Cannes 2010: Ogilvy and Bates 141 nominated in Promo; BBDO in PR

Since the inception of Promo Lions at Cannes, India has managed to win one metal every year. JWT won a Promo Lion for the first three years, while Leo Burnett won a bronze last year

Ogilvy India and Bates 141 have got one nomination each in the Promo Lions category at this year's Cannes International Advertising Festival. Though the number of Indian entries in this category doubled from 47 last year to 103 this year; only two entries have been shortlisted.

Since the inception of Promo Lions at Cannes, India has managed to win one metal every year. JWT won a Promo Lion for the first three years, while Leo Burnett won a bronze last year.

Ogilvy's nomination is for the Meltdown campaign for All India Council for Mass Education and Development, with an objective to raise awareness on global warming. The agency tied up with a local ice-cream brand, Rollicks, whereby ice-lollies were distributed to the children. On eating the ice-lolly, a message printed on the stick was revealed -- alongside a picture of a polar animal in distress was the line, 'When polar ice melts, they die. Stop global warming. Visit www.aicmedindia.org.' The campaign was created by Ogilvy Kolkata.

Bates' nomination is for the Stolen Signature campaign for India Anti-Virus. Bates sent direct mailers through courier to people who had just purchased a computer. As the consumer signed the courier counterfoil to acknowledge the receipt of the mail, a carbon paper inside the envelope also copied the customer's signature, which pledged that he is aware that his signature can be easily duplicated and he is, thus, keen to sign on India Anti-Virus.

Interestingly, BBDO India has got its first nomination at Cannes in the PR category, for Gillette's 'Women Against the Lazy Stubble' campaign. The idea was to unite women who believed that men looked more attractive when clean-shaven. The agency also got popular actresses as part of this campaign.

As part of the Gillette Mach3 Shave India Movement, 2,000 men shaved their faces in public, using the new Gillette Mach3 razor. By participating in the Shaveathon, the men also created India's first shaving record in the Limca Book of Records -- for the most number of men shaving in a day at the same place. Bollywood actresses, Neha Dhupia and Mugdha Godse lent their support to the Shaveathon participants.

Vijay Singh, CMD, 141 Sercon is part of the Promo Lions jury.