So this is weird. The Crème de la Crème goes to work that I didn’t even see in Cannes. Have we gone mad? I didn’t even particularly want to give the top prize to a pro bono project; but when we first watched Nature Represented, we got a chill. And that didn’t dissipate on the second viewing. As they say, this is a “Magna Carta moment for the 21st Century”. Well done guys, an impressive piece of work.
Out of the hard-working briefs that we all get, every day, Someone Like You, Volvo and What Makes Great scored really high and were worthy winners. And we loved the skilfully executed All-In Promo. But the pro bono work, as with so many awards shows, still dominates. And understandably so as they have a head start on the emotion score card. They’re all great pieces of work that go straight to the heart.
I think we need to separate this work out in future. Not to diminish it, we must still celebrate it. But it’s the only way to get back to equally celebrating work that sells stuff.
Huge thanks to a great jury. The inimitable Ian Haworth, the force that is Abi Ellis and the talent of John-John Skoog. It was a pleasure.