CANNES, France—A gorgeously cinematic film for Leica by F/Nazca Saatchi & Saatchi and a hilarious and innovative preroll ad for Geico by The Martin Agency each won a Grand Prix in Film at the Cannes Lions festival here tonight, an odd couple of brilliant executions indeed.
The Film Lions jury, led by Grey's global creative chief Tor Myhren, was allowed to award one Grand Prix for TV work and one for non-TV work—and they did just that.
At a press conference Saturday morning, Myhren was effusive about both campaigns. "We were looking from the outset for something new. Really new," he said. "And new can be super scary. New can be a little bit uncomfortable. And I think we actually found that."
The jury awarded one specific spot, "Family," in Geico's celebrated "Unskippable" preroll campaign from Martin in Richmond, Va., which presented the brand pitch in the first five seconds (i.e., before the "Skip ad" button appears) and then humorously showed characters pretending to be frozen as the action continued around them. "You can't skip this Geico ad because it's already over," the voiceover says.
The campaign "breaks every single rule of filmmaking," Myhren said. "Instead of begging you to watch this ad, they challenge you not to watch it. And you can't take your eyes off it. Instead of a long story with a tenuous link to the brand at the end, there's a gigantic logo of the brand in the middle of the screen the entire time. This deceptively simple piece of communication really showed us that film can reinvent the way you look at media—the least sexy medium in the world, which is preroll."
Meanwhile, the two-minute Leica ad from Brazil, marking the 100th anniversary of the brand's first camera, delightfully and beautifully re-created 35 famous photos of spontaneous moments—celebrating the ability of portable cameras to capture real, unscripted, unposed life.
Myhren said 19 of the 22 jurors selected Leica for the Grand Prix on the very first vote.
"This is a nearly perfect piece of filmmaking," he said. "The visual storytelling is unique and stunning. The writing is absolutely amazing. And importantly, it's a category that is challenged right now with cell phones and with photography becoming a little bit less sexy."
While there was little debate about the TV Grand Prix, there was plenty of discussion regarding the non-TV Grand Prix. Along with Geico, the jurors also strongly considered two other campaigns for the top prize.
The first was Wieden + Kennedy London's "The Other Side" YouTube film for Honda, in which users can press the R key to switch between two parallel stories about the same man that match up shot for shot—one bright and happy, one dark and dangerous. The other was Leo Burnett's "Like a Girl" campaign for P&G's Always, which aims to turn that phrase from a traditional insult to a message of empowerment.
But in the end, the Geico work was more formally innovative.
"Brands have lived in preroll, but they've lived there so boringly," Myhren said. "We've accepted that space as just sucking for so long. We must have watched ['Family'] 20 times, and we laughed every single time. And the brand comes through so strongly."
In addition to the two Grand Prix, there were 10 gold Lions given out, with five of them going to U.S. agencies. The U.S. also won 13 silver Lions and 18 bronze Lions.
Check out two lists below: First, all the Grand Prix and gold Lion winners from all over the world, and then all the U.S. Grand Prix, gold, silver and bronze winners.
—All Grand Prix and Gold Lion Winners in Film
Leica Gallery São Paulo, "100"
Entrant: F/Nazca Saatchi & Saatchi São Paulo
Production Company: Stink Sao Paulo
(Grand Prix)
Geico, "Unskippable: Family Long Form 01"
Entrant: The Martin Agency, Richmond, Va.
Production Company: Park Pictures New York
(Grand Prix)
Unilever, "Proudly Seeking Pleasure"
Entrant: Lola Lowe & Partners Madrid
Production Company: Propaganda Producciones Madrid
(Gold)
Diageo, "Made Of Black"
Entrant: AMV BBDO London / BBDO South Africa Johannesburg
Production Company: Rogue London
(Gold)
Gatorade, "Made In NY"
Entrant: TBWA\Chiat\Day Los Angeles
Production Company: Smuggler Los Angeles, Ca
(Gold)
Old Spice, "Dadsong"
Entrant: Wieden + Kennedy, Portland, Ore.
Production Company: Biscuit Filmworks Los Angeles
(Gold)
Nike Golf, "Ripple"
Entrant: Wieden + Kennedy, Portland, Ore.
Production Company: Biscuit Filmworks Los Angeles / Joint Editorial Portland / The Mill Los Angeles
(Gold)
Ikea, "Beds"
Entrant: Mother London
Production Company: MJZ London
(Gold)
Procter & Gamble, "#LikeAGirl"
Entrant: Leo Burnett Toronto / Leo Burnett Chicago / Leo Burnett London / Holler London
Production Company: Chelsea Pictures Los Angeles
(Gold)
White House, "Between Two Ferns With Zach Galifianakis: President Barack Obama"
Entrant: Funny Or Die Los Angeles
(Gold)
Beats by Dr. Dre, "The Game Before The Game"
Entrant: R/GA London
Production Company: The Sword Fight Los Angeles / Rock Paper Scissors Santa Monica / Brewster Parsons Los Angeles
(Gold)
Honda Motor Europe, "The Other Side"
Entrant: Wieden + Kennedy London
Production Company: Somesuch London / StinkDigital London
(Gold)
—All U.S. Winners in Film:
Geico, "Unskippable: Family Long Form 01"
Entrant: The Martin Agency Richmond
Production Company: Park Pictures New York
(Grand Prix)
Gatorade, "Made In NY"
Entrant: TBWA\Chiat\Day Los Angeles
Production Company: Smuggler Los Angeles, Ca
(Gold)
Old Spice, "Dadsong"
Entrant: Wieden + Kennedy, Portland, Ore.
