were the names of meat farmers burned onto a cow’s haunch. It is but a small leap to the 2024 hustle and bustle on the Croisette. The last two years in a row, beer giant Anheuser-Busch Inbev was Advertiser of the Year. This year it is Unilever. Who’s next? Could it be McDonald’s, off the back of winning truckloads of Effies? Or Heinz, a brand with a longer history than any human being, yet also with its finger consistently on the pulse of pop culture? Also read: Top creatives pick 45 campaigns to win Lions in France Below you will find 12 cases that I feel may take home a Lion or two this year. Feel free to disagree, but as ever, enjoy! The Bouillon Bag KnorrAgencies: MullenLowe UK, Deutsch NYDirector: Sean De Sparengo, Curious Productions Having worked for the brand for a long time, I know from experience it isn’t easy for a stock cube to claim a spot in popular culture. But when this one came out, half my office went, “I need that!” The Unilever brand taps into a fashion hype, elevating the perceived value of a highly commoditized product. Hennessy & Massage HennessyAgency: Wieden+Kennedy AmsterdamDirector: Andreas Nilsson, Biscuit Filmworks Hennesy has created the world’s most sophisticated recipe videos. The cognac is positioned as the lead ingredient for cocktails as it’s said to deliver more flavor, depth and complexity than a traditional vodka or tequila. The campaign certainly does: it has cool people do cool shit. Enter, cool drink. Job done. Uber-stylish and certainly adds a layer of character in a category that’s traditionally dominated by men with cigars sitting comfortably on leather armchairs. Missing Chalices Stella ArtoisAgency: David New YorkDirector: Rafa Dam, Santeria Ever got home after a stupid night out and found glassware that has somehow snuck into your pocket? If you haven’t, maybe you’re not living a very fun life. But if you are going to steal a glass, it’d better be the beautiful Stella Artois Chalice. It is a world-famous and unique distinctive brand asset. This film tells a truthful story in which real but slightly intoxicated consumer behavior is described as “Unacceptable. Yet understandable.” Our Sincerest Apologies to Utensils Everywhere KFC CanadaAgency: CourageDirector: Henry Scholfield, Spy Films How an old tagline can inspire brand new storytelling. Canadian KFC offers a heartfelt apology to unused utensils for the rogue behavior that is the natural consequence of its tagline, “Finger lickin’ good.” The melodramatic spot is possibly the first ever to actually feature the spork. Great music, great direction. And what an opening shot. The Race to WcDonald’s McDonald’sAgency: Wieden+KennedyProduction: Studio Pierrot Can you imagine how hard it must be to turn the world’s most iconic brand name and logo upside down? Well, it happened. “WcDonald’s” is used in the popular world of animé to reference the brand without any risk of copyright infringement. The brand team chose to embrace it and use it in a 30(!)-country-wide marketing effort. Plus, famed animé studio Studio Pierrot created WcDonald’s-tailored episodes, which customers can access by scanning codes on the packaging. Including an animé Nuggets frying shot! The Recipe for Togetherness Since 1877 BarillaAgency: LePubDirector: Xavier Mairesse via BRW Filmland “In a world of constant connectivity, we get disconnected from our true selves and each other. [insert brand name] unites loved ones to enjoy the true flavor of authentic [insert category].” As food specialists, we read this in every other brand manifesto. Nevertheless, a generic insight can lead to new creative. I love the abandoned tech in this film. The opening shot is so intriguing. I feel for the poor avatar. And I deeply enjoy the father teaching his son how to eat pasta the Italian way: fork only. Stick to the Original MagnumAgency: LOLA MullenLowe MadridDirector: Martin Werner, Bacon & Proppa Claims to be “the original” can often be cringy. Credit is something you deserve, not claim. Unless you poke the imitators in a classy way. A lady discovers that everything about her boyfriend is fake. Tennis awards: fake. Fancy ‘stache: fake. And his choice of ice cream: “Like a Magnum, is not Magnum.” Enter, the iconic Magnum crack. Talk about distinctive brand assets. It’s superbly directed, with my favorite shot being the drug deal-face on the dude in the store. It’s pure gold. I just don’t get how nobody seems to understand the irony of the CGI product segment at the end. No matter how expertly crafted, it feels … fake. Twist on It OreoAgency: The Martin AgencyDirector: Dave Laden, Hungry Man Infinite potential was unlocked with “Twist on It.” The Super Bowl ad introduced the branded variant of flipping a coin, as a little helper for those looking to make complex yet unimportant decisions, such as the success of boy bands or the Trojan War. It’s a behavior consumers can replicate: twist an Oreo, cream on the left or cream on the right? Simple, clever, mind = blown. We Can Have Our Meat and Eat It, Too Impossible FoodsAgency: Erich & KallmanDirector: Mike Warzin, Arts & Sciences Impossible Foods’ new positioning is all about embracing the juicy, crunchy, satisfying experience of eating meat. They don’t aim to replace meat; they choose to be it, but without the cholesterol. You’re witnessing the maturing of the category, turning activist DNA into a consumer-facing brand. The campaign doubles down on traditional meat cues like masculinity, Americana and meat forks, then introduces the new visual identity that’s redder than a rare steak, created by the talented humans at Jones Knowles Ritchie New York. We Give Up Burger KingAgency: BBH LondonDirector: The Sacred Egg, Riff Raff Films Burger King may be the Home of the Whopper. But in this film, it recognizes that it may not be everyone’s first choice. To emphasize the Whopper’s iconic status, a man is persistently targeted with tons of Whopper ads. For decades on end. But the ad is not about that. The film’s amazing art direction exemplifies the impact of the Jones Knowles Ritchie (again!) brand identity overhaul. Could this film ever have been made with the old visual identity? I think not. Also: always use every opportunity to poke fun at the big arches. Wine, Ice Cream Uber EatsDgency: Mother LondonDirector: Steve Rogers, Biscuit Filmworks Ice cream is for refreshment. Wine is for relaxation. Uber Eats is in your corner when you’re in desperate need of specific groceries. The style of the films is in line with previous ads where individuals celebrate being alone and using Uber. I just can’t stop watching. Yes! Reese’s CupsAgency: Erich & KallmanDirector: Harold Einstein, Dummy I believe in campaigns that have brand and product at their core. Jheronimus Bosch ain’t got nothing on Reese’s Super Bowl ad. It’s mayhem and all over the place. A voiceover suggests the unthinkable—tampering with Reese’s Butter Cups, an American classic—and what follows is nothing short of pandemonium. You can watch the ad five times and see new things go wrong. Or right. Don’t miss out on the doggo, though. Cannes Lions coverage See all of the Grand Prix winners here Top 5 Grand Prix campaigns

Cannes predictions—12 food and drink campaigns that could win awards

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