UK agencies have failed to secure a single award at Cannes Direct Lions, with McCann Erickson Bucharest scooping the top prize – the Direct Grand Prix – for a campaign for the chocolate bar brand Rom (pictured).
Nine other Gold Lions were also awarded to Droga5 New York for Microsoft Bing, Wieden & Kennedy Portland for Old Spice, JWT New York won two for the Human Rights Watch “Burma” campaign, while the remaining golds were split between Ogilvy Argentina, DDB Brasil and Cheil Worldwide.
Overall, 57 Direct Lions were given out, with Germany and the US winning seven Lions each. Brazilian agencies won six awards, while Sweden won five and Spain picked up four.
UK agencies secured only eight finalists out of the 204-strong shortlist for this year’s Lions, with Being London heading the list with three nominations, Publicis London has two and Grey London, Saatchi & Saatchi, and Wunderman one each in the 26 categories.
The competition has rarely seen a UK triumph, although last year AMV – not technically a direct agency in its own right – was named Direct Agency of the Year after scooping a number of awards.
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