Cannes Lions scraps media agency award after OMD Sydney win last year
Advertising festival Cannes Lions is launching an award for agency networks by region, including an Asia Pacific network of the year award, but scrapping the Media Agency of the Year award won by OMD Sydney last year in favour of a Media Network of the Year gong.
The move comes amid controversy around the awards from media agencies, after OMD Sydney’s win last year despite all its entries being submitted by sister-Omnicom agency DDB.
Cannes Lions said in a statement: “Only media agencies are eligible to compete in this award, which will be based on a points system. Advertising agencies credited on shortlisted and winning campaigns in Media Lions will see their points included in the Agency of the Year and Independent Agency of the Year calculation.”
Cannes Lions has yet to answer Mumbrella’s questions as to where the newly defined category leaves independent media agencies that do not have a network.
