How to craft your entry
Once you feel confident with your category selection, it’s time to think about how best to tell your story.
Allowing yourself enough time to do this thoroughly gives you the best chance of success. According to previous entrants, Cannes Lions is a fantastic opportunity to:
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better understand how your work measures up against the competition
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reflect on how well you're balancing creative excellence with results orientation
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learn how to present your case convincingly for an audience that may not have cultural familiarity
Written submission
The written explanation is a compulsory element for every Award. It serves as an opportunity for you to tell the Jurors everything they need to know about your work, from the creative idea, strategy and execution, right through to the results.
Each question has been specifically designed to help you showcase your work, so make sure you take full advantage of each one and answer with as much relevant detail as possible. If you’re entering your work across multiple Awards, resist the temptation to copy and paste your answers. Tailoring them for each entry, within the context of that Award and category, will make it easier for the Jury to understand why your work deserves to win there.
Mel Routhier Chief Creative Officer VML Chicago Health & Wellness Jury President Cannes Lions 2023
“Anything you supply in terms of real factual impact. We read it. We read it over and over again. As we’re debating we scroll through. You’d be surprised how much is copy and pasted. We are aching for more information. Just that little bit can turn an entire Jury.”
Often, the first thing the Jury looks for when distinguishing between shortlisted pieces and Lion winners is how the objective links to the impact and results.
You may have a beautiful piece of work, but did it work for the brand? If your objective is to drive sales but your results focus on increased awareness, the Jury will notice this disconnect. They’re industry experts, so think carefully about what they would view as a metric of success.
It’s also important to remember that we operate with a global Jury, so most people in the room won’t be from your market. This is where the cultural context question comes into play. Use it to provide insight into why your work is relevant for this particular brand, at this particular moment, in this particular market. Help them understand why this work pushed the boundaries of what great is for the audience in the market where it ran.
So, to summarise:
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make the most of every question
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link your objective to your outcome
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include relevant results and provide cultural context
Ali Rez Chief Creative Officer, MENAP Impact BBDO Print & Publishing Jury President Cannes Lions 2023
"Simplicity matters. Keep it simple, keep it honest, keep it about the idea."
Supporting materials
The supporting materials are some of the most important elements of your entry. They are what the Jury examine, watch and read during their decision-making. Each Award has different material requirements. Some elements are mandatory, others recommended or optional. Below is an overview of the entry requirements – please see Entry Kit 1 for the full list, plus formatting guidelines. Regardless of the Award you’re entering, some general rules to remember are:
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all case films and presentation images must be in English
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work that was not originally published in English (TV commercials, print ads, billboards, etc.) can be translated or subtitled exactly as it was published or aired so that it can be understood in English by the Jury
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if translating original video work, please note that dubbing is not allowed. Voiceovers can be translated, but visible speech must be kept in the original language and subtitled
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supporting materials must not contain any reference to your agency or any contributing creative companies or individuals
Presentation image
The presentation image is compulsory across many Awards. This is a visual presentation of your work, including images and English text, concisely summarising the brief, execution and results. It is often referenced by Jurors and should provide an engaging, easy-to-digest overview of the work.
HEINZ DRAW KETCHUP | KRAFT HEINZ 2023
RETHINK, TORONTO GOLD, CREATIVE EFFECTIVENESS LIONS
Roanna Williams Chairperson Creative Circle Outdoor Jury Member Cannes Lions 2023
“Think about the storytelling and what is the best way to articulate that story and not just follow a formula.”
Case film
The case film is not mandatory for all Awards but is often a highly recommended addition to your submission. A case film gives you an opportunity to introduce and explain your work. It’s often the first thing the Jury sees, so include your cultural context, reference your original objective and final outcome and keep it under 2 minutes. The case film will be displayed publicly on our intelligence platform The Work.
FLIPVERTISING | SAMSUNG 2023
CHEP NETWORK, SYDNEY GRAND PRIX, SOCIAL & INFLUENCER LIONS