Why Winning a Cannes Lions Grand Prix Shouldn’t Define PR Agency Success

By Anietie Udoh

The 2024 Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity marked a historic milestone for the PR industry when Golin secured the first-ever PR Lions Grand Prix awarded solely to a PR agency. Their campaign, The Misheard Version for Specsavers, was celebrated for its outstanding creativity. The jury president, founder of One Green Bean, remarked, “I could not be more delighted that 2024 is the year that history will be made… The Misheard Version over-delivered against every evaluation benchmark we set ourselves.”

While this recognition is undoubtedly a moment of pride for the PR industry, it reignites an ongoing debate—should awards like the Cannes Lions be the standard by which we measure the effectiveness of a PR agency?

The Cannes Lions Are About Creativity, Not PR Effectiveness

Stuart Bruce, a respected voice in PR, argues that the Cannes Lions are, at their core, a celebration of creativity rather than an indicator of successful public relations. He points out, “The best PR is PR that works. It helps sell products. It improves employee retention or recruitment. It supports the share price. It defends against damaging legislation. It protects reputations in a crisis.”

While a Cannes Lions-winning campaign may be visually stunning and emotionally engaging, it does not necessarily translate to effective PR that aligns with a brand’s long-term business goals. As Bruce puts it, “A Cannes Lions PR Grand Prix winner is always very creative and makes you go wow. But it’s not always great public relations. In fact, sometimes it’s awful PR.”

The Case of Fearless Girl—Memorable, But Effective?

A prime example is the 2017 PR Grand Prix winner, Fearless Girl. The iconic statue of a young girl standing defiantly in front of Wall Street’s Charging Bull became a global symbol of female empowerment. But did it truly serve its corporate purpose?

Advertising legend Sir John Hegarty, in an interview with AdWeek, questioned its effectiveness: “Fearless Girl did what for the brand? I don’t know what brand it was associated with. We’ve lost connection. We’ve confused persuasion with promotion.”

This sentiment underscores a key issue—if a campaign wins awards but fails to leave a lasting impact on the brand it represents, can it truly be considered a PR success?

Effectiveness Over Creativity

Tom Beckman, Global Chief Creative Officer at Weber Shandwick, acknowledges the value of PR agencies competing at Cannes but emphasizes that awards should not be the ultimate benchmark. “I certainly hope so for our industry, but what’s important to me is that the Grand Prix shows best practice for PR agencies and beyond. Regardless of who’s behind the work…”

A winning campaign should not just be about making headlines or going viral—it should drive real business results. Good PR is about reputation management, crisis communication, stakeholder engagement, and achieving corporate objectives.

The Real Yardstick for PR Success

While awards like the Cannes Lions bring prestige, they should not overshadow the true measure of PR success—effectiveness. The best PR agencies are those that not only create compelling campaigns but also deliver tangible outcomes for their clients.

Winning a PR Grand Prix at Cannes Lions is an incredible achievement, but it should never be mistaken for the ultimate validation of a PR agency’s work. The best PR is not just about creative storytelling; it’s about creating impact where it matters most.