Cannes: Ad shops lead as UK nets 17 Direct finalists

xboxUK agencies have picked up 17 nominations for this year’s Cannes Direct Lions, the highest number for at least three years, although once again it is advertising shops rather than direct marketing businesses which are leading the field.
McCann London has been nominated five times, with Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe/Y&R with three finalists as the UK has picked up a total of 17 places on the shortlist.
McCann picked up four nominations for “Survival billboard” for Microsoft Xbox, which promoted a new Tomb Raider game. It challenged eight people to stand in a billboard on London Bridge for 24 hours as gamers chose the weather conditions, including blizzards, snow and pelting rain. The campaign made a great play on interaction, generating 32,000 comments in a single day and while no-one held out for the whole time, the winner remained on the billboard for 20 hours, 45 minutes.
Rainey Kelly was shortlisted three times for “Donation icons”, an Oxfam campaign in which users can donate desktop icons which are turned into smart media spaces that brands can then advertise in.
Two agencies – Engine and Grey London – were shortlisted for two awards.
The full list of UK agencies for Direct Lions:
McCann London: Microsoft Xbox/Tomb Raider “Survival billboard” (4 entries); Premier Foods, “Spare chair Sunday”
Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe/Y&R: Oxfam “Donation Icons” (3)
Engine: NHS Blood and Transplant “Missing Type” (2)
OgilvyOne: Volvo “Roam delivery” (2)
DigitasLBI: Plume Labs “Pigeon air patrol”
Grey London: Fairy Liquid “Fair”; Tate “BP displays at Tate Britain”
O&M London: Kronenbourg 1664 “#LeBigSwim”
Saatchi & Saatchi: Deutsche Telekom “Sea hero quest”

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