Cannes Lions 2024: A Beacon of Diversity and Persistence

The Cannes Lions festival 2024 recognized exceptional creativity from around the world, placing local markets and agencies of all sizes on the global stage, many for the first time.

Historic Wins for Small Markets

Some of the most innovative ideas emerged from the smallest markets. This year, Brandenburg from Reykjavik and GForce from Almaty made history by securing the first-ever Lions for Iceland and Kazakhstan, respectively.

Iceland's Creative Triumph

Brandenburg, Reykjavik's Arnar and Bragi celebrated a historic win for Iceland with a Bronze in the Design Lions for their project "New Gen Energy" for Olgerdin. This achievement marked a significant milestone for the creative community in Iceland, showcasing their ability to compete on a global scale.

Kazakhstan's Groundbreaking Victory

GForce, Almaty’s Yulia and Yevgeniy, along with Cannes Lions Kazakhstan representative Askhat Uskembayev, shared the story behind their Gold win in the Social & Influencer Lions. Their campaign, "The National Sport of Kazakhstan," for the Ruh Fighting Championship, highlighted the growing creative prowess of Kazakhstan in the international arena.

The Power of Persistence

Independent agencies Golin from London and Boost Brand Accelerator from Peru exemplified the value of resilience. After entering in 2023 and leaving empty-handed, both agencies returned with renewed determination and applied their learnings to achieve remarkable success.

Golin London's Journey to Success

Golin London's George Bryant and Alex Wood discussed the journey behind their two-time Grand Prix-winning work, "The Misheard Version." They emphasized the importance of learning from failure, stating, "It's amazing though, what failure can teach you when you listen."

Boost Brand Accelerator's First Lion

Boost Brand Accelerator’s Luciana and Carlos celebrated the company’s first-ever Lion for their work "The Cushioning Route" for Nike, which won a Bronze Lion in the Outdoor category. They attributed their success to the lessons learned from previous attempts, saying, "We learned a lot and all these learnings, we applied to this new case."

Celebrating Achievements

For the first time, Bronze and Silver winners were announced ahead of the Awards Shows each night and invited to celebrate with a photo on the red carpet. This new approach allowed dozens of talented teams to share what their wins meant to them.

Reflections on Winning a Lion

John Wilds, Copywriter at Edelman, expressed the significance of winning a Lion, saying, "I feel about two foot taller. Being a creative is entirely subjective, you spend your entire career holding things up for people and it's based entirely on how they feel. A Lion is one of the few objective things that proves that you're good at this."

Sttenio Costa, VP Creative Director at Area 23, highlighted the prestige of Cannes Lions, stating, "Cannes Lions is our dream, it’s the biggest thing for us. The visibility that being here brings to our work is unlike we could achieve anywhere else."

The Cannes Lions 2024 event underscored the importance of diversity and persistence in the creative industry. As the festival continues to evolve, it remains a pinnacle for recognizing and celebrating the best in creativity from around the world.