Cannes Contenders: France

Canal+ - The Trailer

What do you do when you're an entertainment brand turning 40, and you’ve already explored every path of advertising storytelling? You go meta, and make a trailer… about yourself.

This brilliant spot from BETC Paris turns the Canal+ origin story into an epic series teaser. It’s sharp, rich in references, and perfectly on-brand.

For French viewers, it feels like watching decades of cultural memory on fast-forward. For everyone else, it’s a masterclass in how to make a brand heritage actually feel cool. I can’t wait to binge the episodes now.

AXA - Being A Woman Shouldn’t Be A Risk

For victims of domestic violence, home is the most dangerous place.

With "Three words that can change everything" AXA and Publicis Conseil introduced a powerful innovation: recognising domestic violence as an insurable risk within home insurance policies.

With over 270,000 victims in 2023, it is a powerful step forward, going beyond advertising to make a real difference.

McDonald’s - Curry Sauce

How do you crash the world’s biggest event without an invite? With a single Instagram post and a perfect sense of timing.

When Steph Curry crushed French Olympic dreams with a flurry of three-pointers, DDB Paris and McDonald’s dropped a simple post: “For obvious reasons, we’re thinking of removing this sauce.” Boom. Billions of impressions. Zero media spend. A classic sauce turned into a global conversation. The art of brand-jacking, done with a wink and a killer hook.

Proof that the French can be more witty than grumpy. Or maybe… charmingly both?

SoFoot - Football Radio Lovers

In France, we don’t get many brilliant audio ideas these days. Here’s one worth tuning into.

Almost every year, the same old brief: “How do we reconcile Valentine’s Day and soccer?” But this time, SoFoot and BETC Paris answered with perfection.

They transformed live match commentary into romantic music in real time, using AI. Tackles in bossa nova. Goals in flamenco. Red cards in smooth jazz. A smart and creative use of AI that made fans and their partners equally happy.

Back Market - Fast Tech 

"Shot on iPhone" meets "Shot on a melting planet."

Back Market skewers tech consumerism with striking visuals referring to old Apple’s iconic ads. Except here, the landscape changes, literally. One phone cycle later, the glacier’s gone.

Fast Tech from Marcel becomes more than a concept : it’s a climate crisis in one frame. Not just a spoof, but a brutal wake-up call. And proof that when print wants to hit hard, it still can.

Good ads come to those who wait.