Storyboard | FCB Interface, Dentsu Webchutney, DDB Mudra and Ogilvy lead in the Lions Creativity Report

How they do it: Lions Creativity Report’s rankings are compiled using data from Lion-winning and shortlisted work across 2020 and 2021, with PwC as the process integrity partner of the festival since 2013.

At the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity this year, Indian agencies bagged a total of 22 Lions, during the virtual awards. Of the 29,074 entries that poured in from 90 countries, India sent 699. These were entries from the past two years as the awards were paused due to the pandemic in 2020.

Campaign reloaded: Many Indian campaigns won big at Cannes Lions this year. FCB Interface’s ‘The Punishing Signal’ for the Mumbai Police made the right kind of noise. The agency picked up seven Lions, including a gold, across categories like Health & Wellness, Outdoor, Brand Experience & Activation, and PR, for the campaign that addressed the city’s noise pollution through an innovative activation - #HonkResponsibly.

DDB Mudra’s ‘Project Free Period’ for sanitary pad brand Stayfree won a Gold Lion in the Creative Strategy — one of only three golds awarded in the category. The campaign focused on women who looked forward to their periods — sex workers.

Dentsu India’s digital-led creative agency Dentsu Webchutney picked up seven Lions. The agency won three silver and two bronze Lions for Vice Media’s ‘The 8-Bit Journo’ campaign in the Direct Lion, Creative Strategy, Mobile and Digital Craft categories. One Silver Lion in the Entertainment category for the ‘World’s Most Reported Trailer’ campaign. Dentsu Webchutney has also bagged a bronze Lion for Swiggy’s ‘The Better Half Recipes’ campaign in the Creative e-commerce category.