More than 25,000 entries were submitted to the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity last year, and only a tiny fraction of those walked away with Lions. As we do each year, Ad Age has asked top creative leaders from around the globe to predict which pieces this year will rise from the pack—and secure some of the top prizes.

The creative leaders are:

• Anna Qvennerstedt, global chief creative officer, Forsman & Bodenfors
• Ash Tavassoli and Rafael Gonzaga, executive creative directors, BBDO Los Angeles
• Bas Korsten, global chief creative officer, Wunderman Thompson
• Chris Beresford-Hill, chief creative officer North America, Ogilvy
• Darcie Burrell, creative director, Wieden+Kennedy Portland
• David Kolbusz, chief creative officer, Orchard
• Debbi Vandeven, global chief creative officer, VMLY&R
• Diego Machado, global chief creative officer, AKQA
• Genevieve Hoey, creative lead, 72andSunny ANZ
• Hannes Ciatti, founder and chief creative officer, Alto
• Jaime Robinson, co-founder and chief creative officer, Joan Creative
• Jason Williams, head of creative excellence, Publicis Groupe APAC and MEA
• Jono Paull, group creative director, Mojo Supermarket
• Kevin Mulroy, executive creative director, Mischief
• Leslie Shaffer, co-chief creative officer, Fallon
• Maria D’Amato, executive creative director, GSD&M
• Neil Heymann, global chief creative officer, Accenture Song
• Oriel Davis-Lyons, chief creative officer, Mother New York
• Paul Caiozzo, co-founder and chief creative officer, Supernatural
• Pierre Lipton and Shayne Millington, co-chief creative officers, McCann New York
• Polina Zabrodskaya, creative partner, AMV BBDO
• Rafael Rizuto, chief creative officer U.S. and Hispanic LATAM, Dentsu Creative
• Renata Leão, executive creative director, David São Paulo
• Samira Ansari, chief creative officer, Deutsch New York
• Shu Hung, executive creative director, AKQA Los Angeles
• Vida M. Cornelius, VP creative, New York Times Advertising

More news: Everything to know about Cannes Lions 2023

Good luck to all the entrants!

10-Minute Stay

Hilton
Agency: TBWA\Chiat\Day New York

Kevin Mulroy: As wary as I am of hackneyed copycats of this idea, I thought the 10-minute TikTok for Hilton was great. It kinda reminds me of Hamilton—on paper, a 10-minute TikTok and a hip-hop musical about the founding fathers of America are objectively terrible ideas. Both had to be executed flawlessly to work. I watched all 10 minutes of it on a platform built to repel both ads and long-form content.

AI Ketchup

Heinz
Agency: Rethink

Maria D’Amato: I love that “AI Ketchup” is a pure, simple idea. It’s so simple, you kind of have to be the first to do it to make it mean anything, and they were the first. Kudos.

Anne de Gaulle

Fondation Anne de Gaulle
Havas Paris

Leslie Shaffer: As a creative who has personally spent hours of my life discussing how difficult it is to alter a jet bridge even for an airline who owns said jet bridge, I want to reward the dedicated client and agency that renamed the entire Charles De Gaulle airport into the Anne De Gaulle airport for a week, right down to the boarding tags, to raise awareness for people with Down syndrome. An inspiring feat.

Bring Home the Bud

Budweiser
Wieden+Kennedy New York

Anna Qvennerstedt: I can only imagine the mood at the Budweiser HQ when the Qatar World Cup decided to ban alcohol just days before the event. The way W+K managed to turn this situation into an opportunity for the brand with “Bring Home the Bud” is pure mastery.
Shu Hung: I love this one because the creative team took a challenge and turned it on its head through a brilliant opening line (“Well, that was awkward”) that led to a global campaign that inspired next-level fervor for Bud. Thoroughly impressed with how quickly Bud and the W+K team responded through so many touchpoints, from social events to beer distribution. The brilliance of awarding the winning country’s fans with beer seamlessly shifts the focus from the players to the customers (and back again).
Chris Beresford-Hill: I love this campaign because it is exactly what they should have done with all that beer, but I imagine it was hard as hell to push the idea through. The integrity was maintained, down to that one iconic visual, which I imagine had to be on the original one-pager. I hold this one in high regard.

