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Time of India
18-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
The ROI and the roar
The year was 1996. As Prasoon Pandey collected the Silver Lion for Ericsson's 'One Black Coffee' commercial, the ensuing roar was heard all the way from the Cannes Riviera to India for the first time. It was not only testament to the power of a witty script and a cleverly executed campaign, but also a moment that etched Ericsson into the Indian consumers' minds. Fast forward three decades, and India's creative prowess at Cannes is no longer confined to the artistry of craft. Indian agencies aren't just making pretty ads or heartwarming social cause-based campaigns; they're strategising campaigns that drive business growth today. So, while network agencies unfurl their banners in full glory on the sun-drenched shores of Cannes, a new breed of indie shops is equally, fiercely determined to make its presence felt, proving that creative brilliance knows no size or budget. For many of these agencies, a Lion isn't a mere addition to their trophy shelves. It's momentum, a coveted currency. But while it remains the golden talisman of the advertising industry, given the rising costs associated — submitting entries, attending the festival, travel and accommodation expenses — what was once a dream moment atop the advertising summit, is today being considered unaffordable for most agencies. Price of prestige Participating in Cannes Lions is no small financial feat. Entry fees per submission range from 675 to 2,765 euros, depending on the category and submission timing. With agencies often submitting multiple entries, costs can escalate quickly. Add to these the delegate passes (which can exceed 4,000 euros), the lavish accommodations and events that are synonymous with Cannes, and the question that begs to be raised is: Does the total investment still remain viable, especially for smaller or independent agencies? Take indie agency Talented, which has already picked up two Silver lions at Cannes this year for their work for Britannia Industries. Gautam Reghunath, co-founder, views the festival as being part of the agency's brand-building exercise. It's a major chunk of their marketing spends and the team consciously invests in it due to the value it has in bringing in clients. 'According to me, this is our version of marketing our story to the world,' Reghunath explains. He further emphasises the evolving nature of entries and says that the 'hacks' to win at Cannes are out of the window. 'Gone are the days when a lot of work used to have 'social purpose' at its centre. Today, agencies are putting their best work forward — campaigns that have generated brand value and business growth,' he adds. Aalap Desai, co-founder of tgthr (pronounced 'together'), recalls the agency's Cannes successful debut — becoming the youngest Indian agency to bag a Lions win, just nine months after launch. Desai says there was a shift after that win. 'It's a healthy mix of everything. Talent wanted to join the momentum, brands wanted to associate, teams were motivated,' he explains. For him, the return on investment ( ROI ) was the immediate rise in brand value. However, he admits that they need to start measuring this year-on-year to understand the larger impact. But overall, does competing at Cannes involve excessive financial planning? Desai points out that there is a cap of entries per category each year — so the money agencies can pour in is limited. 'The planning starts a year in advance. Since we are new, we put money aside every month, so that it doesn't affect the cash flow in March,' he says. Moreover, the ROI is notional and doesn't get credited to the account. Rather, it comes in the form of goodwill, reputation, client trust, PR, new leads for business, etc. All this is only applicable if you win; hence the bet is something you have to get used to, Desai says. 'Every entry we send that doesn't win hits ROI. I have been doing this for some time now, and the one truth that stays is that you have to be ruthless with your entries or else you pay the price. Literally,' he adds. Then there are production houses that can only enter in a select few categories. For KM Ayappa, co-founder of Early Man Film, the ROI translates more to quality scripts and global inquiries. 'If your work holds up, Cannes is the best marketplace to showcase it,' Ayappa says. For agencies whose category options are vast, some strategic category placement can be a quarter of the battle won, he observes. So, while all exposure is valuable, Cannes stands out as the best due to its status and association with the festival. 'It's [the] one award that really counts,' he adds. Kings of the jungle Holding companies view Cannes Lions wins as being more than creative trophies — they enhance brand perception, attract top talent and send a signal out to the leadership in the industry. Wins can be amplified across agency networks to boost collective reputation and draw new business. ROI is measured on multiple levels, tailored to each client's unique goals and expectations. Amitesh Rao, chief executive officer, Leo, South Asia, sees Cannes as a talent platform, 'Not just to attract talent, but perhaps more importantly, for the talent we have to participate on the global stage, engage with the best minds in the business, and stay focused on the benchmarks that we measure ourselves against,' is how Rao describes it. Dheeraj Sinha, group CEO of FCB India and South Asia, has similar views. 