Cannes adds Creative Effectiveness category for 2011

Cannes Lions has announced the addition of the Creative Effectiveness Lions in 2011. Next year’s festival takes place on Saturday 25 July.

The new category recognise creativity which has shown a measurable and proven impact on a client’s business - creativity that effects consumer behaviour, brand equity, sales, and where identifiable, profit.

Only winners or shortlisted entries across all categories will be eligible to enter. According to a release, these will have already been judged and established as being creatively world-class by the 2010 Cannes Lions juries.

Entries will be rewarded for strategy (25 per cent), idea (25 per cent) and results (50 per cent), and judged as one section with no categories. The awards will be Grand Prix and Creative Effectiveness Lions, no Gold, Silver or Bronze.

Speaking on the new category launch, Terry Savage, festival chairman, said, “With the introduction of the Cannes Creative Effectiveness awards we aim to establish a direct correlation between creativity and effectiveness.”

“Cannes Lions has always been, and always will be, a festival of creativity. However now more than ever, ROI is paramount to the client and it is important that we acknowledge and reward this but without losing the essence of Cannes Lions,” he added.

Entries open on 4 November and close on 4 March 2011.