Cash In Cash Out

Pharrell Williams, ft. 21 Savage and Tyler, The Creator
Director: François Rousselet

Renata Leão: While the media landscape continues to evolve and become more and more fragmented, non-advertising ideas that feel like 100% entertainment appeal to me in every way. To me, their role in pushing the entire industry forward, in terms of craft, is truly deserving of all types of creative awards, especially at Cannes, the main stage of the world when it comes to expanding our definition of what advertising is. “Cash In Cash Out” is an aspirational piece where each frame drips with an insane level of love and detail. Mind-boggling piece of work.
Hannes Ciatti: Pharrell Williams’ work keeps being as fresh as his well-cared-for face. This is an inspiring masterpiece that will dominate Film Craft and Entertainment Lions for Music.

Clash From the Past

Clash of Clans
Agency: Wieden+Kennedy Portland

Bas Korsten: Instead of celebrating the 10th anniversary of Clash of Clans, a fictional 40th anniversary was celebrated, creating an alternate universe in which the popular game had existed since 1982. Beautifully executed, bursting with creative fun and dripping with love for detail—from the 20-minute fictional documentary (over 3 million views!), to the faux brand partnerships with Garbage Pail Kids cards and General Mills cereals, to the “remastered” Clash of Clans mobile games in the style of the ’90s and ’00s. A mic drop example of how brands can create a cohesive experience across different touchpoints, cleverly tapping into pop culture.
Pierre Lipton: I love world-building—creating a fictional universe with its own history, set of rules, vocabulary and aesthetic. (Side plug for the novels of Brandon Sanderson, one of the best world builders working.) “Clash From the Past” was exactly that, executed with the obsessive details that gamers love, and paired with the kind of self-awareness that speaks to Gen Z. In fact, if by some cruel twist of fate, it doesn’t win (which it should), it might be because it’s so “inside.” And that’s precisely what makes it so good. To speak to gamers, and to get them to speak to each other about your brand, you need to speak their language. Please send Boom Booms.
Jono Paull: The idea itself is absurd in the best possible way, but what really impresses me is the audacity and commitment to that absurdity—not to mention the level of craft and attention to detail in every one of the executions.
Jaime Robinson: I have a soft spot in my heart for this one. I love that they know their audience so well, and they went through outrageous lengths to make a fake history for their game. The fake documentary, the fake-made-real partnerships and products … even making the old games! True commitment to the bit, as they say in entertainment! Such a fun and creative way to make people fall in love with your franchise again. I freaking love it.
Maria D’Amato: Something that’s pure fun and imagination wrapped up in nostalgia and aimed right at the audience—what’s not to love? Plus, it’s real advertising executed at a fantastic level of craft. You can feel how much fun they had making it, and it’s equally fun to view.
Chris Beresford-Hill: Celebrate a 10-year anniversary by pretending everyone grew up with the game? How silly. But also, magnetic. And crafty. And rich. I don’t like video games. Who knew I loved this game since 1982? 
Neil Heymann: Fan service at its finest, architecting historical pop culture moments for a game too new to have them. The attention to detail, commitment to the idea and audience participation are a joy to see.

Dr. Rick

Progressive
Agency: Arnold Worldwide

Kevin Mulroy: Though I’m generally hesitant to award new executions of an existing campaign, I think Progressive’s “Dr. Rick” campaign has continued to be the high water mark for comedy writing in the industry. They could easily have gotten lazy and started writing dad-in-socks-and-sandals jokes, but they keep pushing the examples to be genuinely funny and insightful, so much so that it works with an international audience, which is really hard for a dialogue-driven campaign. Also, in a show that’s been dominated by cause work for a while now, I’d selfishly like to see some more lighthearted stuff win.

Eart4 (aka Terr4)

UN Global Compact
Agency: Almap BBDO

Anna Qvennerstedt: Turning Earth into a company and launching it as an IPO to get investments? I am very, very jealous of this idea.

