The nexus of creativity and change is a recurring theme at the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity. However, the programming has never focused so heavily on the influence creative communications can have on the climate crisis.
Of the Festival's six key themes this year, 'It Pays to Be Green' topped the list, helping creatives explore how brands can deliver on sustainability in a more authentic and impactful way. This leading theme comes as no surprise following the release of The 2021 LIONS State of Creativity Study, where 85% of respondents said that creativity centered around sustainability is either critical or very important to business today (Source: LIONS State of Creativity Study).
A few climate-related campaigns featured throughout the Festival can be seen below.
The Nest Summit Campus joined the Cannes festivities to co-host a viewing party of Patagonia's latest film, The Monster In Our Closet, alongside The Ocean Conservation Exploration and Education Foundation (OCEEF) on their 183 ft. research vessel, the RV Odyssey.
Seen here are producers Kathryn Bays and Campbell Brewer from Little Village Films who partnered with Patagonia to develop the film.
The Monster In Our Closet follows a lawyer, a climate reporter, and a Patagonia designer as they unveil the clothing industry's close tie to the oil and gas industry and the tragic effects on the environment. To view the film, click here.
Among the award categories presented at the Festival include the Sustainable Development Goal Lions category, which recognizes creative problem solving, solutions, and other initiatives that harness creativity to impact the world positively.
Those who enter must demonstrate how they contributed to or advanced the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development across people, planet, prosperity, peace, and partnerships. All entry fees for Sustainable Development Goals awards will go to related charities.
Several climate-related campaigns were awarded Gold SDG Lions this year, including the Plastic Fishing Tournament by AB InBev and Corona, Pinatex by Dole Sunshine Company and Ananas Anam, and One House to Save Many by Suncorp Group. Deloitte brought home their first Gold Lion for work on The Prevention Grid, a wildfire mitigation system designed for Southern California Edison using drones and machine learning to anticipate risks.
To view the complete list of winners, click here.
As many across the globe have seen, Frankie the Dino (Utahraptor and UNDP Climate Activist), named for his blunt nature, stormed our screens to broach the harsh reality that humankind is creating its path to extinction. "We had an asteroid. What's your excuse?" echoed through our minds following that commercial, and for a good reason.
Frankie joined panels, walked the streets, and strolled the beach of the Cannes Lions Festival to promote the UN's "Don't Choose Extinction" campaign and further the conversation around climate change.
Photo courtesy of UNDP
Frankie was a product of the first-ever film made inside the UN General Assembly using computer-generated imagery (CGI), ultimately reaching a global audience of 1.8 billion.
Although there is still work to be done to restrict organizations from greenwashing and agencies from supporting fossil fuel companies, the advertising world is a force of influence, so this progress is critical and most definitely welcomed.
At The Nest Summit Campus, we are on a mission to provide action- and solutions-based programming, tracking the climate-related progress of some of the same award-winning organizations at the Cannes Lions Creativity of Festivity. #CommitToClimate with us during Climate Week NYC, and click here to register.
