Cannes 2013: Two Gold Outdoor Lions for Taproot; Two Bronzes for Grey, One Bronze for O&M

Taproot's Farmer Suicides campaign for TOI has won the agency its two Gold Lions. Grey has won its two Bronze Lions for DHL and Duracell. O&M has won its Bronze Lion for Philips Electronics.

Indian agencies ought to fill the outdoor space with "Congratulations India!' billboards. We have done well in this category at the International Festival of Creativity this year. And in the words of the Outdoor Lions jury president, Tony Granger, chief creative officer, Young & Rubicam, Worldwide, “You're more likely to be struck by lightning than to win a Gold Lion in the Outdoor category!"

Our victorious agencies include Taproot India, Grey Worldwide India and O&M India.

Taproot leads with two Gold Lions. Grey has won two Bronze Lions and O&M has won one Bonze Lion.

Both of Taproot's Lions are for the agency's Farmers' Suicides campaign for the Times of India (Bennett Colman & Co). One Gold is in the "Posters - Fundraising, charities, appeals, non-profit organisations, public health & safety, public awareness messages' sub-category. This campaign has three creatives in it. Taproot's second Gold is for the same campaign for the same brand but in the "Outdoor Craft - Illustration' sub-category. This campaign also has three creatives in it.

Grey's first Bronze Lion is for its Divorce creative for DHL Express Courier in the "Billboards & Street Furniture - Business Equipment & Services' category. Grey's second Bronze is for its Positive & Negative campaign for Procter & Gamble's Duracell Batteries. This campaign has three creatives in it.

O&M's Bronze Lion was pulled in by its campaign for Philips Electronics India's LED Torch. This campaign has three creatives in it, namely, Forest, Gorge and Alley. The sub-category this campaign falls under is "Outdoor Craft - Photography'. This campaign for Philips has been shortlisted in other award categories including Design and Press Lions. Will this campaign win Lions in these categories too? Time will tell.

For the record, this year, the outdoor jurors judged a total of 5613 entries. This figure is 16 per cent higher than last year's 4843.

As far as Indian participation goes, here's a look at the number of Outdoor entries sent in by India over the years: 284 in 2009, 266 in 2010, 252 in 2011, 219 in 2012 and 249 in 2013. And as far as Indian Lions in this category are concerned, here's a look at the award tally over the years: three in 2008, six in 2009, four in 2010, three in 2011 and just one in 2012.

It may be noted that, India didn't win any Lions in the Media category, despite two shortlists, namely, Leo Burnett's Coke Studio entry and O&M's Super Dog Chewy entry.