FitChix

Honest Eggs Co.
Agency: VMLY&R

Diego Machado: Well … they managed to make a better egg. Transcending its centuries-old existence with a touch of creativity. What's truly captivating is the elegant simplicity for the consumer’s eyes. The simplicity on the execution achieved on this project makes it scalable, applicable to any country or culture and able to change the whole industry. As we find ourselves amid a wave of disruption, witnessing the transformation of industries ranging from fashion to finance, and even social media, FitChix is able to transform one of the oldest industries.

Flipvertising

Samsung Australia
Agency: CHEP Network Sydney

Renata Leão: A very unusual campaign that challenged our perception of targeted advertising and turned it into an extremely attractive proposition. Its mechanic encouraged Gen Zs to figure out how to get themselves targeted by specific YouTube ads for a chance to win a product. Going 100% against the grain by avoiding the usual marketing manner, the brand’s online scavenger hunt (and retargeting pools) drove consideration through a fun consumer journey of unbiased reviews, tech breakdowns, comparisons, unboxings and lots of free content for the brand. 
Vida M. Cornelius: There will be no shortage of creative ways we will see data being used to derive incredibly thoughtful and immersive experiences. I love how Samsung literally “flipped” the algorithm game on Gen Z audiences—who vehemently reject personalized, algorithm-driven advertising—in this campaign for the Galaxy Z Flip 4.  They took retargeting to the next level, and essentially created an online scavenger hunt for Gen Z’ers to have the chance to unlock winning the phone. Algorithms went from being perceived as giving “stalker vibes" to becoming a tool for cool opt-ins and engagement. In my opinion, pretty clever. 

The Greatest

Apple
Agency: In-house

Maria D’Amato: “The Greatest” is sure to take home some metal, and rightfully so in my opinion. It’s real work for a real product whose features solve real human needs. And it’s impeccably executed. It’s classic tech advertising—a product demonstration told through an emotional storyline—but the fact that it’s telling authentic and empowering stories of individuals from a historically marginalized group in an incredibly compelling manner makes it special.
Darcie Burrell: Credit where credit is due—this is a really well-done ad. It’s been a while since I’ve sat through a commercial over two minutes long without my eyes darting to the progress bar to see how much longer I have to suffer. But this is a delight to watch. It’s beautifully directed and edited, the song is good, and the product is baked into the idea so it never feels shoehorned in. 
Shu Hung: Such care, quality and craft in this piece from the Apple in-house creative team. What could have been a pure product how-to demo becomes a gorgeous anthem, highlighting the various ways the iPhone supports people who are differently abled. The focused and superb casting showcases the immense talent, ingenuity and creativity of this audience. The soundtrack is spot on—memorable and very much a part of the narrative.
Bas Korsten: A film that lives up to its title. Exceptional craft. Music beautifully integrated. Apple products front and center but they are all there to show how they impact the lives of the people using them. Uber cool. Makes me want to stand on a set somewhere. Now.
Samira Ansari: I always look forward to the next Apple film release, as much as I look forward to new technology from the brand. They never disappoint! Another well-crafted beauty from Kim Gehrig. “What are we gonna do? We’re going to dance.” Yes, we are, Apple.
Anna Qvennerstedt: I am sure this one will pick up some metal because of its magnificent craft.
Vida M. Cornelius: Apple pulled no punches in showing the world that accessibility is a human right. “The Greatest” is immediately deserving of the iconic, slow-clap response. Bravo. There aren’t many times a creative person will get to say this in their career, but “I wish I’d done that ad.” This was no self-serving attempt at showing all the features Apple devices can deliver, but rather a compelling and truthful depiction of how the responsibility of technology, at its core, should be in service to the user, whoever that user may be. Every vignette gave us a look at those who have needs beyond the norm, but who are empowered via tech to be very much a part of the norm. This is creative done 100% right on all fronts. 

