The best of British creativity will dominate the skyline at Cannes Lions this year as part of the recently launched GREAT International Trade Campaign that showcases the benefits of working with the UK’s exceptional businesses. The campaign, designed to drum up demand to trade with and procure services from the UK, was originated by creative agency Engine London alongside Department for International Trade (DIT) team.
A billboard featuring a 3D animated GREAT British lion, situated atop the Grand Hotel, will roar to alert Cannes goers whenever British talent involved in a Cannes Lions award wins. The work will be featured on the billboard in real-time as the awards are announced. The ads will fly the flag for British business and talent involved in award-winning campaigns, from agencies to post-production houses or directors, and will shine a spotlight onto the contribution to exceptional global creativity made by British businesses at this year’s Cannes Lions Festival, projected to reach more than 11,000 industry professionals from over 90 countries around the world.
The campaign aims to generate further international demand for the UK’s exceptional creative services and invites those attending the festival to bring their ideas to life by collaborating with them. The bespoke dynamic digital OOH campaign was created for Cannes Lions 2017 by Engine London, along with VFX experts Taylor James, media owner Clear Channel and production partners Voodooh. Engine has worked with DIT since 2015, delivering both international and domestic campaigns including the award-winning “Exporting is GREAT” Campaign.
Conrad Bird, GREAT Campaign Director, said: “The UK has a rich history at Cannes. Through this initiative, we are celebrating the latest wave of exceptional thinkers, collaborators and creators. British talent is pushing boundaries in all areas of creative services and continues to be a collaborative partner for any business with their own creative and commercial ambitions.”
Debbie Klein, CEO of Engine Europe and Asia, added: “This powerful creative campaign celebrates the best of British creativity, and demonstrates how true collaboration between a committed client and a talented creative agency can bring ideas to life. Cannes is a time for the industry to come together and celebrate creativity and innovations across the sector. Not only will this billboard be a first of its kind in Cannes, but it is also a reminder for us and the rest of the world, of the truly amazing talent that we have here in the UK.”
The UK Government was the first in the world to recognise creative industries as a proper industrial sector, and it has never been stronger. Now worth £87.4 billion a year to the economy, the UK’s creative industries sector is growing at almost twice the rate of the wider UK economy; the total UK creative economy accounts for 12% of all UK firms and creates around 2.8 million jobs.
