• by Larissa Faw , June 23, 2020

With the Cannes ad festival cancelled this year, Publicis Groupe has set up an internal award program, dubbed the “Cannes-Do Awards,” that has shortlisted 40 campaigns. The list will be narrowed to 15 winners, based on voting by employees, that will be awarded during a live-stream event June 26.

Some 1,400 campaigns were submitted across 400 agencies, 60 countries and 110 cities. The 25-member jury across all disciplines, including Publicis.Sapient’s John Maeda, Publicis Worldwide’s Sandra Bold, and BBH’s Christina Ng, have shortlisted 40 campaigns that represent the “ideas with the biggest business impact” across all disciplines, including data, advertising, media and technology.

These nominees include Moldy Whopper developed in part by Publicis Bucharest and which recently swept the One Show 2020. Also shortlisted: “Famous Visitors” created by the Groupe’s bespoke Walmart unit Dept W. The spot, which ran as the big-box giant’s first Super Bowl commercial, supported the retailer’s pickup service by showing 12 well-known movie characters receiving their orders from Walmart clerks.

More than 15,000 votes have been cast by Groupe employees on Marcel as part of the open process to determine ultimate winners. The show will recognize 10 client campaigns and five non-profit projects in an event live-streamed exclusively on Marcel, which is now operational worldwide, on Friday, June 26.

Those responsible for the 40 shortlisted campaigns will receive invitations to the Cannes Lions festival in 2021.

Earlier during the lockdown, Arthur Sadoun announced this program as a way to rally the spirits of team members. “Creativity offers the light we all need in this dark period,” he stated in an internal video message. “So we should be proud. We should enjoy what we create and put it out in the world.”

Sample shortlisted work here.