Happy Birthday From Earth

Husqvarna
Agency: Prime Weber Shandwick Stockholm

Polina Zabrodskaya: This is one of the silliest, most touching and wonderful things I’ve seen all year. It didn’t win big at D&AD, and my secret hope is that Cannes will correct this oversight and bring the team on stage. To me, this campaign is life-affirming on a level beyond any media budget considerations. It’s a tribute to everything that makes us human—the joy of celebrating a birthday, the excitement of space exploration and the deep longing for connection that can never truly be fulfilled. I don’t even have a lawn, yet I still keep thinking about all those 100,000 robots singing “Happy Birthday” to the lonely Curiosity rover. 

The Heart Part 5

Kendrick Lamar
Directors: Dave Free & Kendrick Lamar

Diego Machado: While we use GPT and other AIs to replicate musicians’ style and question if robots will replace humans, this is a testament to Lamar’s unwavering commitment to pushing the boundaries of artistic expression using technology to boost it. Seamlessly fusing his thought-provoking lyrics with masterful production. Revealing a powerful concept combined with a flawless execution. “The Heart Part 5” song invited us to embark on a profound journey of Lamar’s self-discovery, while the music video amplifies the narrative, employing visual storytelling techniques that further elevate the impact of the lyrics morphing his face into O.J. Simpson, Will Smith, Kanye West, Kobe Bryant and others. Watching the video just once is nearly impossible.

Heaven Fish

Regal Spring
Agency: Ogilvy Honduras

Diego Machado: Here, we have not just one but two awards to present. The first award goes to Honduras for bringing to life the most innovative and imaginative natural event in recorded history—the “rain of fish.” The second award goes to Regal Springs for ingeniously harnessing this phenomenon to create “Heaven Fish.” This groundbreaking endeavor has fostered an ecosystem around the brand for consumers, local communities and restaurants. We don’t know if they like the dish or not, but there is no denying that the impact of the Heaven Fish project is unforgettable. It leaves a profound and lasting impression on all those who have engaged with this unexpected idea.

Home

Nike
Agency: Wieden+Kennedy London

Hannes Ciatti: A lot of sports brands have become stuck in nebulous athleisure cross-promotion land, so it felt good to see Nike celebrating excellence in sport with the English women’s football team. The incredibly simple “Home” idea should get recognized in the Engagement, Experience and maybe even Titanium Lions.

Inside Jobs

Volkswagen France
Agency: DDB Paris

Pierre Lipton: This is such a simple yet subversive idea, and its elegance is in how obvious it seems after the fact. On paper, an assignment to find mechanics to work at VW may sound dull, but the way it was executed just lights me up. It’s direct and logical, yet rebellious. A great reminder that there are no small assignments, only small appetites. 

Interface Interruption

Tubi
Agency: Mischief

Diego Machado: Every year. Millions of dollars spent. The same Super Bowl briefs. And … how did no one do this before? That’s the first reaction we had after watching this, and that’s exactly what we all want to achieve in every work we launch. It’s truly refreshing to come across an advertisement that brings a smile to our faces. No overthinking. Undoubtedly, the agency and clients behind the scenes faced their fair share of challenges, but this particular piece serves as a reminder of how our industry can embrace humor and poke fun at itself. As someone based in Brazil, where the Super Bowl isn’t a monumental event, I stumbled upon this gem through local memes and social media buzz long before the ad itself was widely known. I’m glad I wasn’t one of the Super Bowl fans that got mad and broke their own TVs.
Ash Tavassoli: The Mischief Super Bowl prank will medal but how high? I’ve seen it win bronze at other shows, and I guess I question what more judges want. Everyone will boast about their campaign’s “effectiveness” and how “it had everyone talking!” But I literally sat there and watched two of my friends yell at each other and then quickly apologize, all because of Tubi.

Ketchup Fraud

Heinz Ketchup
Agency: Rethink

Neil Heymann: While we’re all obsessing over tech and data, Heinz presented a single still photograph that elegantly asserted how obsessed people are with their brand.
Rafael Gonzaga: What can I say? I’m a sucker for smart and simple ideas. We’ve all tried ketchup with a questionable taste inside a Heinz bottle. And we’ve all felt we were victims of ketchup fraud. This is a master class for brands on how a superiority claim can be clever and fun. I can’t think of a better way to pay off “It Has to Be Heinz.” Ads like this are the reason why most of us joined this business in the first place.

