While the 70th annual Cannes Lions doesn’t officially get underway until Monday morning, it felt as though the International Festival of Creativity, as it’s officially known, was soft-launching on Sunday.

As attendees streamed into the city, and the finishing touches were being put on the many branded activations and hospitality sites along the beach adjacent to the Palais des Festivals, 17 shortlists were also released.

In total, 167 Canadian submissions made the lists, with different Rethink and Kraft Heinz entries making the list 39 times. Other strong showings include Rethink and “The Unburnable Book” for Penguin Books Random House; Klick Health and Paws NY for “The Bridge”; Citizen Relations and Cheetos for “Cheetle in Cheadle”; and BBDO’s “Missing Matoaka” for Muskrat Magazine, which was a huge winner at the One Show in New York last month.

Since 2018, Cannes has structured the Lions by Tracks.

Engagement Track

Creativity that captivates at every touchpoint, authentic interaction and immersive experiences that engage consumers and impact culture.

PR: 18 entries 

• FCB Toronto and Adidas were shortlisted three times for “Runner 321”
• Rethink and Kraft Heinz were shortlisted twice for “Heinz Vintage Drip”
• Edelman Toronto and Dove were shortlisted twice for “#Keep The Grey”
• The Kitchen and Kraft Heinz were shortlisted twice for “#Find The Ketchup Boat Guy”
• Rethink and Penguin Books Random House were shortlisted twice for “The Unburnable Book”
• Fuse Create and Hilton for “Hilton on the Green”
• Publicis Toronto and Brazilian media outlet Congresso em Foco for “Money Blocker”
• Rethink and Kraft Heinz for “Just Date a Farmer”
• Tank Montreal / Grey Toronto and Razom for “Feel What we Feel”
• Citizen Relations and Elimin8Hate for “Reclaim Your Name.dic”
• BBDO and Muskrat Magazine for “Missing Matoaka”
• McCann Toronto and Love & Nudes for “Stage Zero Collection”

Direct: 19 entries

• Dentsu Toronto and Skip the Dishes were nominated three times for “Inflation Cookbook”
• Rethink and Kraft Heinz were nominated twice for “Just Date a Farmer”
• Courage and KFC were nominated twice for “Fixed It”
• FCB Toronto and Adidas were nominated twice for “Runner 321”
• Rethink and Kraft Heinz were nominated twice for “Heinz AI Ketchup”
• Rethink and Heinz Ketchup were nominated twice for “Heinz Ketchup Fraud”
• Rethink and Kraft Heinz for “Heinz LVI Means 57”
• Performance Art Toronto and BMW for “The Hofmeister Kink”
• Citizen Relations and Cheetos for “Cheetle in Cheadle”
• Rethink and IKEA for “IKEA Wndow Shopping”
• Rethink and Tree Canada for “Offset Mode”
• Cossette and Amnesty International Canada for “The Dictaction”

Social and Influencer: 22 entries

• Ogilvy Toronto (with Ogilvy London) and Dove were nominated three times for “The Cost of Beauty”
• Edelman Toronto and Dove were nominated three times for “#Keep The Grey”
• FCB Toronto and Bank of Montreal were nominated twice for “NXT LVL”
• FCB Toronto and Adidas were nominated twice for “Runner 321”
• Taxi Montreal and Amnestie Internationale Canada Francophone were nominated twice for “The Systemic Racism Pin”
• Citizen Relations and Cheetos were nominated twice for “Cheetle in Cheadle”
• Rethink and Heinz Ketchup for “Heinz AI Ketchup”
• Rethink and Nestle Canada for “Kitkat Ramadan Iftar Bar”
• Rethink and Kraft Heinz for “Philadelphia Schmear Socks”
• FCB Toronto and Sobeys for “Trending 2 Table”
• Rethink and Heinz for ”Heinz AI”
• Angry Butterfly and Jane/Finch Community Centre for “Bill it to Bezos”
• Rethink and Kraft Heinz for “Heinz Vintage Drip”
• Rethink and Heinz Ketchup for “Heinz Ketchup Fraud”

Media: 7 entries. 

• LG2 Quebec and Exceldor were nominated twice for “Check Mark CV”
• Rethink and Penguin Books Random House were nominated twice for “The Unburnable Book”
• Rethink and IKEA for “IKEA Window Shopping”
• Rethink and Decathlon for “Ability Signs”
• FCB Toronto and Sobeys for “Trending 2 Table”

Craft Track

Focused on the artistry, skill, talent and flair to deliver beautifully executed ideas.

