Cannes Lions 2014: New Product Design competition and overhaul for Cyber Lions

Cristina Blanaru Creativity, Festivals & Awards

 Cannes Lions launches a new competition, Product Design Lions, and overhauls Cyber Lions for its 2014 edition, scheduled to take place on June 15-21 in cannes, France.The entries for the 61st edition of the festival will be judged by an exceptional mix of industry professionals, that will vote and deliberate on over 36,000 entries and ultimately award the best in global creative communications.

Entries can be submitted into 17 categories: Branded Content & Entertainment, Creative Effectiveness, Cyber, Design, Direct, Film, Film Craft, Innovation, Media, Mobile, Outdoor, PR, Press, Promo & Activation, Radio, Titanium and Integrated, and Product Design.

Product Design Lions will recognise the applied use of physical products in aiding the communication of a brand ethos as well as its use to have a positive impact on improving people’s lives.

The category will be split into four main sub sections:

  • Consumer Goods: Focus will be placed on its visual impact as well as the use and experience of the brands values through design. Entries in the consumer goods categories will take the following elements into consideration: form, function, problem solving, innovation, production and research. The consumer goods category will include products from electronics, lighting, furniture, homeware and fashion & lifestyle.
  • Wellbeing and Environmental Impact: Entries will be judged on how effective the solution is in solving real life problems. This award is about making people’s lives better through design or the design process. The entries will not be judged on their results in marketing or sales.
  • Solution: Focus will be placed on the ergonomic functionality and day to day solutions provided through design. The jury will be looking for a solution which is new or improves something that already exists.
  • Interface: Focus will be placed on the user interfaces’ visual impact, as well as its ease of navigation and ability to convey information.

Brand communication has become such a part of product design that it’s important as a global Festival celebrating creative communications that we now recognise this. Including Product Design Lions as a stand-alone entry category in our awards line up, not only acknowledges this fast growing industry, but helps to set a global benchmark and precedent for the creativity within it. (…) As with all new launches we have taken time to consult with the industry, ensuring that the category meets with the needs and expectations of the sector

Terry Savage,

Chairman  Lions Festivals

A lot of communication today utilises product design. By understanding the core business of a brand we are able to follow through with a design. Awarding and encouraging this way of thinking brings the industry closer to clients and the possibility of designing the solutions of the future. Having a platform such as Cannes Lions makes that possible.

Lars Larsen,

Danish Designer, Founder & Head of Design Kilo 

Overhauled Cyber Lions is in line with current digital trends and includes 3 new sub categories: Social, Branded Technology and Branded Games. Those categories were introduced to better reflect the industry and in turn spark a renaissance of the Cyber Lions category.

More on the new overhauled Cyber Lions are available in the following video:

The Cyber Lions have seen many changes since their launch back in 1998. More recently, with the ever-changing digital landscape and the introduction of the Mobile Lions category in 2012, it has become increasingly important to revise the structure and purpose of the category. We thank the many industry leaders who have helped shape the new-look Cyber Lions, and adapt them to the ever-changing world of creative communications.

Philip Thomas,

CEO Lions Festivals

Other changes in Cyber Lions include the revamp of Cyber Craft, with further information available here.

Entries for the 61st Cannes Lions Awards open on 23 January 2014.