Knock Knock

Korean National Police Agency
Agency: Cheil Worldwide

Genevieve Hoey: An incredible idea, “Knock Knock” should definitely be awarded widely as a smart solution to a serious problem. In Korea, many women are trapped at home with their abusers, a situation amplified by the pandemic lockdowns. This campaign enabled women to send a silent Morse code message to the Korean National Police Agency. The police handlers could then track the caller's location and identify the scene through the caller's phone camera in real time. It also had a secret chat mode so the caller could communicate with the police. A fantastic tech-first idea that could be scaled globally to drive real change.
Jason Williams: “Knock Knock” is a beautifully simple, smart utility that solves a very real issue by making “urgent assistance” accessible to women in a brilliantly covert way. 

La Dolce Velveeta: Crowd, Rider, Breeze

Velveeta
Agency: Johannes Leonardo

David Kolbusz: This campaign indulgently heroing the indulgent product continues to delight. Andreas Nilsson has made a film cycle that shows Andreas Nilsson-esque characters luxuriating in their soft cheese set to some fun music choices. It did exactly what a good film advert should do. It entertained me. Made me want the product. And when it was over, I felt compelled to watch again.

The Last Photo

ITV x CALM
Agency: adam&eveDDB

Genevieve Hoey: A great estimation of work is how jealous it makes you feel. “The Last Photo” campaign is an incredible suicide prevention initiative from CALM and ITV U.K. An exhibition of smiling people, the last photo these people took before they took their lives—to prove that suicidal doesn’t always look suicidal. Worthy of many awards and huge respect to everyone who worked on this. I’m not jealous of all the tears this creative team would have shed, but excellent work.
Oriel Davis-Lyons: Sometimes you physically feel the impact of an idea when you see it for the first time. The power of the insight, the restraint of the execution. It’s impossible not to be moved by this campaign. While it’s not a topic most of us will work on in our careers, we can hold this up as a reminder of the emotive power of a big idea, simply told. 
Shayne Millington: When you see a piece of work that stays with you for days afterward, you know you have just witnessed something at its highest form. That is how I felt after viewing “The Last Photo.” Suicide prevention is a topic that has been addressed for years in very similar ways, creating a dangerous stereotype and a monotony that can ultimately result in a crucial issue being ignored. “The Last Photo,” however, tells the story in a new and powerful way. Through its insight, restraint and poetic craft, it shines a new light on how little we understand the warning signs of suicide and mental illness, making sure the message is received and hopefully generating more education and acceptance.
Rafael Gonzaga: The most hard-hitting campaign we will see at Cannes this year. Awareness campaigns about mental health issues are always challenging. Suicide, in particular, is surrounded by taboos and stigmas. “The Last Photo” is a breathtaking project that reminds us that a powerful insight can change not just how we see and talk about suicide but especially how we can help prevent it. As an industry, it is our duty to recognize an idea like that.

The Mammoth Meatball

Forged by Vow
Agency: Wunderman Thompson Benelux

Polina Zabrodskaya: This campaign is a dream come true for any startup. While there are dozens of cultivated meat companies around the globe, all fighting for the same resources, none have managed to build a proper brand yet. But from now on, Vow can open all doors with an unbeatable one-liner: “We are Vow, the Mammoth Meatball company.” The amount of free publicity this campaign has garnered for the client is mind-blowing. I think I’ve even seen people discussing it in the “Overheard at Waitrose” group. Someone was asking whether Waitrose, an upscale British supermarket, would be the first to stock Mammoth Meatballs alongside Torres Black Truffle Crisps and Perello Olives. I bet they would.
Jaime Robinson: The one I most want to see win. This thing truly broke through in culture and was written about by news outlets and museum blogs all around the world. They did it right, partnering with the right experts, the right institutions. There’s a mini-documentary that explains why—climate change—and how. And yet, at its heart, it’s got that beautifully silly bit of being a Mammoth MEATBALL. What an awesome way to start to normalize something that humans find odd (i.e., cultured meat). I mean, I wouldn’t eat it, but I love that it exists.
Debbi Vandeven: This is such an original and attention-grabbing way to get people to really tune into the issues the demand for meat is causing for the world at large. By bringing an extinct protein back to life with the Mammoth Meatball, experimental food brand Forged, in partnership with the R&D team at Vow, invited people to look at food and how it’s produced in a radically new way—one that reduces climate impact and is sustainable for the future.
Shu Hung: Timely, technically astonishing and completely captivating, this campaign managed to highlight the problem of overconsumption through a clever experiment and a PR campaign. The amount of traction that the Mammoth Meatball got organically was impressive. The idea itself makes one pause and think about our eating habits in a completely different way. One part Natural History Museum and one part Eater = social media wildfire. 
Paul Caiozzo: “The Mammoth Meatball” really pushes the boundary of what an ad can and should be.

