This document provides tips on how to craft winning entries for the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity's PR Lions awards. It discusses what makes for creative PR work, changes to the PR Lions categories and entry forms, how to structure an effective entry, and highlights that showing tangible results is crucial. The document encourages PR professionals to enter their best work to help define and showcase the creative potential of the public relations industry.

1. Stuart Smith, Ogilvy PR
Erin Gentry, Hill+Knowlton Strategies
Fiorenza Plinio, Cannes Lions
SImona Morar, Cannes Lions
How to Win at Cannes

2. FIORENZA PLINIO,
HEAD OF AWARDS DEVELOPMENT
fiorenzap@canneslions.com
simonam@canneslions.com
SIMONA MORAR,
PR LIONS AWARDS MANAGER

3. WHAT ARE THE COMMON
INGREDIENTS OF GREAT
CREATIVE PR WORK?
CHANGES TO THE STRUCTURE
OF THE PR AWARDS
HOW TO CRAFT A WINNING ENTRY?

4. PR LIONS ENTRIES GROWTH
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
NumberofEntries
FestivalYear
2209 entries in 2016
2000 entries in 2015
1850 entries in 2014
1296 entries in 2013
1130 entries in 2012
819 entries in 2011
571 entries in 2010
431 entries in 2009

5. WHAT IS
CREATIVITY IN PR?

6. CREATIVE PR WORK
• Puts things in a new light
• Causes me to rethink
• Resonates and is relevant
• Evokes emotional response
• Creative PR work is brave

7. AT CANNES LIONS WE BELIEVE THAT
CREATIVITY DRIVES BUSINESS RESULTS

8. THE CASE FOR CREATIVITY

9. “At McDonald’s we’ve seen 54% higher ROI with
creative that wins Cannes Lions than creative
that doesn’t.”
Matt Biespiel
Sr. Director of Global Brand Development
McDonald’s

10. WHAT DRIVES CREATIVITY IN PR?
DATA/TECHNOLOGY
AUTHENTICITY
PURPOSE

11. DATA &
TECHNOLOGY

13. Let’s hear what 2016 PR juror
Kat Thomas thought about
this winning case…
(from the Inside the PR Jury Room
panel debate, Cannes Lions 2016)

15. AUTHENTICITY

17. PURPOSE

19. CUSTOMER
FOCUSSED
APPROACH

20. 2017 CHANGES TO PR LIONS
PR Lions Definition
Designed in co-operation with global PR industry leaders, it
explains the kind of highly creative PR work that is suitable
for the category at the same time highlighting what
differentiates the PR discipline from advertising
Improved Entry Form
Refreshed questions, increased word count where
necessary and rewrote Results question in line with industry
measurements (i.e. outputs vs outcomes, etc.)
PR Agency Crediting
Removal the crediting clause regarding the splitting of
points for Special Awards between the agency named in
the ‘Idea Creation’ role and the PR agency credited in the
‘PR Agency’ role.

21. PR LIONS – NEW DEFINITION
The PR Lions celebrate creative work which successfully
builds trust and cultivates relationships with credible third-
parties, utilising mainly earned-media tactics or channels to
influence public dialogue and ultimately change
perceptions and behaviours in ways that protect and
enhance the reputation and business of an organisation or
brand with its target audiences.

22. D01. Research, Data Analytics & Insight
Generation
Added category specific questions as per committee
recommendation – focusing on Data Targeting / Data
and/or insight integration and impact
D02. PR Excellence in Effectiveness &
G02. Costs / Creative Performance PR
Campaign
Reviewed additional category specific questions. Now
asking for breakdown of costs
CATEGORY ENTRY FORM
CHANGES FOR 2017

23. OPPORTUNITY CATEGORIES
Healthcare & Wellbeing
Crisis Communications & Issue
Management
Public Affairs
Luxury Goods & Services
PR Reports

24. ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: UPDATE
No binders! Electronic PDF ONLY
One campaign can be entered
UP TO 4 TIMES
Case film is highly recommended

25. PR AGENCIES ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT
MEDIA LIBRARY
CREDIT LIBRARY
OTHER IMPROVEMENTS
INCLUDING

26. MEDIA NET
BURRELLES
LUCE CARMA
MEASUREMENT
PRACTICE
PR LIONS: DATA & MEASUREMENT
ADVISORY SCHEME 2017
GORKANA
AMEC
PRIME
RESEARCH
ISENTIA
DeLANGE
ANALYTICS
KANTAR
MEDIA

27. HOW TO CRAFT
A WINNING
ENTRY

28. BE SUCCINCT
‘You’re dealing with professionals who are perfectly
capable of grasping whether a project has merit
based on a concise, coherent explanation’
Mark Tutssel, Chief Creative Officer, Leo Burnett

29. “Less is more. So many case
films fail to communicate a
clear idea and a compelling
strategy that isn’t cluttered
and confusing. The need for
focus and clarity cannot be
underestimated”
David Gallagher,
Senior Partner, CEO of Ketchum EU
SIMPLICITY

