Indian creativity shines bright at Cannes Lions 2025: A wave of shortlists
Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity
2025, which officially commenced on June 16th. For India, the festival has already delivered news, with the nation's creative agencies securing 64 shortlists across 15 diverse categories as of the latest announcements. This robust showing, from a total of 982 Indian entries this year, underscores the country's growing influence and creative prowess on the global
advertising
stage.
Leading the Indian tally are powerhouses like Ogilvy India with 13 shortlists and FCB India with 11 shortlists. Hot on their heels are Talented and Havas Creative India, each with seven shortlists, while Leo Burnett has garnered four. This distribution reflects a broad base of creative strength across various agencies.
Let's delve into the categories where Indian campaigns are making their mark:
Titanium Lions: Redefining creative boundaries
The prestigious Dan Wieden Titanium Lions category, dedicated to groundbreaking and industry-shifting ideas, features three standout Indian campaigns:
"Lucky Yatra" for Indian Railways by FCB India
: This campaign tackles the persistent issue of ticketless travel by transforming every valid train ticket into a potential lottery entry. It's a prime example of leveraging cultural insights to drive behavioral change through positive reinforcement.
"Nature Shapes Britannia" for Britannia Industries by Talented
: This entry artfully weaves environmental responsibility into the brand narrative, reflecting a growing global focus on sustainable communication.
"Ink of Democracy" for The Times of India Group by Havas, Mumbai:
A campaign celebrating India's democratic spirit, it has resonated with juries for its compelling message and impactful execution.
Engagement and craft categories: India makes a splash
Beyond Titanium, Indian entries have demonstrated significant strength across a wide array of categories, including new shortlists in Media, PR, Design, Direct, Entertainment and Craft disciplines.
Media Lions (nine shortlists):
"Eye Test Menu" for Titan Company by Ogilvy Bangalore:
Noted for its media strategy, also shortlisted in Outdoor and Health and Wellness.
"Ink of Democracy" for The Times of India by Havas Mumbai
: Recognised for print media use.
"Nature Shapes Britannia" for Britannia by Talented:
Shortlisted for its use of outdoor media.
"Takeoff Takeover" for Cathay Pacific by Leo Mumbai:
An approach utilising outdoor media.
"Garuda Rakshak" for DSP Mutual Funds by Dentsu Creative:
Recognised for its use of emerging technology.
"Vi Guardian Beads" for Vi (Vodafone Idea) by Ogilvy Mumbai
: Shortlisted for Social Behaviour.
PR Lions (seven shortlists):
"Lucky Yatra" for Indian Railways by FCB India:
Received four shortlists covering "Travel, Leisure, Retail, Restaurants and Fast-food chains," "Local Brand," "Social Behaviour," and "Breakthrough on a Budget."
"Box to Beds" for Amazon by Ogilvy, Mumbai:
Earned two shortlists for "Use of Events and Stunts" and "Cultural Engagement."
"Most Ignored Painting" for Volvo Cars India by Grey India, Mumbai:
Shortlisted for "Use of Events and Stunts."
Design Lions (five shortlists):
"Seven Layers of Truth" for Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation by Famous Innovations, Mumbai: Recognised for "Promotional Items/Promotional Printed Media" and "Design for Behavioural Change."
"Eye Test Menu" for Titan Company by Ogilvy, Bangalore:
Shortlisted for Posters and Design for Behavioural Change.
"UV Lync" for Ultraviolette by Tgthr, Bangalore:
Acknowledged for "Sustainability-focused Design."
Direct Lions (five shortlists):
"Lucky Yatra" for Indian Railways by FCB India:
Received two shortlists.
"Devanagari PIN" for Axis Bank by Grey India, Mumbai:
Shortlisted for "Social Behaviour."
"Ink of Democracy" for The Times of India by Havas Creative, Mumbai:
Included in this category.
"Oreo History in the Baking" for Oreo by Leo, Mumbai
.
Entertainment Lions for Gaming (two shortlists):
"Great In-Game Wedding" for Battlegrounds Mobile India by DDB Mudra, Mumbai:
Shortlisted in "Community Management/Social Engagement" and "Cultural Engagement."