McEnroe vs. McEnroe

Michelob Ultra
Agency: FCB New York

Kevin Mulroy: I’m gonna go way out on a limb here and say I, unlike the advertising industry at large, think “McEnroe vs. McEnroe” will do very well at Cannes. A million years ago when I started in advertising, Gatorade did a spot called “Jordan vs. Jordan,” which was a visual tease for the age-old debate between youth and experience. But this takes it to the next level, using data and mind-bending technology to highlight the evolution of McEnroe’s game over eight different “versions” of his younger self.
Jaime Robinson: Epic entertainment with an epic use of technology behind it. I think it will clean up in a bunch of categories, since it’s one of those beautifully uncategorizable ideas. I love brands taking big swings like this. They could have just made an ad, right? John McEnroe is such a character, too. The perfect choice for sports entertainment.
Neil Heymann: Somewhere in all the tantrums about AI stifling creativity, this team managed to mix nostalgia with futurism to present a compelling vision for where competitive entertainment could be headed. Love.

Middle Seat Lottery

Virgin Australia
Agency: Special Group Sydney

Jono Paull: Turning the most hated thing in modern travel into the most desired thing is a master class in creative problem-solving. The resulting conversation and business results speak for themselves. Definitely, one to watch for this year.
Jason Williams: For solving a genuine business problem, credit must go to “Middle Seat Lottery.” Another smart creative solution to a very common issue for airlines. Gamifying the negative, by turning it into a positive. Genius. 
Samira Ansari: Have you ever flown to Australia stuck in the middle seat for 23 hours? I still talk about the experience. Love this from Virgin Australia. A super simple idea to turn the unfortunate middle seat into a talked-about promotion worth a fortune. Happy flying, Cannes judges.
Neil Heymann: Talk about taking a universal weakness and making it your strength. Love a strategy that turns the existing process into new business and PR opportunities.

Night Castle

White Castle
Agency: Merkley + Partners

David Kolbusz: Every creative person is guilty of selling in and/or producing a wacky merch idea where the clothing itself is unwearable. Not the case here. To remind people that the burger chain is a great late-night destination, White Castle made limited-edition re-branded Night Castle merchandise that was beautifully designed AND glowed in the dark. I actually spent my own money on a T-shirt.

Periodsomnia

Libresse 
Agency: AMV BBDO

David Kolbusz: Not that Kim Gehrig needs another piece of hardware on her mantel—and certainly not another one for Libresse—but I thought #periodsomnia was an exceptional piece of craft. Using thermal imaging as the narrative spine, the film addresses bad period sleeps in a stylish two minutes that never overstays its welcome. And the type! When your supers are as amazing as your film, you're doing something right. Details.

