Countdown to Cannes 2012: Leo Burnett's trump cards: Bajaj Exhaust, Tide & Coke Studio

For this year's Cannes Lions, the agency is banking on its work on Bajaj Exhaust 'Reclaim your space', Tide 'Fragrance', and Coke Studio 'Sounds of happiness'.

The countdown to this year's Cannes Lions has begun and Indian creative agencies seem to be prepared to take on the 'Lion' with as many as 1,182 entries as compared to 1,177 entries sent last year. Amongst the agencies, Leo Burnett is optimistic and is betting high on some of its entries such as its creations for Bajaj Exhaust, Tide and Coke Studio, among others.

Submitted in the Print and Poster category, the series, called 'Reclaim your space' for Bajaj Exhaust shows how the exhaust fans provide a fresh breath of air. The creatives show the pictures of a kitchen constructed of 'real' fish,
a bathroom made out of cigarettes
and
a a bedroom made of stinking socks
. Each creative is backed by messages such as, 'Reclaim your kitchen', 'Get your toilet back' and 'Get your bedroom back', respectively.

The Tide 'Fragrance' creatives, which the agency has submitted in the Photography category, highlight the two fragrances - rose and jasmine - of the detergent. One photo shows a man taking a nap in a kitchen full of left-over food. Interestingly, to get rid of the smell, he has a shirt on his face, which has been washed in Tide. The second photo shows a man sleeping in a room full of fishes. A shirt washed in Tide hangs on the wall, offsetting the odour. The third photo shows a man sleeping in a room full of onions. He, too, uses a washed white shirt to get rid of the smell of the vegetable.

K V Sridhar, national creative director, Leo Burnett, says, "All the work in the recent past has won several accolades, including Abby this year, and hence we hope that it will fare well even at Cannes."

Entered in the Design category, the work for Coke Studio, 'Sounds of Happiness Calendar', combines the music of India with the philosophy of Coke Studio in a calendar consisting of 12 cola bottles, where each bottle reflects the music of a particular time.

The agency also has high expectations from two other creations, one in the Radio category for the non-government organisation (NGO), Saathi. The radio spot highlights the pathetic condition of street kids and how they are forced to beg and go through other repugnant experiences.

In the Promo & Activation category, the agency is banking on its work called 'Door Step School'. To promote adult literacy, the agency created an ink pad that allowed illiterate individuals to print their names using their thumbs. The ink pad has letters engraved in Hindi, which allows individuals to write their names. The activation was based on the insight that illiterate individuals use their thumb impression instead of signing their names.