Lowe Howard-Spink/London's "Litany" Takes Grand Prix; Propaganda/Satellite Cops Palme d'Or.

CANNES, France - The 46th International Advertising Festival, held last week in Cannes, was topped by "Litany," a spot for The Independent daily newspaper out of the U.K. The ad, which was created by London-based Lowe Howard-Spink and directed by Rob Sanders of Helen Langridge Associates, London, went home with the coveted Grand Prix as well as the Journalists' Award. However, the stateside commercial community didn't leave southern France empty-handed, and in fact took home a leading share of hardware in the '99 film/TV derby, which amounted to 22 of 101 Lions. U.S. spot work took six of 22 Gold Lions, including one for a seven-spot Nike campaign out of Portland, Ore.-based Wieden & Kennedy, seven of 31 Silver Lions and nine of 48 Bronzes. Additionally, bicoastal/international Propaganda Films/Satellite took top production house honors, winning the coveted Palme d'Or for the second time in three years.

Cannes 1999 Jury president Keith Reinhard, chairman/CEO of DDB Worldwide, Chicago, said the 20-member Film/TV Jury voted unanimously to honor "Litany."

"There was a feeling among the jurors that in the last festival of the 1900s we needed to point in a direction for the industry and for young creatives around the world that is aspirational ... that, yes, there is a higher ground," Reinhard said. "The Grand Prix was awarded [to 'Litany'] not only for the crafts that we love and honor in advertising - great photography, copy and editing - but more importantly, for [its] values. There were many other examples of courage and creative bravery [in this year's contest]. But the jurors thought ['Litany'] rose above because it was so in tune with the modern world, of people rejecting mainstream authority and saying 'I'll make up my own mind.'"

The winning spot consists of a montage of images shot in grainy black and white, which relate a series of instructions such as "Don't touch. Don't be fat. Don't be thin. Don't stand out. Don't drop out ..." The spot concludes with a shot of a man reading a newspaper, to which the voiceover says: "Don't read." Lowe Howard-Spink's Paul Weinberger served as creative director, and Charles Inge wore two hats as copywriter and art director.

Meanwhile. reflecting upon topping the production house field. VP of Propaganda commercials Colin Hickson attributed his company's Palme d'Or victory to a year of hard work. "We couldn't have worked any harder," he said. Hickson also noted the "fantastic relationships" that exist both within the company and in the creative community at large, and finally to the strong creative concepts the company had the opportunity to work on. "We always say it comes down to three things - a great idea, a great idea and a great idea," related Hickson.

A prime example is the aforementioned Nike campaign "What Are You Getting Ready For?" which greatly contributed to the spot house's win. Satellite produced three of the seven spots that collectively won a Gold Lion in the shoe and apparel campaign category - "Meat," "Marathon Man" and "Rejection" - which were directed by Jhoan Camitz. Additionally, "Meat" was honored with an individual Gold Lion. The balance of the Gold Lion-winning Nike campaign consisted of: "Mountain Man" and "Jumper" directed by Mike Mills of The Directors Bureau, Hollywood, a satellite of bicoastal HKM Productions; "Kordell Delivers" helmed by Tenney Fairchild of bicoastal M-80 (now Fahrenheit/M-80); and "Rehab" directed by Dom & Nic from the Oil Factory, Hollywood. Wieden & Kennedy's Hal Curtis and Chuck McBride served as creative directors on the Nike spots.

In addition, Satellite took a Silver Lion for Conseco Investments' "Fountain" via Fallon McElligott, New York. That spot was also directed by Camitz. And the Cannes shortlist of Propaganda/Satellite entries included two other Conseco spots as well as ads for Volkswagen out of Arnold Communications, Boston, Levi's via Bartle Bogle Hegarty, London, and the Florida Tobacco Pilot Program for Crispin, Porter+Bogusky Advertising, Miami.

Precious Metals

In addition to Nike, two other U.S. campaigns took Gold Lions. In the retail stores and rental companies category, the well-known trio of spots for Outpost.com - "Forehead," "Cannon" and "Band" - was a leading contender for the Grand Prix, according to Reinhard, but instead went home with a Gold. The Jury president said the Outpost.com work is "a great example of commitment, when you have a great idea and take it all the way."