Production Company: Biscuit Filmworks Los Angeles
(Gold)
Nike Golf, "Ripple"
Entrant: Wieden + Kennedy, Portland, Ore.
Production Company: Biscuit Filmworks Los Angeles / Joint Editorial Portland / The Mill Los Angeles
(Gold)
White House, "Between Two Ferns With Zach Galifianakis: President Barack Obama"
Entrant: Funny or Die Los Angeles
(Gold)
Procter & Gamble, "#LikeAGirl"
Entrant: Leo Burnett Toronto / Leo Burnett Chicago / Leo Burnett London / Holler London
Production Company: Chelsea Pictures Los Angeles
(Gold)
Mars, "Settle It 30'"
Entrant: DDB Chicago
Production Company: MJZ Los Angeles / Cut + Run Santa Monica
(Silver)
Mars Chocolate North America/Snickers, "Brady Bunch"
Entrant: BBDO New York
Production Company: O Positive New York
(Silver)
Heinken USA/Newcastle Brown Ale, "Band of Brands Mega Ad"
Entrant: Droga5 New York
Production Company: Caviar Los Angeles
(Silver)
Value City Furniture, "Old Table"
Entrant: Dummy Los Angeles / Translation New York
Production Company: Dummy Los Angeles
(Silver)
Weight Watchers, "If You're Happy"
Entrant: Wieden + Kennedy, Portland, Ore.
Production Company: Epoch Films Los Angeles
(Silver)
Adobe, "Dream On"
Entrant: Goodby, Silverstein & Partners San Francisco
Production Company: Elevel Films San Francisco / Rock Paper Scissors Santa Monica
(Silver)
HelloFlo, "First Moon Party"
Entrant: Hayden 5 Media New York
Production Company: Hayden 5 Media New York
(Silver)
Nike, "The Last Game"
Entrant: Wieden + Kennedy, Portland, Ore.
Production Company: Passion Pictures London
(Silver)
Geico, "Unskippable: Family, Elevator, High Five, Cleaning Crew"
Entrant: The Martin Agency, Richmond, Va.
Production Company: Park Pictures New York
(Silver campaign)
American Greetings, "The World's Toughest Job"
Entrant: Mullen Lowe, Boston
Production Company: Caviar Los Angeles
(Silver)
Gatorade, "Win From Within: Ben Jackson"
Entrant: VML Kansas City
(Silver)
States United to Prevent Gun Violence, "The Gun Shop "
Entrant: Grey New York
Production Company: Rival School Pictures New York / The Mill New York
(Silver)
Johnnie Walker, "The Gentleman's Wager"
Entrant: RSA Films Los Angeles / Anomaly New York
Production Company: RSA Films Los Angeles
(Silver)
Mars Chocolate North America/Twix Bites, "Dial-Up, Flat Top, Y2K"
Entrant: BBDO New York
Production Company: Smuggler New York
(Bronze campaign)
Old Spice, "Hot Tub, Soccer, Night Club"
Entrant: Wieden + Kennedy, Portland, Ore.
Production Company: MJZ Los Angeles
(Bronze campaign)
Under Armour, "Misty Copeland - I Will What I Want"
Entrant: Droga5 New York
Production Company: Reset Santa Monica
(Bronze)
Under Armour, "Gisele Bündchen - I Will What I Want"
Entrant: Droga5 New York
Production Company: Smuggler New York
(Bronze)
Audi Of America, "The Scripted Life"
Entrant: Venables Bell & Partners San Francisco
Production Company: MJZ Los Angeles
(Bronze)
Taco Bell, "Routine Republic"
Entrant: Deutsch LA
Production Company: Arts & Sciences Los Angeles
(Bronze)
Weight Watchers, "My Butt"
Entrant: Wieden + Kennedy, Portland, Ore.
Production Company: Skunk Los Angeles
(Bronze)
Nike, "Lebron James Together"
Entrant: Wieden + Kennedy, Portland, Ore.
Production Company: HSI Productions Los Angeles
(Bronze)
GE, "The Boy Who Beeps"
Entrant: BBDO New York
Production Company: Park Pictures New York
(Bronze)
NFL, "Listen"
Entrant: Chelsea Pictures New York / Grey New York
Production Company: Chelsea Pictures New York
(Bronze)
Heinken USA/Newcastle Brown Ale, "Call For Brands"
Entrant: Droga5 New York
Production Company: Caviar Los Angeles
(Bronze)
Heinken USA/Newcastle Brown Ale, "Stephen Merchant Presents 'If We Won' With Newcastle Brown Ale"
Entrant: Droga5 New York
Production Company: Smuggler Los Angeles
(Bronze)
Nike, "Winner Stays"
Entrant: Wieden + Kennedy, Portland, Ore.
Production Company: Rattling Stick London / The Mission Venice / Luma Pictures Santa Monica
(Bronze)
Microsoft, "The Collective Project"
Entrant: Possible Seattle
(Bronze)
Jordan Brand, "Re2Pect"
Entrant: Wieden + Kennedy New York
Production Company: Arts & Sciences Los Angeles
(Bronze)
Old Spice, "Drew Brees, Earl Thomas, Jamaal Charles"
Entrant: Wieden + Kennedy, Portland, Ore.
Production Company: World War Seven Los Angeles
(Bronze campaign)
Land Rover USA, "The Wave"
Entrant: Y&R New York
Production Company: Helo Los Angeles / Go Big Productions Los Angeles
(Bronze)
Banplus, "Unforgettable Account"
Entrant: FCB RG2 Caracas
Production Company: Whiskey Films Caracas
(Bronze)