'For agencies, their product is creativity. The objective is to make sure your project excels and sets global benchmarks.' [The group's metal tally in the first two days of the 2025 festival stands at three – One Gold and one Bronze Lion for FCB India and one Silver Lion for FCB Kinnect.] Sinha maintains that in the business of advertising today, the quality of work is proportional to the growth the brand will get out of it. 'These days, questions like what a campaign has done for profitability and growth are asked in award judging rooms. Times are changing. Work that's happening at scale and across the spectrum takes the spotlight. We believe that creativity is an economic multiplier,' he adds. The counterpoint Critics argue that Cannes can become an expensive echo chamber, especially in a landscape where brand managers are tightening budgets and creators work directly with brands. Creativity matters, but the self-congratulatory carousel of trophies might be out of step with what clients — and the market — actually value. Naresh Gupta, co-founder, Bang In The Middle, expresses scepticism. 'It's a very heavy investment to make. I think there are many different ways to get business and attract marketers,' he says. He elaborates further about the motivation behind entries: 'The currency that most creative agencies understand is not necessarily brand success or financial security; they understand creative work that they can get awarded for. They push themselves in that direction to do award-winning work.' Gupta also notes the ego-boosting aspect of entering Cannes. When independent ad folks who earlier learned the 'hacks' to win at bigger agencies form their own setups and win, he says, it is almost like a quasi-way of saying, 'We are better than the agency we quit.' Reghunath does acknowledge differing perspectives. 'A lot of marketers from new-age brands don't necessarily see the value of Cannes in the same way that larger companies do. Cannes, as a platform, will also keep reinventing itself to stay relevant.' While deep-pocketed global companies, often in lockstep with their agency partners, have the resources to submit a high number of entries, smaller brands in contrast need to weigh this more carefully. One marketing lead at a direct-to-consumer apparel brand, which has enjoyed a string of local creative wins, concedes that while the festival is a powerful showcase for agencies courting new business on the global stage, it isn't part of their playbook. 'For a brand like ours, it's an unnecessary splurge,' he explains, noting that local honours provide strong creative validation without denting the budget too much. Cannes Lions may not offer a one-size-fits-all ROI, but between global visibility, talent magnetism and client credibility, the roar can reach the right corners and beyond — if you can afford the ticket.
Time of India
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Agencies keep creative spark alive at Cannes
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Indian agencies won two Silver Lions and one Bronze on Day 2 of Cannes Festival of Creativity on Tuesday, adding to their rich haul of nine Lions, including two Gold Lions, on Day creative agency Talented won Silver in the Entertainment Lions for Sports category for 'Avani's Gold' - a tribute to Paralympic champion Avani Lekhara, created for Britannia Marie Gold. "A year ago in Paris, Avani scripted history, and today, her story is being celebrated a few miles away in Cannes." said Gautam Reghunath, cofounder and CEO of had on Monday earned a Silver in Outdoor for 'Nature Shapes Britannia' campaign for the biscuits India won a Bronze in the Design category for its 'Eye Test Menu' campaign for Titan Company , taking its total to three metals. On Monday, it picked up Bronze Lions for 'Guardian Beads' for Vodafone Idea and 'Chai Bansuri' for Brooke Bond Taj Mahal."It gladdens us to see the wins spread across brands and Ogilvy offices. This means all our teams are firing," Sukesh Nayak, Harshad Rajadhyaksha and Kainaz Karmakar, chief creative officers at Ogilvy India, said in a joint the Entertainment Lions for Music category, VML India won a Silver Lion for Coke Studio Bharat's 'The Girl Who Played the Tutari', a campaign that spotlighted Nilaksha Borade, the first woman to publicly play the tutari - a centuries-old Maharashtrian horn traditionally played by men."This campaign breaks an 800-year-old tradition through music, spotlighting women instrumentalists and shattering stereotypes," said Kalpesh Patankar, group CCO of VML Tuesday, India also saw 16 new shortlists across categories such as Creative Commerce, and Creative Effectiveness, Creative Business Transformation and Film, taking the total to 83 shortlists across 2 of Cannes Lions 2025 featured several prominent speakers, including Marc Pritchard, chief brand officer of P&G, tennis ace Serena Williams, and Mustafa Suleyman, CEO of Microsoft Pritchard spoke on timeless creativity and building brands, Williams was part of a high-impact panel that discussed how investing in 'impact innovators' could enable building a cleaner, healthier world. She shared snippets from her own investment and Colleen DeCourcy, ex-CCO at Snap, discussed 'agentic AI' and its implications for our digital lives and digital industries.
