As we reach the halfway point of the year, many in the world of marketing and advertising will still be processing the celebration of creativity that is Cannes Lions. As afterparty hangovers subside and the last stragglers depart the French Riviera, industry focus turns to processing the big winners and losers of the illustrious awards, with sights already set on 2026.
This year, one theme that stood out was the impact of brands aligning with social causes and its implications for long-term brand building. Several of the global Grand Prix winners delivered impactful campaigns that dealt with prescient global issues in a thoughtful way.
In France, AXA, the ‘instant and unanimous’ winner of the Dan Wieden Titanium Lion, drove awareness of domestic violence by highlighting its policy coverage for women affected by violent relationships. Meanwhile, the Grand Prix for Industry Craft winners, Idomed and Artplan Sao Paolo, created an app which highlighted institutional racism in the Brazilian healthcare system.
As the7stars detailed in Giving Media Back Its Mojo earlier this year, consistent devotion to a cause is more important than simply aligning with one. Consumers are increasingly critical of brands that are seen to be inauthentic or jumping on the bandwagon of popular causes, whilst recognising that consistency of message signals unwavering commitment.
This was clearly in the minds of the judges. As Tara McKenty, Innovation jury member at Cannes, notes, ‘A key question we asked ourselves was, will this still be in the world in 5 to 10 years’ time?’
Groundbreaking research presented at Cannes by Dr Karen Nelson-Field highlighted the extraordinary cost of dull advertising. The research categorised over 80,000 ads from System1’s emotion tracking into four quartiles of ‘dull’. Just 30% of ad views cross the Attention-Memory Threshold, meaning that impressions in the lower two ‘dull’ quartiles will face long-term challenges in building memorability among consumers.
The research highlighted that for dull creative to simply match the effectiveness of non-dull creative would require an additional media investment equivalent to the GDP of Greece.
Lashantay Richards, Strategy Director at the7stars, reflects, “The industry is at a turning point. Purpose-led narratives paired with emotional nostalgia won big, while trust and brand safety became strategic imperative. Outcomes ruled over impressions resulting in ROI and creative flair.
“Now more than ever, this signals a time for brands to drive impact by making bold decisions. We must all think smarter or be outsmarted by those who invest beyond the dull.”
As this year’s Lions show, brands which align themselves with social causes – showing genuine compassion and understanding of a prevailing issue – are cutting through with memorable creative amidst a landscape littered with ‘dull’ ads. If media is to truly get its mojo back, social causes shouldn’t be seen as something to exploit, but something to champion.