30. …Avoid using unnecessary build
up or stylistic filler. Treat your
case film like a piece of editorial.
All the key information early on –
expansion of the idea to follow
Explain the idea upfront and quickly
so the jury can understand the
dimensions of the idea and
consequences ...
GRAB ATTENTION

31. It’s an international jury. English is not always the
first language. Respect this diversity.
Entries that hinge on a cultural nuance or
unfamiliar cultural context may require additional
information
Do not assume that the jury will anticipate
ambiguities. Subtitles, supporting materials and
introductory slates are all encouraged and
welcomed
CULTURE & CONTEXT

32. “You may have lived and breathed the work, but
the jury hasn’t. Look at the idea with a fresh pair
of eyes and distil it down to its core for a new
audience”
Pascal Beucler, MSLGROUP's Chief Strategy Officer
A FRESH PERSPECTIVE

33. TELL A STORY.
Structure your explanation around a simple,
powerful and succinct narrative.
NARRATIVE & STORYTELLING

34. “Carefully consider the best
category for your entry and
ensure that it demonstrates
both relevance and
specificity for its audiences”
Dave Senay,
Former FleishmanHillard's president
and CEO
CATEGORY SELECTION

35. If you have a strong piece of work and intend to
enter it into lots of categories, ensure that the case
film is tailored and adapted as necessary
Package your entry in a way that highlights the
relevance to each category
TAILORING

36. Avoid industry jargon and marketing speak. Don’t
sell… EXPLAIN.
A case film with excessive hype and empty
statements with no tangible back-up will not
impress the jury
Social is everywhere – listing social networking sites
and ‘free media’ coverage is not a thing.
INDUSTRY JARGON & HYPERBOLE

37. Make sure you provide them and they are robust.
Meaningful, measurable results are crucial.
Be honest, specific and provide workable,
quantative figures and stats. In some categories,
results count for 30% of the mark.
Clearly link results back to original goals, strategies
and objectives to illustrate effectiveness
RESULTS

38. “Write and design the entry elements with all
the care you put into the work itself. See it as
an extension of the process rather than an
another hurdle”
MARK FITZLOFF, CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER
WIEDEN+KENNEDY, PORTLAND
DON’T FALL AT LAST HURDLE

39. PR LIONS: KEY DATES
Late Fee Applies from 23 March 2017
Final Entry Deadline: 20 April 2017
Preliminary Judging April – May 2017
Late Fee Increase 13 April 2017
Shortlist Announced 18 June 2017
Awards Ceremony 19 June 2017

40. PRLIONS@CANNESLIONS.COM
SUPPORT

41. THANK YOU
“If you’re already involved, double down. If not, dive in because it will
definitely change you and inspire your business in ways you won’t
know unless you’re there.”
Lynne Anne Davis, former PR Lions President,
Fleishman Hillard Asia Pacific

42. PR Category
2 0 1 7 C a n n e s L i o n s

43. It’s competitive…
Over 500 entries pre-judged by each member
2209 entries, up from 2000 in 2015
65% with a PR agency credited for the work, up
from 41% in 2015

44. Who are the Jury?
The jury is comprised 21 people from up to 20 different
countries. Don’t assume that cultural in-jokes will be
understood

45. The Best of PR Not Entering
The 1565 entries judged in Cannes do not represent the
best, most creative work we are producing. Several
“heartland” PR categories are under-entered: internal
communications, crisis are two big ones

46. Cannes entry writing is an art…
It alienates the PR Jury when the entries are untailored,
carelessly worded and not showing tangible results

47. Make Sure No One Else Enters Your Work
Get your name on the entry when you’ve been working
with another agency, especially if they are the lead agency

48. A warning on multiple entries
Carpet bombing entries is a bad idea
Each juror evaluates several categories. Make sure you
tailor your entry to each category as exact copies can
make entries irrelevant

49. It’s a Festival of Creativity…
To get gold, we have to show creativity. In the insights,
the idea, the strategy, the execution

50. Show the beauty of our craft…
PR juries want to award intentionally PR programs (by PR
agencies). Make sure earned outcome is deliberate and
the earned strategy clearly articulated.

51. Show how we earned it..
Show the influencer strategy.
Where was the elegantly orchestrated chorus of support
for the idea behind the campaign?

52. It’s not all about the Film!
The changes to the entry form make it now easier
to clearly explain your work. However, the Jury
have only limited time in Cannes to re-read your
written entry, so do make sure you include essential
information if you do submit a video

53. 2016’s magic formula
Brand promise converted into
brand purpose for social good is a winner

54. Why Should You Bother?
1. Cannes matters in our converging world
2. Industry entries don’t show us in best light
3. We can and should own the PR category
4. We can and should enter other categories

55. The Call To Action
Show Up!
It’s there for the taking

56. QUESTIONS?
THANK YOU!