Entries for the Cannes Radio Lions, Direct Lions, Media Lions and Promo Lions close on 16 March 2007, while Cyber Lions, Titanium and Intergrated Lions entries will close on 23 March.
Below is a comparison by Creative Circle between the Lions won in 2006 and Lions won the previous year, in 2005:
| Category | 2005 | 2006 |
| Radio | 6 | 6 |
| Press | 3 | 7 |
| Outdoor | 3 | 7 |
| Film | 1 | 2 |
| Media | 2 | 4 |
| Direct | 1 | 3 |
| Promotional (new category in 2006) | - | 1 |
| TOTAL | 16 | 30 |
Meanwhile, the seven SA experts from the advertising industry chosen to judge the 2007 Cannes Lions Festival are excited and rearing to take up the challenge of judging Cannes Lions, which takes place 17 - 23 June in Cannes, France.
“We are very excited about the appointment of these judges because this confirms that South Africans are recognised internationally as experts in this field,” says Cuthbertson.
The SA team will be part of jurors judging seven different categories: Film, Press, Outdoor, Media, Direct, Radio and Sales promotion.
Phil Ireland from Ireland/Davenport has been chosen to judge the Film Lions. With over a decade of experience working in SA’s premier creative agencies, Ireland has been able to make some campaigns which have won Gold Pencils at One Show, Clios, D&AD, multiple Gold Lions at Cannes and a Loerie Grand Prix. At one stage he was in the top 10 most awarded creatives in the world. He received a special MTV Youth Marketing Award which he clings to even tighter as his hairline recedes.
The Outdoor Lions is being judged by Porky Hefer, executive creative director of the Lowe Bull Group. Hefer discovered the art of graphic design while doing his two-year military service. His career in the industry spans over 14 years working for the big agencies TBWA Hunt Lascaris, Ogilvy in New York, Bozell and Lowe Bull. An award winning creative, Hefer has among his collection a Grand Prix, eight Golds and several silvers at the Loeries, a Gold and Silver at Cannes and other silverware from the One Show and the Art Directors Club New York. He has also judged the One Show and Loeries.
Judging the Media Lions is Gordon Patterson, MD of Starcom, deputy president of the Audit Bureau of Circulation and past chairman of the Advertising Media Forum (AMF). Patterson is a man of vast industry experience. He joined the Argus Group as an assistant marketing administration manager and moved through the ranks. In 1987, he joined Young & Rubicam as a media planner and was promoted to media manager. Next came a stint with DMB&B/Sonnenberg Murphy Leo Burnett as a media manager, where he was promoted to associate media director. In 2000, Patterson launched and was appointed MD of Starcom.
Stuart Stobbs, creative director of Proximity#ttp is the SA juror for Direct Lions. Stobbs’ background started in copywriting. He worked for several big agencies including FCB and Ogilvy before moving as creative head to New#Tork – a grassroots Net#work initiative where he combined raw African art talent with focused communications talent in order to find new ways to communicate. He has judged the Caples Awards and Loeries, as well as the Assegai Awards. He has also won numerous awards at Loeries, Assegais, Caples, Cannes, Young Guns, Pendorings, Marketing Excellence, Vuka and New York Festivals in almost every medium.
King James creative director and equity partner of the design and promotions arm, King James RSVP, Jenny Ehlers is the SA judge for the Sales and Promotion Lions. She kick-started her career in Johannesburg where she was creative director of tool®, a maverick agency within the TBWA group and also spent time at Red Nail. Since her return to Cape Town, Ehlers has been fortunate enough to steer a winning team. In the seven short years of its existence, RSVP has managed to scoop three consecutive Loerie Grand Prix, two One Show Gold Pencils and two D&AD book entries, as well as eight Gold Loeries and 13 Silver Loeries, among others.
The Press Lions judge is Julian Watt, executive creative director at Net#work BBDO. He has been on judging panels for The Loeries as well as Best ads on TV at the London International. A winner of a Gold at Cannes and a Loerie Grand Prix, Watt says his mission is “to change advertising from ‘interruption’ to interaction and have fun while doing it.” He is judging the Cannes for the first time and has also been invited as a juror for the Clios.
Mike Barnwell of Grey Worldwide is the SA judge for the Radio Lions. Barnwell’s creative has consistently featured at Cannes, the Clio awards and the One Show. He has also picked up a Grand Prix at the Loeries. After starting his career at Net#work BBDO , he moved onto FCB JHB where he became a creative director and member of the board. He has been responsible for creating some of SA’s best loved advertising and in 2003 was awarded Financial Mail’s campaign of the year for his work on Vodacom. In July 2005 he joined Grey Worldwide as executive creative director and since then the agency has subsequently more than doubled its creative points. He has been a regular judge at both the Creative Circle and the Loeries.
Cannes Lions is the largest gathering of worldwide marketing and advertising professionals competing for the highly coveted Lion awards, which honour the most creative TV/cinema, print, outdoor, and online advertising, as well as the best media and direct marketing solutions.
