Cannes Lions day one: 4-metal haul; gold & bronze for McCann, silver & bronze for Ogilvy

The Indian contingent won its Lions in two categories from the six whose winners Cannes Lions had announced.

The Indian contingent got off to a four-metal haul, including a Gold Lion, on day one of Cannes Lions 2024 courtesy of McCann Worldgroup and Ogilvy.

Cannes Lions announced winners from six categories yesterday (June 17, 2024); the two Indian agencies picked up their Lions from two categories: Health & Wellness and Outdoor.

Indian agencies did not win any Lions in the remaining categories. The six categories were:

• Audio and Radio

• Health & Wellness

• Outdoor

• Pharma

• Print & Publishing

• Lions Health Grand Prix for Good

McCann Worldgroup won a Gold and a Bronze Lion in the ‘Health & Wellness’ category for Fit My Feet, a campaign made for Buckaroo Footwear.

The IPG-owned ad agency’s work for the footwear brand used a toolkit that combined raw materials and existing cobblers' tools to create custom and inexpensive slippers for people with clubfoot.

Kits were designed in collaboration with orthopaedic doctors and footwear designers late last year, and were tested early this year with street-cobblers. Once the material-testing and learnings were finalised, the kits were launched with a test-market in Mumbai.

Since February, over 228,000 custom flip-flops have found their feet. The placement of the kits is with over 4.5K street-cobblers, with plans to scale to pan-India by the end of the year. Fit My Feet successfully managed to create customized flip-flops for clubfeet at just around Rs 200 (USD 2.40) a pair, while also generating a new revenue stream for cobblers.

Commenting on the win, Prasoon Joshi, Chairman, McCann Worldgroup Asia Pacific and CEO and Chief Creative Officer, McCann Worldgroup India said, “Fit my Feet weaves threads of compassion along with innovation for individuals affected by clubfoot and India’s cobbler community.”

“We at McCann Worldgroup India worked closely with Buckaroo, a brand that carries the vision of revolutionising footwear, and it’s great that we could come up with this initiative to transform the lifestyles of those whose specific needs are largely ignored. Our compassion-driven and design-led idea helps uplift individuals with clubfoot while also providing a new commerce stream to the cobbler community of India.”

“We are all excited about this initiative. I especially want to mention, Vikram Dhembare, who from inception to execution has been the key to this project."

"By making this effort of crafting personalised footwear for individuals with clubfoot, the cobblers are not only providing comfortable solutions to them but also nurturing a sense of inclusivity and empowerment within them.”

“For McCann Worldgroup India, it is one of our progressive steps towards a society where every individual's unique needs are met with creativity, compassion, and dedication.”

Ogilvy, on the other hand, won a Bronze Lion in the ‘Health & Wellness’ category for The Impossible Choice. It is a film made for St. Jude India Childcare Centre that shows how the lack of funds to stay in the city for free cancer treatment compels poor families to discontinue it for their children.

Kainaz Karmakar, Harshad Rajadhyaksha, and Sukesh Nayak, the three chief creative officers of Ogilvy said in a joint statement, "The Impossible Choice has a far deeper meaning to us than just an ad. Our teams have spent quality time with this noble organisation—visiting its centre, meeting its driven people, understanding the prime task behind the brief, and then engineering the powerful and heart-tugging work that has made such an impact."

"This recognition, in the form of a Lion, is just the right encouragement for Fritz, Jayesh, Ricardo and the team, and for Mahesh Gharat of Hungry Films, who has directed it so beautifully for us.”

The WPP-owned ad giant’s Silver Lion was for its work on Unilever’s tea brand Brooke Bond Taj Mahal in the Outdoor category. A campaign called Taj Mahal Megh Santoor saw a billboard fitted with santoor strings that would awaken and interact with rainwater to perform a rendition of the Raag Megh Malhar.

The three CCOs said: “We are thrilled to kick off the first day of Cannes with a Silver Lion for Taj Mahal Megh Santoor. This refreshing work for HUL, on its tea brand that has championed Indian classical music for decades, is a wonderful example of how a brand can come alive creatively in a unique way while staying true to its core values.

"Our congratulations to Fritz, Jayesh, Nirav, Varun, and the broader Ogilvy team behind this work. Also, to our music and technology partners, as well as our media partners - Rapport Media. And, of course, to our fabulous client partners at HUL for being staunch supporters of great work.”