UK agencies have secured 15 finalists out of a 256-strong shortlist for this year’s Cannes Direct Lions, with ad agency Leo Burnett leading the way with three nominations, and Publicis London securing two.
The finalists are notable for the fact that three of the agencies have been nominated for clients that they have since lost.
Leo Burnett picked up two for Business in the Community and one for its long-running drink driving campaign Think!, which it had handled since 1979 but recently lost to Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO in a Government review.
Meanwhile Wunderman has been nominated for Microsoft, from which it was axed last month, and OgilvyOne picked up two for British Airways, which was switched to the joint venture between BBH and Simon Hall and Warren Moore in March.
The other finalists are Publicis London, with two nominations for charity The Pilion Trust, while AMV (Sainsbury’s), McCann London (Momondo), Lida (Tourettes Action UK), TBWA London (Adidas), O&M London (Expedia) and Adam & Eve DDB (Harvey Nichols), AIS London (Harrison’s Fund) got one each.
UK agencies have not exactly shone down on the Côte D’Azur in recent years; last year they took just one silver, AKQA London for Nike +, and one bronze, Leo Burnett London for Pantone. While in 2012 OgilvyOne was the sole winner, with a silver for its Kern “gnome experiment” work. In 2011, there were no UK winners.
The results will be published tomorrow (June 17).
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