After back-to-back days of strong presence at the Cannes Lions 2024, Indian agencies are keeping the momentum alive with 28 shortlists on Day 3, spanning six categories. While there are no shortlists in the Creative B2B category, the country continues to shine in Creative Data, Direct, Media, PR, and Social & Influencer, with several campaigns repeating across verticals for their powerful storytelling and cultural relevance.
In Creative Data, Leo India dominates with four shortlists — two for ‘Peaks of Courage’ (Mountain Dew) in Data Storytelling and Data Integration, and two for ‘Acko Tailor Test’ (Acko Health Insurance) in Creative Data Collection & Social Behaviour.
The Direct category brings in five familiar contenders. FCB India’s ‘Lucky Yatra’ for Indian Railways is once again in the spotlight with entries in Small-Scale Media and Local Brand. Leo India’s ‘Oreo History in the Baking’, Havas India’s ‘Ink of Democracy’, and Grey India’s ‘Devanagari Pin’ round out the list, each recognised under Social Behaviour and Launch/Relaunch. Notably, both ‘Lucky Yatra’ and ‘Ink of Democracy’ won gold on day one.
India shines in Media, bagging nine shortlists. Ogilvy India’s ‘Eye Test Menu’ and ‘Vi Guardian Beads’ are joined by Talented’s ‘Nature Shapes Britannia’, which earns dual nods in Use of Outdoor and Breakthrough on a Budget. Havas India’s ‘Ink of Democracy’ emerges as a campaign to watch, with four separate shortlist mentions across Use of Print, Social Behaviour, and Single Market Campaign. Leo India’s ‘Takeoff Takeover’ for Cathay Pacific and Dentsu Creative’s ‘Garuda Rakshak’ for DSP Mutual Fund also make the cut. Again, ‘Eye Test Menu’ (bronze) and ‘Vi Guardian Beads’ (bronze) along with ‘Nature Shapes Britannia’ (silver) won metals at the prestigious festival.
The PR category sees seven Indian entries. FCB India’s ‘Lucky Yatra’ secures four nominations, spanning Social Behaviour, Travel & Leisure, Local Brands, and Budget Innovation. Ogilvy’s ‘Box to Beds’ for Amazon appears twice, in Cultural Engagement and Use of Events & Stunts, while Grey India’s ‘Most Ignored Painting’ for Volvo also receives recognition in the latter.
In Social & Influencer, three campaigns stand out. Wondrlab India’s ‘The Right Signs’ for Josh is shortlisted under Creator Collaboration, while Ogilvy’s ‘Erase Valentine’s Day’ (Cadbury 5 Star) and BBH India’s ‘Bassi vs Men’s Facewash’ for Garnier are both recognized for their humorous storytelling.
After a glorious start across Outdoor, Health, Pharma, and Entertainment categories, Day 3 places India squarely in the race with a diverse mix of socially conscious, culturally nuanced, and tech-driven campaigns. As the Cannes Lions midweek awards unfold tonight, the industry waits to see how many of these 28 shortlists will roar into wins.
India's total metal tally now stands at 12 (9 on Day 1 and 3 on Day 2). On Day 2, India picked up 2 Silver and 1 Bronze Lions across three categories which are Entertainment Lions for Music (Silver), Entertainment Lions for Sports (Silver) and Design (Bronze).
