Cannes Lions 2012 attracts record entries

The 59^th International Festival of Creativity has received 5,473 more entries than last year, a 19% year-on-year increase, partly boosted by new categories such as Brand Content and Entertainment and Mobile.

Brand Content and Entertainment, and Mobile have experienced a healthy volume of new entries, with 800 and 965 entries respectively, across the 87 countries participating in the awards.

Across the 15 categories at Cannes Lions this year, PR, Radio, Film Craft and Direct saw the biggest increase in entries by 38%, 31%, 30% and 27% respectively.

Creative Effectiveness and Cyber Lions were the only categories to see a decline in entries by 35% and 13% respectively. Creative Effectiveness has only seen 92 entries this year compared with 142 last year, the lowest of the 15 categories, while despite seeing a 13% decrease, the Cyber Lions has received 2,458 entries.

Press has the highest number of entries at 6,056, up 12% year-on-year followed by Outdoor with 4,843 entries, up 8%.

Last month it was revealed Jack Dorsey, the creator, co-founder and executive chairman of Twitter, will be recognised as the Cannes Lions Media Person of the Year in the south of France next month, for creating "an entirely new way for people to communicate".

Meanwhile, Mars, the confectionery, pet care and food giant, has been named Cannes Lions Advertiser of the Year. The award was previously won by the likes of Unilever and Adidas.

Philip Thomas, chief executive of the festival said: "The industry is moving at a lightning rate, as evidenced by the huge volume of entries into the new Mobile and Branded Content & Entertainment Lions. But it is also interesting to see the robust health of other, more traditional media like Radio, Film and Press.

"I am sure that once again, the winners at Cannes Lions will inspire and excite the industry, showing what is possible in creative brand communications."

This article was first published on campaignlive.co.uk