Organizers finally confirmed that the annual Cannes advertising market Cannes Lions will not go forward this year. Postponed once already from its traditional June date to October, the festival's organizer Ascential has now announced there will be no gathering at all in 2020, and has set a new date for June 21-25, 2021 instead.
“As the impact from Covid-19 continues to be felt across the world on consumers and our customers across the marketing, creative and media industries, it has become clear to us our customers’ priorities have shifted to the need to protect people, to serve consumers with essential items and to focus on preserving companies, society and economies,” organizers said.
“Our difficult decision follows in-depth consultations with our partners and customers and reflects the unprecedented societal, health and economic challenges currently facing the world, as well as our desire to remove any uncertainty about the running of the awards and event for our partners and customers,” they added.
Meanwhile, Philip Thomas, Chairman of Cannes Lions, expressed: “Cannes Lions at its core has always been about creativity and the Lions. We realise that the creative community has other challenges to face, and simply isn’t in a position to put forward the work that will set the benchmark”.
“The marketing and creative industries, in common with so many others, are currently in turmoil, and it’s clear that we can play our small part by removing all speculation about the Festival this year. We have tried to make our decisions as early as possible to give the industry total clarity on the situation, and that is why we are announcing this move today,” he concluded
We realise that the creative community has other challenges to face, and simply isn’t in a position to put forward the work that will set the benchmark” Philip Thomas Chairman of Cannes Lions
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