Serena Williams may have stepped down from the tennis world, but the power of her brand and the passion and integrity of her spirit is strong enough to evolve with her. Williams’ post-tennis campaign from Nike, “Never Done Evolving” captured the Digital Craft Grand Prix at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity today.
Nike, with AKQA studios in Melbourne, Portland and São Paulo, used AI to travel back in time to create a match-up between Williams from her first Grand Slam at the 1999 U.S. Open versus her at the 2017 Australian Open. The goal was to gain insight on how Williams got to where she is today and how she keeps challenging the future.
Machine learning was able to recreate each era’s playing style, down to decision making, shot selection, reactivity, recovery and agility based on archival footage. Then, Nike was able to bring the models of Williams to life by re-rendering the players from each generation into an entirely new scene and have them appear to be playing and responding to each other.
“The discussion really came down to the fact that in the Digital Craft category, the work really showed artistry,” said Digital Craft jury president Resh Sidhu, global director of Arcadia Creative Studio.
Digital Craft Gold winners
- Spotify, “Wrapped on Platform Experience” by Spotify In-House.
- Congresso em Foco, “Transparency Card” by AKQA Sao Paulo.
- Gorillaz, “Gorillaz Presents” by Google / Nexus Studios / Eleven Management.
Design Lions
The Design Grand Prix went to Microsoft and McCann for “ADLaM—An Alphabet to Preserve a Culture.” The groundbreaking design grew from brothers Ibrahima and Abdoulaye Barry, who looked to evolve their own alphabet.
Working with Microsoft since 2018 and developed in partnership with McCann NY, the language of the Fulani people of West Africa, known as Pulaar, is spoken by over 40 million people, but for most of history, the language had no alphabet. Determined to preserve their native language, in 1989 the Barry brothers created an early version of ADLaM— the acronym A, D, L, M, Alkule Dandayɗe Leñol Mulugol, means it is “the alphabet that will prevent the culture, the people, from disappearing.” The need remained to digitize the alphabet so it could be used to communicate through technology remained, and now the new digital version of ADLaM is now available for use across the Microsoft 365 suite, desktop and mobile platforms, preserving a beautiful and important culture while promoting literacy across West Africa.
“With this piece, the craft is undeniable, but when we thought about its impact, we’re not just preserving a culture, but we’re enabling, through design and innovation, an entire culture to create from their point of view,” said Design jury president Quinnton Harris, co-founder and chief executive officer at Retrospect.
Design Gold winners
- Urihi Yanomami Association, “The Cost of Gold” by DM9 Sao Paulo.
- Podher, “The Congregation” by Klick Health Toronto.
- JR Group, “My Japan Railway” by Dentsu Tokyo.
- Aziome, “Aziome Wastecare, Industrial Waste Certified as Skincare” by Serviceplan Munich.
- Koushi Chemical Industry, “Shellmet” by TBWA\Hakuhodo.
Film Craft Lions
The Film Craft Grand Prix went to Kendrick Lamar’s video for the song “We Cry Together.” The video, from the album Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers, was created by pgLang in Los Angeles, with production assistance from Park Pictures.
The emotional video is cinematic, featuring Taylour Paige, and it chronicles an emotionally abusive romance and how the cyclical presence of trauma exists in relationships. Directed by Jake Schreier, Dave Free and Lamar, with cinematography by Adam Newport-Berra, the film was shot in a single take with live vocals.
The jury found that the film was immaculate, from its camera choreography to the lighting, the production design, which all came together to make something that was brave and shocking and made jury members think and feel.
Film Craft Gold winners
- Apple, “The Greatest” by Somesuch Los Angeles.
- Telefonica, “Shout” by VMLY&R Mexico.
- Sotetsu, “A Train of Memories” by Six Inc. \ Good Design Company \ Hakuhodo.
- “We Cry Together” by pgLang.
- I Am Other, “Cash In Cash Out,” Pharrell, 21 Savage and Tyler the Creator by Electric Theatre Collective \ I Am Other.
Industry Craft Lions
Dentsu’s work for the JR Group, “My Japan Railway,” took the Industry Craft Grand Prix prize. The campaign celebrated the 150th anniversary of the Japan Railway. The country’s first railway opened on Oct. 14, 1872, between Shimbashi Station in Tokyo and Yokohama Station in Yokohama.
Industry Craft Gold winners
- Microsoft, “ADLaM—An Alphabet to Preserve Culture” by McCann NY.
- Stir, “Untangling the Politics of Hair” by FCB India.
- Honda Moto France, “Lap 1,” “Lap 112,” “Lap 559,” “Lap 826” by DDB Paris.
- Skinny, “Phone it In” by Colenso BBDO.
- British Airways, “A British Original” by Uncommon Creative Studio.
Follow all of Adweek’s Cannes Lions coverage here.
