"There are only boos or applause"

At the 50th Cannes International Advertising Festival, the creators of 348 Swiss entries are hoping to be awarded one of the coveted Lions by the jurors. Around 8000 advertisers from over 70 countries will be present on the Côte d'Azur when the coveted Lions are awarded at the Palais des Festivals. Golden, silver and bronze Lions will be awarded this year in the categories Film, Press & Outdoor, Media, Cyber and Direct. A Platinum Lion will be awarded to a particularly outstanding advertising idea, and after a total of 17,251 entries last year, around five percent fewer entries were received this year with 16,392 worldwide. Compared to the previous year, however, Swiss entries have increased by almost
increased by six percent. According to Matthias Luchsinger, Cinecom CEO, Swiss Cannes representative and therefore also a festival insider, the direct marketing competition in particular saw a massive increase - from 23 to 55 entries. The fact that two Swiss advertisers are represented on the Lions Direct juries could play a role here: Christian Hansen from Lowe Direct and Guido Wietlisbach from OgilvyOne (see also page 3). Together with 50 jurors from all over the world, Wietlisbach made a pre-selection of the DM entries. A small comparison in passing: according to Werben & Verkaufen magazine, German advertisers submitted 1485 competition entries. That is 18.5 percent more than in the previous year.
No Swiss pride of lionsDavid Honegger from McCann-Erickson is the third Swiss juror to judge advertising entries - in the film category. When asked about possible local lobbying, he is diplomatic: "It may well be possible to explain the local background to foreign jury colleagues - for example, to explain the importance of Ed Fagan for Switzerland. The US lawyer, who specializes in class actions, appears in a Ruf Lanz commercial for Bank Coop. Honegger has seen all the Swiss submissions and believes that the standard is "on average better" than last year. There are likely to be a few shortlisted spots, but certainly "no pride of lions".
In the supreme discipline of Cannes, Switzerland's participation fell from 83 to 74 films. Participation in the Cyber Lions fell from twelve to seven submissions; in the Media Lions, 13 works tried their luck in Cannes last year, this year there are still eight. In the newly titled Press & Outdoor category, on the other hand, a small increase of five to 204 entries was registered. With a total of 348 submissions, Switzerland ranks 13th worldwide. 18 Swiss entries were shortlisted last year. One won in
In the Press & Poster category, McCann-Erickson, Geneva, took home a Silver Lion. Although the haul seemed a little small - especially in comparison with the Austrians, who were triumphant last year - Luchsinger still describes this result as good. The Austrian advertisers have never won a lion in the last 14 years.
won, while Switzerland won twelve in the same period.
Among the numerous advertising professionals who decide to make a detour to the Croisette - according to conservative estimates, 100 of them will be coming from Switzerland this year - there are also an increasing number of clients. This year, Cannes is expecting a 50-strong delegation from Procter & Gamble, one of the global big spenders. The company's marketing experts will also be using the advertising festival to pick up new ideas - and it is quite possible that they will be keeping an eye on
the first-ever Lions Academy. During a week, 18 to 25-year-olds receive intensive (creative) training in the inspiring ambience of the festival. The Swiss study place has been awarded to Thomas Joerg following a competition. The Lions Academy is directed by Michael B. Conrad, President of Leo Burnett International and 1996 Jury President.
Cannes began 50 years ago as an advertising film festival and has grown steadily in line with the development of the media. For Conrad, the unique thing about the festival is that, unlike closed competitions, everyone can attend the film screenings when the wheat is separated from the chaff. "There are only boos or applause". As a result, the advertising festival has also become a tough but attractive creative school for many advertisers. It goes without saying that the jury's decisions always provoke discussion. But the fact remains that around 60 percent of the commercials that win an award in Cannes go on to win an Effie two years later.
When asked about this year's trends, Cannes connoisseurs believe that the commercials could once again be a little more absurd. A favorite for many is the Nike spot with the stick figure playing basketball in combination with real "everyday heroes". It could be like before
three years Budweiser the direction
of a new development. Wrangler Jeans also reckons it has a chance of winning a Gold Lion. They parodied typical Wild West behavior with a ketchup shootout in a bourgeois fast food restaurant. The naked footballers in a commercial for the sportswear brand Athletic Club could also shock and therefore win. Other international favorites include Peugeot 206 and Evian.
Ruf-Lanz commercial with Ed Fagan for Bank Coop: Can expect to win an award.

Nike has fascinated Cannes jurors for years with perfectly shot spots: worthy of a lion.
Considered a favorite among the spots - also for the first Platinum d'Or: Athletic Club spot.
Print motif by Euro RSCG with "World Rally Champion" by Peugeot: Hoping for a Lion d'Or.
Tages-Anzeiger campaign by Guye Benker.
"Darling Smart": Advertisement by Weber Hodel Schmid.
After winning international awards, the ZVV commercial from Publicis is also competing for an award in Cannes.
Wirz Werbung tries its luck on the Côte d'Azur with a commercial for the vegan meeting place Hiltl in Zurich.
A lion for Lowe's Orange campaign?Lovely, the SMP's dairy cow, may also get Cannes jurors going, much to the delight of AY&R.
Michael B. Conrad's questions for Lion candidates

The jury president of 1996 distinguishes in his assessments
first between "fresh ideas and tired ideas". And he asks: Who is setting a new standard in the product category? Where does the idea even set a new standard within advertising? What can make a product famous or glamorous? Where has an innovative strategy been implemented?
In terms of having the courage to focus on the essentials, Conrad quotes a Chinese sculptor who is said to have said: "I take a block of stone and chisel away everything that doesn't look like a lion with a hammer."
David Honegger's claim to the lion spot "You never know why you win. But if you look back at the reels from previous years, you know why you didn't win."
Honegger calls on advertisers to be bolder in the design of their films if they want to take advantage of opportunities to win prizes.
"Only what contradicts our expectations sticks in our memory."
"The idea must be the multiplier of the budget in a campaign with few resources."
"In Cannes, a Swiss contribution should express as little as possible of the prevailing trend towards compromise."
"If you want to make a difference in the market, you have to move people."
"A commercial has to be radical if we want to win something."
Andreas Panzeri