Cannes 2012: 62 shortlists on Day 2 but only one bronze

Among the 13 shortlisted entries on Day 1, only Ogilvy's iFold campaign could manage a bronze. There were no wins in Promo & Activation and PR.

The second day at Cannes started on a good note. There were 62 nominations in Media, Press and Outdoor Lions. However, as the day rolled on, and the winners list was announced, India had a poor luck. Out of the 13 shortlists that were announced on Day 1, only one could be converted into a metal -- Ogilvy's iFold campaign in the Direct category, which managed a bronze.

Hopes were very high on The Times of India's innovative newspaper delivery activity in Kerala, which got a nomination in the Promo & Activations category. However, it failed to get a metal.

Pratap Bose, chief operating officer, DDB Mudra Group, who was the Indian representative on the jury, said, "The idea was great but the campaign did not go beyond just delivering newspaper, which failed to entice the 25 jury members."

Even in the PR Lions category, where an Indian PR agency, The Practice, got a shortlist for the first time, failed to yield a metal for India.

In fact, not only in India, rather it's a worldwide trend that more advertising agencies enter in this category than hardcore PR agencies. Gail Heimann, jury president for PR Lions and vice-chairman, Weber Shandwick, said, "Advertising agencies have the advantage of working on multiple channels, while the PR agencies are busy getting media coverage on the direction of the former."

She added that PR agencies need to think differently on how to enter work at Cannes.

Overall, DDB has got 14 nominations (10 in Press, three in Outdoor and one in Media); Leo Burnett has got 13 finalist entries (seven in Press, four in Outdoor and two in Media); Ogilvy has got nine shortlists (six in Press and three in Outdoor).

Besides, the other agencies to make it to the shortlists are BBDO India (six), McCann Erickson (four), Brand David (four), Publicis (two) Bates (two) and Cheil (two). BBH, Mindshare, Grey, OMD, Draftfcb have also got one nomination each.

Creativeland Asia (CLA) has also got a shortlist in the Creative Effectiveness category, which has been introduced this year. CLA has got it for Parle Agro's Hippo Baked Munchies campaign. From the Indian side, Nadia Chauhan Kurup, joint managing director and chief marketing officer, Parle Agro is on the jury in this category.

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