Hasta La Ideas

Tribal DDB’s Carousel took the Cannes Lions top prize in the Film category while the much-coveted Titanium award went to the Obama Presidential campaign

After the Dove web film from two years back, the Film jury once again favoured an internet-based idea over traditional commercials, leaving us to wonder whether a straight commercial will ever again win what was once seen as the biggest prize of them all at Cannes.

Carousel explores the techniques of filmmaking. At 2 minutes 19 seconds long it was filmed in one continuous tracking shot. The version on the Philips Cinema site is interactive: various “access points” appear on the progress bar below the movie. Click on one and you can hear from one of the craftspeople involved in making the film on what their role entailed. Here’s the making of

Carousel Credits
Agency: Tribal DDB Amsterdam
Executive Creative Director: Neil Dawson
Creative Director: Chris Baylis/Andrew Ferguson
Copywriter: Carla Madden
Agency Producer: John Reardon/Jeroen Jedeloo
Production Company:  STINK DIGITAL London
Director:  Adam Berg

That both the Titanium and Integrated Grand Prixs went to the Obama campaign may raise a few eyebrows. Traditionally public service campaigns are not eligible for the Grand Prix, although one juror, Prasoon Joshi of McCann Erickson, is reported to have argued that “It’s a brand campaign…It’s the first time consumers have co-created a brand … and it’s something the advertising industry can’t ignore.”

Others may point to the fact that so many of the most memorable facets of the Obama effort were produced by people working out side the campaign – such as Shepard Fairey or Will.i.am, for example. So how much credit should Obama For America, the entrant, take? Jury presidet Dave Droga responded that the entrants “were curators as much as creators…They created the framework and allowed others to contribute.”

It’s a difficult one – imagine being in the jury room. You’re looking at ad campaigns for the likes of burgers, cars or lavatory cleaners and suddenly the Obama campaign comes up. It’s perhaps a case of awarding what the ad industry wishes it was spending its time on rather than the actuality.