Top Cannes contenders: Titanium & Integrated

There’s still a week and a half left to get your Cannes entry in. We’re wrapping up our round up of the most likely contenders for each category, tapping the top folks in the industry to help us narrow down the list. This week, we’re taking a gander in the illustrious Titanium & Integrated category. Check back next Friday for some final thoughts on our best chances at the Palais.

Titanium & Integrated

Campaign: Surrender Your Say
Brand: Tourette Syndrome Foundation of Canada
Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi

Chosen by: Nancy Vonk, founder, Swim

“Titanium” is a mighty strong word.  The most coveted award in advertising brings to mind landmarks like Marc Ecko’s tagging of Air Force One, the Tap Project, Nike+… So looking at Canada’s best work this year, did we have such a moment? Our best bet is the “Surrender Your Say” campaign. It perfectly demonstrated what it is to live with Tourette Syndrome via 9,000 brave souls who let the real words of sufferers startle their Twitter followers, randomly, for 24 hours. The complete lack of control for all to see was unnerving for the volunteers who allowed the foundation to take over their feeds and meant the penny dropped for 100 million people. A new level of awareness, empathy and global news coverage came in the wake of a truly brilliant idea. I’m not sure if that’s Titanium or a Gold Media Lion I see floating in my crystal ball. In any case, the Saatchi team should be booking flights now and hunting for party dresses.

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Campaign: Christmas Miracle
Brand: WestJet
Agency: Studio M

Chosen by: Steve Mykolyn, chief brand officer, Taxi

“Christmas Miracle,” an idea that was kicked around at WestJet for several years, was finally executed, flawlessly, in 2013. The WestJet team pulled off something that really demonstrated why this airline is miles above the competition, pun intended. It may even pop up in several categories at Cannes this year, including Titanium and Integrated, Cyber, Promo and Activation, to name a few.

The perfectly timed, feel-good moment resulted in over 35 million YouTube hits. And slightly beneath the surface is something far bigger than going viral. The airline successfully extended its famous brand experience to what many people consider the worst part of the trip — waiting for luggage at the carousel. (In fact, WestJet is one of the only carriers that has their own employees working at baggage claim.) Whether you received a big screen TV (score) or just a pair of socks, the experience was unforgettable. I think juries will say the same of this idea.

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Campaign: The Beer Fridge
Brand: Molson Canadian
Agency: Rethink

Chosen by: Glen Hunt, chief transformational officer, Cossette

Not since the movie Argo has the Canadian passport had more popularity and cache than with the appearance of a Molson Canadian beer fridge in cities around the world.

Molson is successfully trading on the old notion that there’s nothing more desirable than a free beer. Rumour has it even Vladimir Putin was caught quaffing a Canadian brew during the Sochi Olympics.

Once again, returning to that fertile territory of Canadians’ pride in their beer. It’s a core truth of who we are. Beer-loving, party-hungry, everybody-loves-us Canadians. Placing a red beer fridge on a cobblestone street in rural Belgium suddenly gives that town a distinctive expression of Canadiana.

Now if Molson is really smart, which they are, they’ll park a passport-activated beer fridge at Cannes’ famous Gutter Bar where they just may be celebrating their first Titanium win.

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Did we miss a top Titanium & Integrated contender? Weigh in below. 

Check out the contenders in the MediaBranded Content, Product DesignDesignCyberDirectRadioInnovationCreative EffectivenessFilm CraftPromo & ActivationPR, Mobile and Film categories.