Cannes Contenders: Branded Entertainment

AXA Group Therapy 

I watched and loved Group Therapy with no idea it was brand funded. Which is probably the first test any piece of work in this category needs to pass. Watching some of the world’s best comedians discuss their mental health was moving, insightful, impactful and, at times, properly funny. 

What projects like Group Therapy achieve is the next level.

Earned media has often been a gold standard for judging an idea’s effectiveness, a prominent feature of the best case study videos, but what projects like Group Therapy achieve is the next level; AXA and WPP have secured a broadcast release for their message, they have been paid (maybe not the full budget!) to create it. How effective is that?!

Apple Submerged 

Apple and TBWA\MAL continue to work with some of the world’s best filmmakers (and props to them for giving Takeshi Mike the keys) and consistently create brilliant content for the brand. Submerged stands apart. 

It’s a film that deserves a wider audience.

Not only did [director] Edward Berger and the team create a brilliant, compelling short film, but they did so in a brand-new format, developing the technology to create it as they went. It is a shame it’s only available on the Apple Vision Pro, it’s a film that deserves a wider audience, and it’s undoubtedly an incredible calling card for the tech. 

Riyadh Season 5 x 5 

Big Time’s work for Saudi Arabia's Riyadh Season has come to define contemporary boxing advertising. The promos they’re creating might not be to everyone’s taste, they’re unapologetically aimed straight at the sports core audience, and are big, brash, violent and exciting. 

The perfect calling card for the event.

This was another level: 5x5 was a brilliant way of creating added interest to a sporting event through a shift in format, blending elements from talent shows and other TV genres, placing the rivalry between two of the world’s best known promoters front and centre. And while the accompanying Guy Ritchie homage of an ad might not win any prizes for originality, it’s the perfect calling card for the event. 

Libresse Never Just a Period 

The audience shift away from watching scheduled TV has undoubtedly been a huge challenge for the industry, one so keenly felt by production companies and directors. But where once upon a time a longer version of the ad or a directors cut was a pastime pursued by the production company for the showreel, to the annoyance of pretty much everyone else involved in the project, today the digital-first nature of advertising means creatives and directors are free to let rip. The only caveat is that it has to hold our interest, and boy, does Lucy Forbes achieve that here. 

Hinge No Ordinary Love 

Will a collection of short stories win in a category dominated by films and activations? I’d guess not, with so many campaigns to judge, the jury may miss something less immediate and visually arresting. Which would be a shame. Hinge and Dazed Studio have engaged with contemporary culture beautifully with this series, commissioning work from some of the most exciting new authors to give expression and redefine love for a new generation. 

Hinge and Dazed Studio have engaged with contemporary culture beautifully with this series.

As a father of a teenager, I’ve seen the proliferation of a new generation of romance novel, with so many lacking Sally Rooney’s nuance and craft. A brand that isn't just riding a cultural wave, but is looking to shape it for the better, deserves recognition. 

 O Boticario The Storm/The Glass House/Plans

Over 12 months O Boticario, AlmapBBDO and directing duo Kid Burro created a series of three short films, exploring the challenges and stresses of modern relationships. The themes were nuanced and complex - the loss a parent feels as their child becomes a young adult, the strains on sibling relationships as a parent becomes a dependent, and the pressures and stigmas that come with “trying” for a baby. 

Another example of how the longer run time of an online release can be used to turn advertising into something more.

They were told beautifully, never dumbing down or shying away from the realities of these issues and are another example of how the longer run time of an online release can be used to turn advertising into something more.