Cannes Lions 2024: Entertainment, Sport, Music, and Gaming winners

ENTERTAINMENT LIONS

Telling the turbulent story of how members of the Afghanistan youth women's national football team needed to escape their own country or risk being captured by the Taliban, WhatsApp's We Are Ayenda picked up the Grand Prix in the Entertainment category.

Described as having a connection to the brand that couldn't be clearer - the team using the service to enable secure communication - the Jury President, Geoffrey Edwards from Gale, applauded an "incredibly riveting piece that reached the world through entertainment channels".

Picking up the Grand Prix on a unanimous decision for its authentic storytelling and imbued connection to the brand, the work also picked up a Gold alongside Change The Ref's American Cancer Story and Orange's Women's Football.

To see the full list of winners and shortlisted work, visit the Cannes Lions site.

ENTERTAINMENT LIONS FOR MUSIC

Celebrating the diversity of the jury and its catalyst for cultural insights, Jury President Madeline Nelson, U.S. Head of Independent Label Relations at Amazon Music, spoke on how authenticity led to the awarding of Johnnie Walker's Errata at 88 the Grand Prix.

Telling the tale of one of Brazil's greatest singers, Alaíde Costa, and her sexist and racist removal from Bossa Nova history, the campaign not only brought light on Costa's story, but also changed her life in the process.

The category also awarded two Gold winners: Verizon's Can't B Broken by Ogilvy, New York, and MJZ, Los Angeles; and Real Club Celta's Oliveira dos Cen Anos by Real Club Celta, Vigo, and Visit Little Spain, Madrid.

To see the full list of winners and shortlisted work, visit the Cannes Lions site.

ENTERTAINMENT LIONS FOR SPORT

With a category in which "quality was sky high", Jury President Louise Johnson, CEO at Fuse, recognised five trends amongst the entries: Women's sport is a major conversation, big brands are back, large and small stories are celebrated equally, successful projects take a fan-first approach, and humour is key.

The work that picked up the Grand Prix, Women's Football for Orange, not only marked "a cultural moment" in the portrayal of women in sport, but managed to spread its message beyond typical sports fans, and international borders.

Gold Lions followed for WhatsApp's We Are Ayenda, AB InBev's Michelob Ultra Lap of Legends, Adidas's Runner 321, and Real Club Celta's Oliveira dos Cen Anos.

To see the full list of winners and shortlisted work, visit the Cannes Lions site.

ENTERTAINMENT LIONS FOR GAMING

In only its second year, the Entertainment for Gaming jury recognised that authenticity and humour were key tactics in engaging the attention of gamers.

Speaking of the Grand Prix winner - XBOX's The Everyday Tactician - Chief Storyteller at Mojang Studios and Jury President Lydia Winters noted a fact that most gamers know but brands are only just noticing: "gaming skills transfer to the real world"