Entertainment Lions for Music (three shortlists):
"The Girl Who Played the Tutari" for Coca-Cola by VML, Mumbai:
Recognised for "Use of Original Composition" and "Cultural Engagement."
"Oye Lucky" for WhatsApp by BBDO India, Mumbai:
Shortlisted for "Brand or Product Integration into Music Content."
Entertainment Lions for Sport (three shortlists):
"Avani's Gold" for Britannia Marie Gold by Talented, Bangalore:
Secured two shortlists for "Brand Storytelling" and "Partnerships with Sports Talent."
"Oreo History in the Baking" for Oreo by Leo, Mumbai:
Also recognised for "Fan Engagement/Distribution Strategy."
Film Craft (three shortlists):
"Dirty Money" for Steadfast by Lowe Lintas:
Shortlisted for Casting.
"Desi Oon Centre" for Centre For Pastoralism by Studio Eeksaurus
.
Apple's "Work Is Worth It"
(co-created with TBWA\India).
Industry Craft (one shortlist):
"Nature Shapes Britannia" for Britannia Industries by Talented:
Recognised for "Art Direction: Outdoor."
Social and Creator Lions (three shortlists):
"The Right Sign" for Josh by Wondrlab India:
Shortlisted for "Creator Collaboration."
"Erase Valentine's Day" for Cadbury 5-Star Chocolate by Ogilvy Mumbai:
Noted for "Use of Humour."
"Bassi vs Men's Facewash" for Garnier by BBH India:
Also shortlisted for "Use of Humour."
While India celebrates these numerous shortlists, categories such as Audio and Radio, Digital Craft, Innovation, and Glass: The Lion for Change have yet to see Indian representation in their respective shortlists. The festival's ongoing developments will reveal whether these promising shortlists will convert into coveted Lions, further cementing India's position as a creative force on the global stage.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NDTV
2 hours ago
- NDTV
Corporate Dance Routine For Foreign Visitor Triggers Online Debate
A viral video showed a group of Indian employees dancing to Telugu and Bollywood tracks, including "Killi Killi" and "Main Tera Boyfriend", to welcome a foreign client in an office. The client watches with a smile and eventually joins, but the internet has called it "cringe" and "pathetic". Watch the video here: India should stop chaprification of corporate offices This is so pathetic to see Indian girls dancing in office an d welcoming a foreign client and the becahra client also forced to dance. Such showcasing will only make other countries feel Indian offices are causal and not… — Woke Eminent (@WokePandemic) July 21, 2025 "India should stop chaprification of corporate offices. This is so pathetic to see Indian girls dancing in office an d welcoming a foreign client and the becahra client also forced to dance. Such showcasing will only make other countries feel Indian offices are causal and not worthy of serious work," a user wrote in the caption along with the video post on X (formerly Twitter). The video has sparked a heated debate online, with some people praising the employees' enthusiasm and cultural expression, while others criticise it as unprofessional and embarrassing. Some users defend the video, saying it's a lighthearted way to build camaraderie and showcase Indian hospitality. They argue that such celebrations are common in workplaces and can help with team bonding. Others have slammed the dancing, calling it "pathetic" and "embarrassing". They argue that it reflects poorly on Indian offices. Some users also highlight broader concerns about power dynamics and colonial hangovers in Indian workplaces. "Nothing screams we're not serious louder than making a foreign client do bhangra at a Q4 review," a user wrote. "We've got world-class engineers writing billion-dollar code and HR's out here rehearsing flash mobs for client visits." "This person will go back and announce Layoffs understanding how many extra people he hired," another wrote. Meanwhile, a third user said, "This is done in most workplaces to break the fatigue of sitting behind a desk and doing a mental reset. It helps with the physical as well as mental wellbeing of these workers."