Phone It In

Skinny
Agency: Colenso BBDO

Oriel Davis-Lyons: It takes a proper creative leap to turn the two oldest, most traditional mediums into one of the year’s most nontraditional campaigns. It’s a brand leaning into exactly who they are and not taking themselves too seriously. It’s wonderfully written. And it’s social in the way that actually matters. Real people literally reading your ads back to you. So, while everyone scrambles to join the AI gold rush, it’s good to cheer for those still finding new ways to play with old toys.
Vida M. Cornelius: As a telecom company, and a category we often don’t think about until it is not working, they found a way to get their actual consumer to be the centerpiece of their ads. Asking consumers to call a 1-800 number and read the script printed on billboards was genius and ballsy in hoping that they 1) actually got people to call in and 2) that the people who did call in could read a script in a fun, compelling way. I think this one is a great illustration of the old adage “Ideas don’t have to be big ideas to be great ones.”
Jason Williams: I love “Phone It In”—what a fun way to encourage participation and populism. Well-crafted writing and hilariously unpredictable casting make this a very entertaining idea. Good example of a self-aware brand being playful with how it recruits new customers. 
Renata Leão: The brand recruited ordinary New Zealanders to vouch for its services. To keep costs down, the brand crowdsourced the voiceover talent for its radio ads using the consumer’s own voices and also provided scripts through its OOH executions. The interplay between the interactive OOH executions and the low-price content generated provided us with a “media as message” masterclass.

The Postponed Day

Argentine League for the Fight Against Cancer
Agency: Grey Argentina

Samira Ansari: These days there is a “day” for everything. But World Breast Cancer Day is one that the world has taken seriously for years. I love that they took a behavior and turned it into PR gold. You postpone your mammogram, so we’ll postpone World Breast Cancer Day. Smart and effective.

Power Your Holidays

Ocean Spray
Agency: Orchard

Leslie Shaffer: I was lucky enough to sit on an awards jury this year, and there was a lot of energy around rewarding clients and creatives and ideas that are doing the actual work of advertising—tied to the brand in an inextricable way that makes sense to normal people. Sometimes that means simply taking a product attribute and making it unforgettable. Remember how we used to do that? For me, work like the Ocean Spray canned cranberry films come to mind. The product is jiggly. That’s it. Give me more of that.
Paul Caiozzo: Ocean Spray and Orchard made something weird, fresh and brilliantly crafted that wouldn't work for any other product. 

Proudly Second Best

Ikea
Agencies: David Madrid and Ingo Hamburg

Rafael Rizuto: I love the insight of this campaign. Been a father of two little boys, it really resonated with me. This is advertising at its best, a great insight rooted in the product. The execution is also flawless—it says so much by showing so little. Kudos to the team.
Paul Caiozzo: This campaign stood out because of the delightfully simple, classic storytelling. It turned a potential product negative (disposable furniture) into an honest and beautifully insightful positive.
Bas Korsten: This jealousy-inspiring campaign breathes new life into an almost overlooked medium like print by showing the power of perfectly balanced print ads. The right amount of letters. In the right order. The photo that nails “second best.” It’s almost like the photographer told the Ikea products how to act. They clearly seem to know their place. Perfect. 

Public Displays of Encouragement

Ted Lasso/Apple TV+
Agency: TBWA\Media Arts Lab

Chris Beresford-Hill: How many of us have tried to bring famous characters to life offscreen, into other spaces, and saw it go nowhere because it’s impossible to pull off? The MAL and Apple team made it happen. What an absolutely sweet way to support the USA team heading to the World Cup, and engage in 1:1 marketing with a genius 2.2 billion impression overflow of the show’s IP.
Jono Paull: I love a good headline campaign, and in this case the combination of writing, placement and deft attention to detail in bringing a character from a globally loved IP to the real world—and in this way—feels so on point and true both to fans of the show and the sport.

Raise Your Arches

McDonald’s
Agency: Leo Burnett London

Shu Hung: From the opening sounds of Yello’s “Oh Yeah” to the clever eyebrow-raise-as-stand-in-for-McDonald’s, this spot is pure good times. It manages to feel like a musical without an actual musical number, and the insight is genius. How do we talk about lunch at McDonald’s without actually talking about lunch at McDonald’s? 

R.I.P. Leon

Apple
Agency: In-house

Ash Tavassoli: While “The Greatest” from Apple will deservedly leave with a checked bag full of Lions, we shouldn’t sleep on “R.I.P. Leon.” It’s ultimately a hard-hitting product demo that’s beautifully shot, all while nailing casting, music, color and pace. In the wrong hands, this easily gets silly. In the right ones, they believed in their script and made a perfect :30.

