CANNES, France—John Lewis' clever, adorable and beautifully made "Monty the Penguin" spot snagged the top prize in the Film Craft contest at the Cannes Lions festival here tonight, giving London agency adam&eveDDB a fifth Grand Prix to go with the four it won last year for Harvey Nichols.
The commercial, which told the charming story of a boy and his best friend, a penguin named Monty, was widely considered the gem of last year's Christmas season in Britain (and across the world, for that matter). And it clearly won over the Film Craft jury, too.
At a press conference Saturday, jury president João Daniel Tikhomiroff of Mixer admitted he and his colleagues were supposed to cast a cold, discerning eye on the entries to gauge the value of their craft. But when Monty waddled into view, it was a different story.
"We started, as a group, to think from the heart," he said. "All of the golds were brilliant executions, innovative and great ideas. But in the end, our choice [for the Grand Prix] was what really touched our heart."
The John Lewis spot also won a gold Lion in addition to the Grand Prix.
A total of 16 gold Lions were awarded. The U.S. won just one gold, which went to TBWA/Media Arts Lab for Conservation International's spot "The Ocean." U.S. agencies also won five silver Lions and 10 bronze Lions.
See all the U.S. winners below.
—U.S. Winners in Film Craft
Conservation International, "The Ocean"
Entrant: TBWA\Media Arts Lab Los Angeles / Mal For Good Los Angeles
Production Company: @Radical.Media Santa Monica / Beacon Street Studios Los Angeles (Gold)
Intel + Dell, "What Lives Inside"
Entrant: Pereira & O'dell San Francisco
Production Company: RSA Films Los Angeles / MPC Santa Monica / Laundry! Los Angeles (Silver campaign, bronze campaign)
Regency Beauty Institute, "Beauty Grew All Around"
Entrant: Colle + McVoy Minneapolis
Production Company: (Silver)
GE, "The Boy Who Beeps"
Entrant: BBDO New York
Production Company: Park Pictures New York (Bronze)
Geico, "Unskippable: Family Long Form"
Entrant: The Martin Agency, Richmond, Va.
Production Company: Park Pictures New York (Bronze)
Adidas Originals, "Original Superstar"
Entrant: Johannes Leonardo New York
Production Company: Caviar Los Angeles (Bronze)
Converse, "Converse: Made By You"
Entrant: Anomaly New York
Production Company: Iconoclast Los Angeles (Bronze)
Weight Watchers, "If You're Happy"
Entrant: Wieden + Kennedy, Portland, Ore.
Production Company: Epoch Films Los Angeles, Ca (Bronze)
Mophie, "All-Powerless"
Entrant: Deutsch LA
Production Company: Biscuit Filmworks Los Angeles (Bronze)