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
2 hours ago
- First Post
FIDE Women's World Cup: Koneru Humpy, Divya Deshmukh stay unbeaten after semifinal openers
Indian chess stars Koneru Humpy and Divya Deshmukh held Chinese opponents Tingjie Lei and Zhongyi Tan to draws in the first leg of the FIDE Women's World Cup 2025 semifinals. Meanwhile, Humpy's pre-game meditation moment also went viral on social media because of Tingjie's reaction. read more Indian chess stars Koneru Humpy and Divya Deshmukh made a solid start in the semifinals of the FIDE Women's World Cup 2025, holding their Chinese opponents to draws in the first games on Tuesday, July 22. Humpy, playing with black pieces, comfortably held China's Tingjie Lei to a draw, while Divya frustrated former world champion Zhongyi Tan with her solid defence. Both Indians will now have the advantage of playing with white pieces in the return leg of this fixture. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The second semifinal games will be held on Wednesday, July 23. If the scores remain tied after the two classical games, the semifinalists will head to faster tie-break games, which will be held a day later. The winner of this event is slated to get $50,000 (over Rs 43 lakh), while the runners-up and third place player will earn $35,000 (Rs 30 lakh) and $25,000 (Rs 21 lakh), respectively. The top-three players will also qualify for the 2026 FIDE Women's Candidates Tournament. Funny moment before Humpy vs Tingjie game Humpy was seen meditating before her high-stakes semifinal clash against Tingjie. As Lei approached the board, she hesitated and quietly went about her routine because Humpy sat with her eyes closed, completely immersed in her thoughts. The scene quickly went viral on social media after FIDE shared it with the caption, 'When your opponent is meditating and you don't want to disturb the vibe…' 🧘♀️ When your opponent is meditating and you don't want to disturb the vibe… FIDE Women's World Cup. Semifinal 🇨🇳 Lei Tingjie – Humpy Koneru 🇮🇳#FIDEWorldCup — International Chess Federation (@FIDE_chess) July 22, 2025 Humpy made history on Sunday by becoming the first Indian woman to reach the semifinals of a FIDE World Cup. The 38-year-old defeated China's Yuxin Song 1.5-0.5 in the quarterfinals. 'It feels happy to qualify without playing tie-breaks,' the Indian Grandmaster said after the match. 'I felt I could have played much better today, I was in a much better position, but slipped out in the time trouble.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Meanwhile, International Master Divya Deshmukh had earlier stunned everyone by storming into the semifinals on her debut appearance. She knocked out compatriot and senior Grandmaster Harika Dronavalli in the quarters. 'Very shaky,' she told FIDE. 'I think I am happy with the way I played. I don't think the last game went well but, not really (worried)…My preparation had a lot of role in that game and I would like to thank my coach for that.'
Pink Villa
2 hours ago
- Pink Villa
Box Office: Metro In Dino is steady in third week, collects Rs 47.50 crore in 20 days
Metro In Dino, directed by Anurag Basu, has slowed down ever since Mohit Suri's sensational Saiyaara released in cinemas. However, the movie is still gaining traction, albeit on a lower level. Metro In Dino clocks Rs 60 lakh on 3rd Tuesday, nears Rs 50 crore mark The romantic drama, featuring multiple love stories of all ages, has impressed the audience but received a decent box office response. The movie scored over Rs 25.45 crore in its opening week, followed by Rs 16.25 crore in the second week. Further, it collected Rs 4.7 crore in the third weekend, while facing the Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda starrer Saiyaara. The movie further collected Rs 50 lakh on the third Monday. As per estimates, the movie witnessed a slight jump on Tuesday and collected Rs 60 lakh, thanks to discounted ticket prices. Starring an ensemble cast including Aditya Roy Kapur, Ali Fazal, Sara Ali Khan, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Pankaj Tripathi, Konkona, Anupam Kher, Neena Gupta, the romantic drama is now heading towards its end at the box office. It is expected to wind its theatrical run around Rs 50 crore net at the Indian box office. Metro In Dino has emerged as a successful venture, with its steady hold over the weeks. Day/Week-wise box office collections of Dino are: Dino plays in theaters Dino is playing in theaters now. You can book your tickets for the movie from the box office or from online ticketing applications. Stay tuned to Pinkvilla for more updates. Disclaimer: The box office figures are compiled from various sources and our research. The figures can be approximate, and Pinkvilla does not make any claims about the authenticity of the data. However, they are adequately indicative of the box-office performance of the films in question.
