Finger on the pulp - Print and publishing picks of Cannes Lions : BE Extraordinary

Time of India

17-06-2025

This section showcases masterclasses in impactful communication. Dove, a champion of real beauty, innovatively celebrated the everyday ritual of "getting unready." Their print ads subtly depicted post-celebration moments, from St. Patrick's Day makeup to Holi colors, with a simple call to action, reinforcing Dove's authentic role in daily life. Meanwhile, The Times of India tackled low voter turnout in India with a powerful civic message. They printed newspapers using unused electoral ink, transforming a symbol of missed participation into a tangible reminder. This bold move urged citizens to vote, demonstrating how a traditional medium can deliver a profoundly relevant and actionable message.
OMO/Persil, It's part of the Game, Mullen Lowe UK
The household cleaning brand, OMO (known as Persil in some markets), has long championed the mantra "Dirt Is Good." This philosophy was initially portrayed quite literally, with memorable ads showing children joyfully playing in mud puddles. However, the brand has now boldly expanded this message to encompass all forms of "dirt," even challenging societal taboos around menstrual blood.
Their recent campaign specifically tackles the contradiction where blood on a shirt from a minor injury is seen as "brave," but blood from a uterus is often met with shame. The campaign features images with the outline of women's underwear, where inside the outline, the word "shame" is subtly placed, while outside, "bravery" is highlighted. This powerful visual representation aims to erase societal stigma, declaring that "every stain should be part of the game." Beyond its powerful social commentary, the campaign also implicitly showcases the product's efficacy, demonstrating its ability to remove even challenging stains like period blood, thereby challenging and changing perceptions.
Dove: Get Unready, Ogilvy
Dove has consistently championed real beauty, challenging conventional ideals and promoting self-acceptance. Their latest campaign embraces a simple yet powerful message: Dove is there not just to help you get ready, but also to help you get unready. This idea is particularly evident in their visual print ads, which highlight the aftermath of vibrant celebrations.
Imagine a close-up shot of a face after St. Patrick's Day, green and yellow remnants of festivities still clinging to the skin, with a timestamp like "St. Patrick's Day, 11:32 p.m." The accompanying text simply reads: "Get unready." Another striking example features a face dusted with colorful powder, clearly from the Indian festival of Holi, with the caption: "Holi, 4:03 p.m. Get unready." These ads powerfully convey that after the party, after the makeup and the fun, Dove is there to cleanse and restore, embracing the human reality of daily rituals. The simplicity of the visuals, coupled with the relatable scenarios, creates a deeply human connection, reinforcing the brand's enduring commitment to authentic beauty.
The Times of India: Ink of Democracy, Havas, Mumbai
In India, where the physical newspaper still holds significant influence, especially for a national publication like The Times of India, a compelling campaign was launched to address low voter turnout during general elections. With 33% of eligible voters often not participating, despite elections occurring every five years, the challenge was to galvanize civic engagement.
The campaign leveraged a uniquely Indian symbol of democracy: the electoral ink applied to a voter's finger after casting their ballot. This indelible purple mark is a widely recognized sign of participation, often proudly displayed on social media. The Times of India drew attention to the thousands of liters of this special ink that go unused due to non-voters.
Their powerful statement was to print the newspaper using this very unused electoral ink. This bold act served as a poignant visual reminder to readers that the ink should have been on their fingers, marking their vote, rather than on the newspaper pages. By literally transforming wasted potential into a tangible message, The Times of India underscored its commitment to informing the public and fostering democratic participation, effectively challenging the public to turn out and make their mark.
(At BE Extraordinary, a series about the winners at Cannes Lions in collaboration with Harsh Kapadia, CCO, Grey India, we peer outside the Grand Prix, and look at clutter breaking work that picked the silvers and the bronzes, but don't often get discussed.)