MAM
Indian ads that can do it at Cannes 2005
MUMBAI: While none of the Indian ads made it to the Top 50 Leo Burnett Cannes Predictions 2005, the agency, however, did take opinions from all Indian creative heads to list their best ads that stand a chance of winning the coveted Lion at the Cannes ad festival.
The 52nd International Advertising Festival is scheduled to take place in Cannes, France from 19 – 25 June.
Some of the ads that the creative honchos felt would make it to Cannes were showcased at the Leo Burnett Cannes Predictions 2005 that was held in Mumbai on 10 June.
In the Print category, Ambience Publicis ads for Hit, Playwin, The Economic Times’ supplement Brand Equity, Sanctuary magazine, Vicks Inhaler and Kama Sutra condoms were the ones that ranked high to win at Cannes this year.
On the other hand, Enterprise Nexus’ print ad for Parle G and an ad for Reusing Paper figured as top contenders.
Leo Burnett’s print ads for Atlas, McDonalds, Tide, Prerana and Sanctuary Asia stood tall to win a Cannes this year. Lowe’s public service ad titled ‘Death of emotions’ and Friends of the Tree ad titled ‘Save Trees, Trees Save’ were among the shortlisted.
McCann Erickson’s print ads for Band-Aid washproof, Big Babol and Hanes and Mudra’s public service ads for Cehat, Sanctuary Asia and Reliance water pipes were the ones that the creative heads felt were good enough to win at Cannes.
On the other hand, O&M’s ads for Pidilite Industries’ Fevicol, Hot Wheels and Hutch were the chosen ones. Redifussion’s print ads for Anacin, Colgate Navigator Plus toothbrush, Indian Oil’s public service ads warning people not to drink and drive, Eveready batteries, BMC’s public service ads to Save Trees titled – No Trees, No Water. No Water, No Trees, Nycil, Taj Garden Retreat and Indian Oil XtraMile; RMG David’s print ads for Stronglas and Uniquely Singapore and Saatchi & Saatchi’s ads for IV9 wine were the other coveted ones.
In the outdoor category, Ambience Publicis ads for Hit, Vicks Inhaler and Kama Sutra condoms; Enterprise Nexus’ ads for Killer Jeans and Aim; Leo Burnett’s ads for Atlas, Complan, McDonalds, Tide, Prerana, Bajaj Fans, Sanctuary Asia; Lowe’s ad for Adopt a rare bird, Friends of the Tree; McCann Erickson’s ads for Big Babol, Diet Coke; O&M’s ads for HLL’s Whiteness Soap, Fevicol; Saatchi & Saatchi’s Chantilli, Head & Shoulders Menthol and Pampers.com were the ones that ranked high to win at Cannes this year in the outdoor category.
In the Radio category, Leo Burnett’s spots for Koshish and McCann’s spots for Tata Indicom and Hanes were the ones which were shortlisted by the creative heads.
In the television commercial (TVC) category, Contract Advertising has the following two commercials which are contenders: Listerine (park bench) and Mid Day (train).
On the other hand, Everest Brand Solutions’ three ads for Tortoise (Ear, Knitting, Phone) were the ones that the agency felt stood a chance of winning a Lion this year. Earlier this year, Everest Brand Solutions won a Silver in the TVC category and a Gold in the campaign category for Tortoise at the Abby Awards.
McCann Erickson’s ads for Hanes undergarments, which again were a hit at the Abby Awards this year, were among the strong ones from McCann that could win. Apart from this, ads for Chlormint Happydent and Prayas by McCann also figured.
Leo Burnett’s public service ad for Autocar magazine; Lowe’s ad for Basmati Rice, Greenply, Saint Gobain Mirrors and Samarat Tractors; O&M ads for Chocotella, Tata Safari, Star Care Heros Project and VIP Frenchie X were the ones that will be taken to Cannes.
MAM
VML India lands two finalist spots at Cairns Hatchlings 2026
The Mumbai agency is back in Australia with two teams, a UN brief and 24 hours to impress
MUMBAI: VML India is heading to Australia again. The Mumbai-based creative agency has secured two finalist spots at the Cairns Hatchlings 2026 competition, one in the Audio category and one in Design, making it the only Indian agency to have reached the finals in both editions of the contest since its launch in 2025.
Four people will make the trip. Senior copywriter Shilpi Dey and senior art director Raj Thakkar will compete in Audio. Art directors Shabbir and Shruti Negi will go head-to-head with the world’s best in Design. The finals take place at the Cairns Convention Centre from 13th May, culminating in an awards ceremony on 15th May.
The work that got them there is worth examining. For the Audio category, Dey and Thakkar tackled a brief for LIVE LIKE MMAD with a campaign called Inner Voice, Interrupted. Using spatial audio techniques, the campaign recreates the overwhelming self-doubt that descends after a long workday, physically panning negative thoughts left and right before cutting the noise entirely to reveal a confident inner voice. Strategically targeted at commuters via Spotify during evening rush hours, the campaign reframes the hours after work as an opportunity for personal growth and charitable action.
For the Design category, Shabbir and Negi worked on a brief for Canteen’s Bandanna Day, a campaign highlighting how cancer pushes teenagers out of their own defining moments. Using a pixelated design language to create stark contrast between a blurred world of isolation and a focused world of connection, the campaign, titled The Flipside of Cancer, shows teenagers fading into the background of birthdays, skateparks and school proms. As a Canteen bandanna appears, the blur flips and the teenager snaps back into sharp focus.
Kalpesh Patankar, group chief creative officer of VML India, made no attempt to disguise his satisfaction. “We are immensely proud to see our teams consistently excel on the Cairns Hatchlings platform since its inception,” he said. “They have masterfully tackled challenging briefs across diverse categories, demonstrating both layered storytelling and a unique creative approach. This exceptional teamwork is truly inspiring.”
Dey and Thakkar, returning to the finals after last year’s run, were candid about the demands of the audio medium. “It’s one of the most demanding mediums, where we only have a few seconds to capture a listener’s world with sound alone, so absolute clarity is essential,” they said. “The true measure of creative work is its ability to create positive change, and our audio submission was made to help those who need it most while encouraging people to silence the inner voices that hold them back.”
Shabbir and Negi, competing in Design for the first time, described the experience as “a completely different beast.” “We see it as an opportunity to showcase our expertise, raise the bar, and challenge ourselves in new ways, while also learning from creative minds from across the globe,” they said.
In Australia, the four finalists will face a live 24-hour brief from the United Nations before presenting in a live pitch session. Twenty-four hours, one brief, one shot. VML India has been here before. It knows exactly what is at stake.
