Tom Eslinger, jury president at the inaugural edition of Mobile Lions

Cristina Blanaru Creativity, Mobile

Cannes Lions announced Mobile is to be added as a new awards section, at 2012 Festival.Tom Eslinger, Digital Creative Director Saatchi & Saatchi Worldwide, will be the president of the inaugural Mobile Lions.

Mobile Lions will reward the best work which lives on or is activated by a mobile device, app or mobile web. The judging criteria will be based on creativity and the idea, execution (usability, user experience, craft and design), relevance to the mobile platform and results (level of user engagement and any quantifiable outcomes).

The categories for the new Mobile Lions will include Creative Use of Technology, Mobile Websites and Web Apps, Mobile Apps, Tablet Apps, Games, Rich Media Mobile Advertising and Integrated Campaigns led by Mobile.

The jury will be made up of experts in mobile from digital agencies and applications development, and will award Lions to the best use of mobile in marketing campaigns with the winners being announced alongside the Press, Cyber and Design Awards Ceremony taking place on Wednesday 20 June in Cannes, France.

Mobile has been part of the Lions for some years, within other sections such as Cyber and Film, and a large number of winning campaigns in sections like Media, Design, Direct and Outdoor have made significant use of mobile technology. By carving it out of the other sections, we are simply reflecting the importance of mobile in the media mix, and we are delighted that Tom Eslinger has agreed to step up and lead as jury president. The category could not be in better hands in its launch year.

Philip Thomas

CEO of Cannes Lions

Joining Saatchi & Saatchi New Zealand as a Creative Director in 1998, Tom began creating mobile ideas launching projects for Rugby Super 12, the New Zealand All Blacks, Telecom, NZ Dairy Foods and the NZ Retirement Commission. More recently, Tom has worked across applications, augmented reality and games for Toyota, 3M, Burton Snowboards, Coca-Cola, T-Mobile and Visa. Now based in London, Tom works across Saatchi & Saatchi’s worldwide digital capability and in 2002 was appointed to the Worldwide Creative Board where he leads the creative growth of Saatchi & Saatchi’s worldwide digital team, adding new teams and capabilities. He is a multiple Cannes Lion winner and has previously served on the Cyber and Titanium and Integrated juries before presiding over the Cyber Lions jury in 2007.

It’s always an honour to be asked to join a jury and awesome to be asked to be president for a new category, especially one I have a deep passion for. I’ve been creating mobile ideas for over a decade and I’m stoked that Cannes Lions has chosen this particularly exciting time to start recognising the best ideas created for mobile devices, apps, sites and other new and wonderful permutations. I’m keen to get started!

Tom Eslinger

Another category to be launched at 2012 Lions will be Branded Entertainment Lions, with details about it scheduled to  be released soon.

59th Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, 17-23 June 2012, Cannes, France. Founded in 1954, the Festival takes place every June in Cannes, France.

As the most prestigious international annual advertising and communications awards, over 28,800 entries from all over the world are showcased and judged at the Festival. Winning companies receive the highly coveted Lion trophy honouring the most creative Film, Print, Outdoor, Interactive, Radio, Design, Promo & Activation, Film Craft, Mobile, Branded Entertainment and Integrated Advertising, as well as the best Media, Direct, PR, Titanium and Creative Effectiveness ideas.

The Festival is also the only truly global meeting place for advertisers, advertising and communication professionals. Close to 9,500 delegates from 95 countries attend seven days of exhibitions, screenings, as well as 57 high-profile seminars, 20 workshops and master classes presented by renowned worldwide industry leaders. As the networking and learning opportunity of the year, Cannes Lions is the must-attend event for anyone involved in brand communication.