Draft New York hosted this year's Cannes Lions Direct creative showcase Nov. 11 after a similar effort in 2003 by Wunderman New York. The showcase featured winning work from the 2004 entries, including top winner Virgin Money from Australia. The entries were shown at Draft's offices in New York.
Attendees included Steve Lynch, executive vice president and executive creative director of Digitas and a 2004 Lions Direct juror; Daniel Morel, chairman/CEO of Wunderman and the 2003 Lions Direct jury president; Lori Erdos, vice president of advertising at USA Today, which serves as the U.S. representative for Cannes Lions; Howard Draft, chairman/CEO of Draft and the 2004 Lions Direct jury president; and Pam Larrick, chairman of MRM Partners and a 2002 Lions Direct juror.
Cannes Lions, whose formal name is the International Advertising Festival, is held in Cannes, France. More than 18,000 ads from the television/cinema, print, outdoor, online, radio and traditional direct categories are submitted yearly in the world's most prestigious ad contest.
The 52nd Cannes Lions is June 19-25. The 2005 Lions Direct jury president is Austrian native Fred Koblinger, CEO of general ad agency BBDO Holding Austria and managing director of DM shop Palla Koblinger Proximity. British publisher and events organizer Emap Communications in August announced the $96.5 million purchase of the London-based Cannes Lions.
