By Our Staff

 

In 2019, the Indian marketing services contingent put on a very sorry figure at Cannes Lions, the annual festival of creativity in advertising. Entrants from India brought back 19 metals, just one more than what they earned the previous year. But this year, the number has grown by three, and Indian entrants bagged a total of 22 metals – in various hues – Gold, Silver and Bronze.

 

Dentsu Webchutney bagged 50 points if one includes shortlists followed by FCB Interace with 48 points. But as a group FCB that includes FCB Ulka and FCB Interface bagged 8 metals including one Gold, three Silver and four Bronze, followed by Digital Agency Dentsu Webchutney with seven metals.

In 2021, Webchutney beat their previous record with 20 shortlists and 7 Lions.

 

Said Sidharth Rao, CEO, Dentsumcgarrybowen (dentsuMB) India and founder of Webchutney: “2019 showed us Webchutney was capable of creative excellence at the highest level. 2021 showed it was about doing it consistently – the wins this year have firmly planted the ‘new normal’ of what Webchutney’s north star as an agency is. The agency is home to some incredible talent and is a shining example of what the dentsuMB group of agencies and dentsu India itself wants to stand for.”

 

Added PG Aditiya, NCD, Dentsu Webchutney added: “This year’s Cannes Lions is probably our most meaningful one yet. A huge round of applause for our teams across the country, both past and present, & gratitude to our clients who’ve shape-shifted the status-quo of Indian creativity at a global level, with us. And congratulations to the teams behind all the winning work from India.”

 

For FCB, the metals came in for The Punishing Signal for the Mumbai Police and Times Out & Proud for The Times of India.

 

Speaking on the win, Rohit Ohri, Chairman & CEO, FCB Group India, said: “Our pride of Lions bears testimony our commitment to putting creative excellence at the center of everything we do. Over the last three years we’ve been the best performing Indian agency at Cannes. Like they say… once is a chance, twice is a co-incidence and three times is a habit. I’m really proud of how far we’ve come on our creative transformation journey.”

 

Added Robby Mathew, Vice Chairman & CCO, FCB Interface: “I am absolutely delighted with our performance at Cannes this year. Looking forward to many more bountiful years for my agency.”

 

Said Swati Bhattacharya, Vice Chairman & CCO, FCB India: “When I have grandchildren I think I will skip telling them about Cinderella. I will tell them about the FCB Group India story. It’s a fairy tale without evil stepsisters. Just perfect!

 

 

The following Special Awards were also presented: 

Holding Company of the Festival 2020/21

1. WPP

2. Omnicom

3. Interpublic Group

 

Network of the Festival 2020/21

1. FCB

2. Ogilvy

3. BBDO Worldwide

 

Agency of the Festival 2020/21

1. AMV BBDO, London, UK

2. Publicis Italy, Milan, Italy

3. FCB Chicago, USA

 

Independent Agency of the Festival 2020/21

1. Wieden+Kennedy, Portland, USA

2. The Bloc, New York, USA

3. Rethink, Toronto, Canada

 

Palme D’Or 2020/21

1. Chelsea Pictures, USA

2. Pulse Films, USA

3. Division, France

4. Smuggler, USA

5. Prettybird, USA

 

Creative brand of the Festival 2020/21

1. Burger King

2. Bodyform/Libresse

3. Dove

 

Agency of the Festival by track 2020/21 – Communication

Publicis Italy, Milan, Italy

 

Agency of the Festival by track 2020/21 – Craft

AMV BBDO, London, UK

 

Agency of the Festival by track 2020/21 – Entertainment

72andSunny, Los Angeles, USA

 

Agency of the Festival by track 2020/21 – Experience

McCANN, New York, USA

 

Agency of the Festival by track 2020/21 – Good

VMLY&R Brazil, São Paulo, Brazil

 

Agency of the Festival by track 2020/21 – Reach

FCB Chicago, USA

 

Independent Agency of the Festival by track 2020/21 – Communication

Wieden+Kennedy, Portland, USA

 

Independent Agency of the Festival by track 2020/21 – Craft

Work & Co, New York, USA

 

Independent Agency of the Festival by track 2020/21 – Entertainment

=1. Edelman, London, UK

=1. GUT, São Paulo, Brazil

 

Independent Agency of the Festival by track 2020/21 – Experience

Uncommon, London, UK

 

Independent Agency of the Festival by track 2020/21 – Good

FARM, Stockholm, Sweden

 

Independent Agency of the Festival by track 2020/21 – Reach

GUT, Miami, USA