WPP has been named the world’s most creative holding company at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity for the sixth consecutive year.
Another strong performance from its agencies at the industry’s premier festival and awards show saw WPP top the parent company rankings once again. The holding company award is based on the accumulated points won by the agencies within each group.
Ogilvy & Mather won network of the year for the fifth time in a row, while Y&R took third place.
The win in Cannes means that WPP holds the title of parent company of the year 2016 at four of the industry’s leading awards programmes: Cannes Lions, the Effies, the Warc 100 and The One Show.
WPP agencies from 46 different countries took home Lions. Winning work included: Y&R Auckland’s “McWhopper” for Burger King; “The Swedish Number” by Ingo Stockholm (Swedish Tourist Association); J. Walter Thompson Amsterdam’s “The Next Rembrandt” (ING); “Breathless Choir” by Ogilvy & Mather London (Philips); David Buenos Aires’ “Man Boobs” for MACMA (Breast Cancer Help Movement); “The Everyman Meal” by Ogilvy & Mather Johannesburg (KFC); J. Walter Thompson Costa Rica’s “The Second Scoreboard” (Teletica, Inamu, Fedefutbol); “Behind The Leather” by Ogilvy & Mather Bangkok (People For The Ethical Treatment of Animals); Grey San Francisco’s “The Most Dangerous Town On The Internet” (Norton By Symantec); “Beauty Tips By Reshma” by Ogilvy & Mather Mumbai (Make Love Not Scars); “Man, Lady, Office” by Monday Bangkok (Dutch Mill Co); Ogilvy & Mather London’s “Tongue, Breathing, Blinking” (Unilever); Memac Ogilvy’s “Lamp, Table, Bookcase, Bed, Nightstand” (IKEA Saudi Arabia); and “Paper Glasses” by Grey Mexico (Save The Children and Santillana).
Sir Martin Sorrell, founder and CEO of WPP, said: “In my cricketing career I have rarely, if ever, hit a six. This is the most gratifying one of the few. Although this award is handed to WPP, it is really testament to the ability, effort and success of the people within our agencies all around the world, and the good judgement of the clients who commission the work. So congratulations and thank you to them. I would also like to say, for the benefit of our colleagues across Europe, both within and beyond WPP, that although the UK has voted to leave the EU, WPP has not. We are as European as ever, and will become even more so.”
John O’Keeffe, Worldwide Creative Director of WPP, said: “Amid, sadly, much heightened security this year we saw the true face of humanity, with fierce competitors putting aside any differences to pledge, as an industry, to work together to help bring the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals to fruition. As we look across all the wonderful work that has rightly been recognised this week, I can only think, what a force for persuasion we make. Note to self: the competition for the coveted Creative Holding Company of the Year award gets more intense every year. My congratulations to all the winners and indeed all the great clients who bought this brilliant work. As ever in Cannes, The Big Idea is The Big Winner. And always will be.”