CANNES, France—Procter & Gamble's empowering feminine-care ad campaigns for women were lauded in a big way here Tuesday night, as Always' "Like a Girl" and Whisper's "Touch the Pickle" campaigns both took home Grand Prix awards at the Cannes Lions festival.
"Like a Girl" topped the PR Lions category, while "Touch the Pickle" won the Grand Prix in the inaugural Glass Lions contest, aimed at celebrating work that illuminates gender issues. In essence, it's a victory for the same brand—as Whisper is simply the name under which Always products are sold in a number of countries, including India, where the "Touch the Pickle" campaign ran.
—Glass Lions Grand Prix
The "Touch the Pickle" campaign, by BBDO India, aimed to remove the stigma around menstruation in Indian society. It included a viral film, celebrity involvement, a TED talk and comic books about the subject.
BBDO India also won a regular Glass Lion for another P&G campaign—"Share the Load" for Ariel Matic laundry detergent.
—PR Lions Grand Prix
The "Like a Girl" campaign, by Leo Burnett in Chicago, Toronto and London, included a viral video that later aired on the Super Bowl. Its goal was to change the phrase from an insult to an expression of strength and confidence.
"Like a Girl" also won a Glass Lion—one of seven Glass Lion winners in addition to the Grand Prix. (Unlike most other categories at Cannes, the Glass Lions don't include gold, silver and bronze awards. They are simply called Glass Lions.)
See below for other notably winners from the two categories.
—All Other Glass Lions Winners
• Leo Burnett Beirut for Kafa's "Vote For Us. We'll Vote For You"
• Notable in Montevideo, Uruguay, for Urufarma's "Feliz Día Hombres"
• Droga5 New York for the National Women's Law Center's "The Equal Pay Back Project"
• FCB Inferno in London for Sport England's "This Girl Can"
• BBDO India in Mumbai for P&G/Ariel Matic laundry detergent's "Share the Load"
• Impact BBDO in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, for UN Women's "Give Mom Back Her Name"
—Other U.S. PR Lions Winners
• Volvo's "Interception" - Entrant Agency: Grey New York - PR Agency: Waggener Edstrom New York (gold, silver)
• States United to Prevent Gun Violence, "The Gun Shop" - Entrant Agency: Grey New York / Grey Activation & PR New York (gold, silver)
• Burger King's Proud Whopper - Entrant Agency: David Miami - PR Agency: Alison Brod Public Relations New York (gold, silver)
• Adobe's "Photoshop Murder Mystery" - Entrant Agency: Edelman San Francisco - PR Agency: Edelman San Francisco (gold, silver)
• General Motors' #Technologyandstuff - Entrant Agency: Fleishman-Hillard St. Louis - PR Agency: Fleishman-Hillard Dallas (gold, silver)
• The ALS Association's "The Ice Bucket Challenge" - Entrant Agency: The ALS Association Washington - PR Agency: Porter Novelli New York (gold)
• Toyota's "Mas Que Un Auto" - Entrant Agency: Conill Saatchi & Saatchi Miami (silver)
• Oscar Mayer's "Wake Up & Smell The Bacon" - Entrant Agency: Olson Engage Chicago / 360i Chicago - PR Agency: Olson Engage Chicago (silver)
• GSK's "Horse Sells Nasal Strip to Humans" - Entrant Agency: PHD New York - PR Agency: Weber Shandwick New York (silver)
• Doctors of the World's "More Than a Costume" - Entrant Agency: Publicis Kaplan Thaler New York (silver)
• Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence's "The Unforgotten" - Entrant Agency: FCB Chicago - PR Agency: Current Chicago (silver)
• Paramount Pictures's "Zoolander Returns to the Runway" - Entrant Agency: WME/IMG New York - PR Agency: Catalyst Public Relations New York (silver)
• American Egg Board's "Wake Up to Eggs With Bacon" - Entrant Agency: Edelman Chicago / Grey New York - PR Agency: Edelman Chicago (silver)
• Mexico Board of Tourism's "Los Cabos Reselfies" - Entrant Agency: Lapiz Chicago (silver)
• Dove's #Speakbeautiful - Entrant Agency: Edelman New York - PR Agency: Edelman New York (silver)
• Elder Heart's "Mission 22: War At Home" - Entrant Agency: CP+B Miami (silver)
• Newcastle Brown Ale's "Band Of Brands" - Entrant Agency: Fast Horse Minneapolis / Droga5 New York - PR Agency: Fast Horse Minneapolis (silver)