It's Lions time: 60th Cannes Festival opens for award entries

The awards programme this year includes 16 categories:

• Branded Content & Entertainment Lions
• Creative Effectiveness Lions
• Cyber Lions
• Design Lions
• Direct Lions
• Film Craft Lions
• Film Lions
• Press Lions
• Media Lions
• Mobile Lions
• Outdoor Lions
• Promo & Activation Lions
• PR Lions
• Radio Lions
• Titanium & Integrated Lions
• The new Innovation Lions category

The official deadline for entries is 28 March for all categories, except the Creative Effectiveness Lions, which are due 1 March. Of course, as the Cannes website details, late entries are accepted, but with a higher entry fee. 

Besides the new Innovation category, other changes this year include:

• Only a media agency or media department of a full service ad agency will be eligible to win the Media Agency of the Year Award. Advertising agencies, clients, media owners and others can continue to enter and win a Media Lion, but the involvement of the media agency or media department will become a mandatory field on the entry form. “The reality is that Media Lions should reward tactical media planning and placement, and these changes will reflect that,” said Terry Savage, chairman of Lions Festivals.
• The Palme d’Or Award, presented to the best production company, will take into account points accumulated for shortlisted and winning entries in the Branded Content & Entertainment category, in addition to those earned in the Film and Craft Categories.

The Festival takes place from 16-22 June. And here are the dates when you will find out whether your work will join that of the immortals:

• Monday 17 June: Creative Effectiveness, Direct, PR and Promo & Activation
• Tuesday 18 June: Innovation, Media, Mobile and Outdoor 
• Wednesday 19 June: Cyber, Design, Press and Radio 
• Saturday 22 June: Branded Content & Entertainment, Film, Film Craft, and Titanium & Integrated