Time of India
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
India 'Ink' strikes gold on day 1 of Cannes Lions 2025
The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity 2025 has seen India secure awards and shortlists across various categories. Indian agencies have shown capabilities in Outdoor, Health and Wellness, Pharma, and Print and Publishing. As of day 1 and day 2 announcements, India has received two Gold, four Silver, and three Bronze Lions, bringing the total medal count to nine. This indicates India's continued presence at the festival. Awarded Campaigns: Gold Lions: FCB India received a Gold in the Outdoor category for "Lucky Yatra" for Indian Railways. This campaign addressed ticketless travel by linking train tickets to a lottery. Havas Creative India was awarded a Gold in Print and Publishing for "Ink of Democracy" for The Times of India, a campaign related to voter participation. Silver Lions: Talented, Bangalore, earned a Silver in Outdoor for "Nature Shapes Britannia" for Britannia Industries, noted for its use of sustainable billboard design. FCB Kinnect, Mumbai, secured a Silver in Outdoor for "Too Yumm! To Cheer!" for Too Yumm!, involving edible cheer signs to work around stadium snack restrictions. Godrej Creative Lab received a Silver in Health & Wellness for the "Naga Saint Eye Test" campaign for the Eyebetes Foundation, focused on eye screenings at Kumbh 2025. Lowe Lintas, Mumbai, took a Silver in Pharma for "Dawai Reader" for Alkem Laboratories, an AI-powered tool designed to interpret handwritten prescriptions. Bronze Lions: FCB India also received a Bronze for "Lucky Yatra" in the Outdoor category. Ogilvy Mumbai secured two Bronze Lions in Outdoor: one for "Chai Bansuri – The Tea Flute" for Unilever's Brooke Bond Taj Mahal Tea, an installation that combined tea culture with Indian classical music, and another for "Vi Guardian Beads" for Vodafone Idea, which used engraved beads for locating missing persons. Shortlist summary: India's overall shortlist tally stands at 76 shortlists across 20 categories. This year's submission count from India was 982 entries, an increase from 826 in 2024. Agencies with multiple shortlists include: Ogilvy India FCB India Havas Creative India Talented Leo Burnett Lowe Lintas Shortlisted campaigns cover themes such as social behavior, sustainability, cultural engagement, and the use of technology in advertising . India's presence is noted across various Lions categories, including Design, Direct, Entertainment for Sport and Film Craft. Further award announcements are expected as the festival continues.
Time of India
16-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Indian creativity shines bright at Cannes Lions 2025: A wave of shortlists
The French Riviera is currently roaring with the energy of the 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.
Time of India
16-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
India secures seven lions on day one of Cannes Lions 2025
India began its presence at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity 2025 by securing a total of seven Lions on the first day. This initial tally includes four Silver Lions and three Bronze Lions across the Outdoor, Health & Wellness, and Pharma categories. Outdoor Category highlights: The Outdoor category saw significant recognition for Indian agencies, with two Silver and three Bronze Lions awarded. Talented earned a Silver Lion for its "Nature Shapes Britannia" campaign for Britannia Industries. This Out-of-Home (OOH) effort integrated environmental awareness with billboard advertising . FCB Kinnect secured a Silver Lion for "Too Yumm! To Cheer" for Too Yumm!. The campaign addressed stadium snack restrictions during cricket matches by introducing edible cheer signs. Ogilvy Mumbai received two Bronze Lions in the Outdoor category. One was for "Chai Bansuri – The Tea Flute" for Unilever's Brooke Bond Taj Mahal, an installation that combined the ritual of tea with Indian classical music. The second Bronze was for "Vi Guardian Beads" for Vodafone Idea (Vi). FCB India also contributed a Bronze Lion in the Outdoor category for "Lucky Yatra" for Indian Railways. This campaign utilized contextual out-of-home placements, digital media, and on-train messaging to engage commuters. Health and Wellness and Pharma Categories: India also saw wins in health-focused categories: In the Health and Wellness category, Godrej Creative Lab received a Silver Lion for its "Naga Saint Eye Test" campaign for the Eyebetes Foundation. This initiative, conducted at Kumbh 2025, provided eye screenings and diabetes testing. Lowe Lintas was awarded a Silver Lion in the Pharma category for its "Dawai Reader" campaign, developed for Alkem Laboratories. The awards on Day One reflect a focus on culturally relevant work, campaigns addressing social impact, and innovative problem-solving within the Indian advertising landscape. More awards will be announced throughout the week as the festival continues.