Created by Cliff Freeman and partners, New York, and directed by John O'Hagan of bicoastal Hungry Man, the spots indeed accomplish the goal of making the advertiser's name unforgettable. In the first, little kids' foreheads are tattooed. In the second, gerbils are fired out of a cannon, and in the third, a high school marching band is attacked by a pack of wolves. Cliff Freeman's Eric Silver served as creative director and copywriter, and Roger Camp was the art director.

However, ultimately the '99 Jury remained steadfast in its desire to honor what judges described as the more "aspirational" side of advertising.

"Advertising can move you as well as make you laugh," said U.S. juror Nina DiSesa, chairman and chief creative officer of McCann-Erickson, New York. "I think you'll see [that] in our list of winners, there are very entertaining commercials and there are thoughtful commercials. I opened my mouth before I came to Cannes and said you have to have a funny ad to win a Grand Prix at Cannes, but this jury proved me wrong. We thought 'Litany' did the best job of moving people as a piece of film and as a piece of communication."

In addition to its Gold Lion campaign for Outpost.com, Cliff Freeman and Partners won a Gold Lion for Hollywood Video's "Don," which was directed by Baker Smith of Santa Monica-based Tate & Partners.

Cliff Freeman was also recognized for several of its FOX Sports spots. Out of a total of six ads that made the shortlist - three for the network and three for the Website - "Feet" for FOX Sports.com, left the awards ceremony with a Silver Lion. Also "Horse" and "Rope," for FOX Sports, won a Bronze Lion for a campaign. "Feet" was directed by Rocky Morton of Morton Jankel Zander, Los Angeles. Kevin Roddy and Kilpatrick Anderson served as copy writer and art director, respectively; Silver was again creative director. The Fox Sports campaign was helmed by Noam Murro of HKM Productions. Roddy served as copywriter, and Camp and Taras Wayner co-art directed the spots.

A third and final U.S. Gold Lion-winning campaign was in the alcoholic drinks category. Budweiser's "Open Road" and "On the Road Again," created by DDB Chicago, were produced by bicoastal HSI Productions. The Geoffrey Barish-directed spots consist of a virtual driving test for candidates who want to drive a Budweiser delivery truck. (Barish has since moved on to Seven Ounce Man, Los Angeles, a satellite of Morton Jankel Zander.) DDB's Don Pogany served as creative director, Craig Feigen was copywriter and Adam Glickman was art director.

In the baking & sweet foods category, "Slackers" for Kellogg's Raisin Bran Crunch took the final U.S. Gold Lion. Created by J. Walter Thompson, New York, the Hollywood-based Stiefel & Company-produced spot features several 20-somethings sleeping. Spontaneously, they all crawl out of bed, pour cereal into bowls, eat and then climb back into bed. The tag reads: "Breakfast is back." Peter Darley Miller directed the spot; Alan Platt served as creative director; and Ronald Wohlman and Thomas Hayo were copywriter and art director, respectively.

Silver And Bronze

In addition to the aforementioned U.S. Silver Lion winners for Conseco Investments and FOX Sports.com, spots for Budweiser, Pepsi, Jeep Grand Cherokee, and Dunkin' Donuts, as well as a three-spot Florida anti-smoking campaign, took home Silver Lions.

The latter, out of Crispin Porter+Bogusky, consists of "It May," "Fun With Statistics" and "Daughter." The spots feature footage from congressional hearings on the dangers of nicotine, and were assembled in-house with Alex Bogusky serving as creative director; Tim Roper and Paul Keister as copywriter and art director, respectively, and Terry Stavoe as producer.

Budweiser's "Lobster," one of the most popular spots during this year's Super Bowl, also took home a Silver. It was created by DDB Chicago, and directed by David McNally of bicoastal Omaha Pictures. Likewise, Pepsi's Silver Lion-winning "Alonzo's" had a big debut on this year's Academy Awards. Directed by Joe Pytka, of PYTKA, Venice, the spot features a little girl with the voice of Marlon Brando.