Gorilla shares film Grand Prix at Cannes

by Kate Nettleton, Campaign 21-Jun-08, 20:00

CANNES - In a Cannes first, two campaigns tonight took the film category Grand Prix - Fallon London's "Gorilla" and the Xbox Halo 3 viral campaign from McCann Erickson San Francisco and RSA Films.

The UK put in a strong performance overall, netting a total of 20 gongs, including four golds. Two went to Fallon for its Skoda "cake" and Sony "Play-doh" campaigns.

DDB and WCRS also scooped gold for their respective VW "night drive" and Transport for London "awareness test" campaigns .

The UK also secured six silvers and nine bronze lions, with Fallon netting two silvers for its Sony Walkman "music pieces" campaign.

Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO also took home two silvers for its Gun Crime "kill the gun" ad and "hanging man" work for the Samaritans.

Beattie McGuinness Bungay picked up a silver for its Carling campaign, along with DDB London, which landed a silver for its VW "dog" spot.

The US topped the list in terms of total awards secured, bagging a total of 36 in all.

Among the US gongs was a gold lion for the TBWA \Chiat\Day's Skittles "touch" campaign, which had been tipped as a frontrunner for a Grand Prix.

Craig Davis, the chairman of the jury, commenting on the decision to award two top prizes, said: "We were confronted with a situation where we were trying to force a decision at the expense of one piece of work.

"It's a festival and its meant to be a celebration of extraordinary work so we felt it was better to celebrate both and give them equal weight."

The Titanium Grand Prix was awarded to the Japanese agency Projector for its Uniqlo "Uniqlock" campaign while McCann San Francisco scooped its second grand prix in the Integrated category for its Halo 3 virals.

The Palme D'Or went to MJZ USA, while the agency of the year was BBDO New York. ALMAPBBDO Sao Paulo was in second place for agency of the year, and DDB London came third.

Network of the Year went to BBDO. Media Agency of the Year was landed by Forsman & BodenFors Gothenburg while Shackleton Madrid scooped Direct Agency of the Year.

Vote on what you think of the jury's decision.