Cannes Lions launches creative effectiveness category in 2011

The organizers of the 58th Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival will launch, in 2011, the Creative Effectiveness Lions, that will honor creativity which has shown a measurable and proven impact on a client’s business – creativity that effects consumer behavior, brand equity, sales, and where identifiable, profit.

Only entries that were either shortlisted or Lion winners, across all categories at Cannes Lions in 2010, will be eligible to enter into Creative Effectiveness Lions 2011, as these will have already been judged and established as being creatively world-class by the 2010 Cannes Lions juries. The success, therefore, of an entry in the Cannes Creative Effectiveness category will endorse the effectiveness of that creative excellence.

Entries in the Cannes Creative Effectiveness category will be rewarded for Strategy (25%), Idea (25%) and Results (50%). The entries will be judged as one section, with no categories, and the awards will be Grand Prix and Creative Effectiveness Lions (no Gold, Silver or Bronze). The winners will be honoured in Cannes on Saturday, Jun 25th 2011 alongside the Film, Film Craft, Titanium and Integrated Lions winners.

“With the introduction of the Cannes Creative Effectiveness awards we aim to establish a direct correlation between creativity and effectiveness. Cannes Lions has always been, and always will be, a Festival of Creativity. However, now more than ever ROI is paramount to the client and it is important that we acknowledge and reward this but without losing the essence of Cannes Lions.” , Terry Savage, Festival Chairman, said.

Entries for the new Cannes Creative Effectiveness Lions competition open on 4 November 2010 and close on 4 March 2011. The data of all entries will be checked by the external auditors PricewaterhouseCoopers.

The 58th Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival will take place from June 19th to June 25th 2011, in Cannes, France.