Film Craft: 15 entries

• Broken Heart Love Affair and Royal Ontario Museum were nominated four times for “Immortal”
• Ogilvy Toronto (with Ogilvy London) and Dove were nominated four times for “The Cost of Beauty”
• Bensimon Byrne / Narrative / One Method and White Ribbon were nominated twice for “I Knew All Along”
• Klick Health and Paws NY were nominated twice for “The Bridge”
• Bensimon Byrne / Narrative and Casey House for “Others”
• Rethink (with MJZ Los Angeles) and IKEA for “Bring Home to Life”
• Rethink and IKEA for “The Troll”

Digital Craft: 6 entries

• Dentsu Toronto and Skip the Dishes were nominated twice for “Inflation Cookbook”
• Klick Health and Paws NY for “The Bridge”
• BBDO and Muskrat Magazine for “Missing Matoaka”
• Wunderman Thompson and True Patriot Foundation for “Remastered Memories”
• Performance Art and BMW for “The Hofmeister Kink”

Industry Craft: 8 entries

• Rethink and Heinz Ketchup were nominated three times for “Kitchen”
• Rethink and Heinz Ketchup were nominated twice for “QSR”
• Rethink and Heinz Ketchup were nominated twice for “Diner”
• Rethink and Association of Registered Graphic Designers for “RGD Branding Awards”

Design: 7 entries

• Klick Health and Podher were nominated twice for “The Congregation”
• Rethink Toronto and RGD for “RGD Branding Awards”
• One Twenty Three West and Seattle Southside for “Explore Seattle Southside”
• Rethink and Penguin Books Randome House for “The Unburnable Book”
• Performance Art (with VectorB McCann (Mexico City) and Bimbo for “The Greatest Guide to Jochos & Burgers”
• Dentsu Toronto and Jems for “F*cking Old”

Entertainment Track

Campaigns that go “beyond branded communications to create authentic entertainment” with four distinct category groupings: Entertainment, Entertainment for Music, Entertainment for Sport (no Canadian work was shortlisted in Music of Sport) and, introduced this year, Entertainment for Gaming.

The Entertainment Lions: 10 entries 

• BBDO and Muskrat Magazine were nominated six times for “Missing Matoaka”
• Klick Health and Paws NY for “The Bridge”
• Broken Heart Love Affair and the Royal Ontario Museum for “Immortal”
• Rethink and Penguin Books Random House for “The Unburnable Book”
• Ogilvy Toronto (with Ogilvy London) and Dove for “The Cost of Beauty”

Entertainment Lions for Gaming: 1 entry

• The Hive and OLG for “Chatham Plays On”

Health Track

Creativity in branded communications in the highly innovative but fiercely regulated sector that can truly change lives.

Health & Wellness: 13 entries.

• Ogilvy Toronto (with Ogilvy London) were nominated four times for “The Cost of Beauty”
• Klick Health and Paws NY were nominated three times for “The Bridge”
• FCB Toronto and Adidas were nominated twice for “Runner 321”
• Klick Health and Podher for “Thirst”
• Tank Worldwide Montreal and PRB / Dr. Shalon’s Maternal Action Project for “Lullabye”
• No Fixed Address and the Canadian Centre for Child Protection for “Unwanted Film Festival”
• Dentsu Toronto and Jems Condoms for “F*cking Old”

Pharma: 2 entries

• Klick Health and NextMed for “Shoot to Drill”
• Klick Health and Nextmed for “Lifesaving Radio”

Classic Track

The long-standing, yet ever-evolving fundamentals of image, sound and storytelling.

Outdoor: 17 entries.

• Rethink and Heinz Ketchup were nominated twice for “Kitchen”
• Rethink and Heinz Ketchup were nominated twice for “QSR”
• Rethink and Heinz Ketchup were nominated twice for “Diner”
• Rethink and Heinz Ketchup for “Ketchup Fraud”
• Rethink and Kraft Heinz were nominated twice for “ Heinz AI Ketchup”
• Rethink and Heinz Ketchup for “Space”
• Rethink and Heinz Ketchup for “Synthwave”
• Rethink and IKEA were nominated twice for “IKEA Window Shopping”
• Citizen Relations and Cheetos were nominated twice for “Cheetle in Cheadle”
• Ogilvy Toronto (with Ogilvy London) and Dove for “Injectable Billboard”
• FCB Toronto and Bank of Montreal for “Rainbow Deposits”

Print & Publishing: 10 entries

• Rethink and Penguin Random House were nominated four times for “The Unburnable Book”
• Rethink and Heinz Ketchup for “Heinz Ketchup Fraud”
• Rethink and Heinz Ketchup for “Kitchen”
• Rethink and Heinz Ketchup for “QSR”
• Rethink and Heinz Ketchup for “Diner”
• LG2 and Préma-Quebec for “The 1.8-pound book”
• Taxi and Native Women’s Association of Canada for “Change the Bill”

Radio & Audio: 12 entries

• BBDO Toronto Muskrat Magazine were shortlisted seven times for “Missing Matoaka”
• Klick Health and NextMed were shortlisted three times for “Lifesaving Radio”
• Taxi Vancouver and Canada Safety Council for “Sleep Tracks”
• Cossette Montreal and Amnesty International for “The Dictaction”