Runner 321

Adidas
Agency: FCB Canada

Shayne Millington: I love work that makes me recognize something I may have not realized with my own lived experience, which is exactly what “Runner 321” does. It takes a seemingly simple concept of famous numbers in sports and applies it where it doesn’t exist. Creating the first iconic number for people with Down syndrome allows for visibility around diversity in sport. This concept spurred a much-needed social conversation that even Adidas’ fiercest competitors joined and supported. When you can make that happen, you know you have a winner.
Samira Ansari: This idea made my heart melt. A push for inclusivity that educates and makes you feel good about a brand.

The Singularity

Squarespace
Agency: In-house

Hannes Ciatti: The age-old question, “Can a client that makes its own ads make a campaign about a website that makes websites?” has finally been answered, and the answer is yes. Squarespace not only put an actual idea into the vanilla celebrity Super Bowl, but understood that you win the before and after the game, so they made it into an integrated campaign. And knowing how hard it is to get clients to have a singular message (especially in tech), Squarespace did an incredible job convincing themselves to do that. They should give themselves a raise. 
Jono Paull: I love everything about this spot. The brilliant writing, restrained but arresting visual direction and killer cyberpunk motif are a reminder to never underestimate the power of a single-minded idea.
Neil Heymann: Commitment to a simple idea. Beautifully executed. Perfectly cast.

Substitute Dealers

The Ad Council
Agency: Joan Creative

Genevieve Hoey: Bold and award-winning. As a parent, your greatest frustration is your kids not listening to you. But they will listen to someone who’s been there before. “Substitute Dealers” brought reformed drug dealers into schools to educate teens about the impact of drug use, first aid for drug overdoses and more. It’s a fantastic idea—and it wasn’t just a stunt. It was about authentic education. Lessons were edited into social content and an open-source curriculum made available for download on RealDealOnFentanyl.com. OK, so which agency is up for bringing porn stars into schools to talk about consent and authentic intimacy?

Traffic Stop

Native
Agency: VCCP US

Hannes Ciatti: I may not have seen it all, but I wish there would have been more funny work this year. I had a good time watching this simple yet hilarious idea for Native.

Ukraine Welcome Text

Unseen UK
Agency: BBD Perfect Storm

Polina Zabrodskaya: When Russia invaded Ukraine, 14 million people were forced to flee from the war. I’ve seen multiple ideas attempting to address the problem of human trafficking, but this is one of the most elegant proposals. I can’t imagine how many calls it took to get a dozen big telecom companies to agree on one solution quickly and actually make it happen. Multiple providers had to synchronize their networks to ensure that their customers, displaced and in unfamiliar surroundings, received vital safety information. Impressive achievement.

The Unburnable Book

Penguin Random House
Agency: Rethink

Leslie Shaffer: I’m insanely jealous of the unburnable Handmaid’s Tale book for Penguin Random House. Simple. Smart. Makes you feel and think without having to do any crazy mental math. Also the entire experience works, from auctioning the book at Sotheby’s with proceeds going to anti-censorship efforts, to the image of Margaret Atwood holding a blowtorch. Insanely jealous. Give it all the awards. 
Darcie Burrell: I know I say this every year, but it bears repeating—not enough ads feature Margaret Atwood with a flamethrower.

Welcome to the Uprising

ZenBusiness
Agency: Joan Creative

Debbi Vandeven: This campaign for ZenBusiness is smaller, but shouldn’t be overlooked. It perfectly captures the temperament of this moment in time—playing to the rumblings in the corporate world and the feeling that we’re on the verge of transitioning to something altogether new. The film was an energetic, motivating call to arms for budding entrepreneurs everywhere, and the campaign supported the effort in such a smart way, encouraging discontented dreamers to take control of their future by tapping into the tools to start, run and grow their own businesses.

What the Truck

Furphy
Agency: Thinkerbell

Oriel Davis-Lyons: No 100-page deck. No teaser campaign. No always-on geotargeted full-funnel influencer strategy. Just a truck, stuck in an alleyway, trying to sell some beer. It takes a fair amount of bravery to keep it this simple and that’s something to be rewarded because it’s a good reminder of what we’re ultimately here to do. Get attention in surprising ways.

See all of the 2022 Cannes Lions Grand Prix winners