Cannes Lions introduces Holding Company of the Year Award

Any agency that is owned 20% or more by a holding company will contribute points to this award across all sections and categories for both shortlisted and winning entries.

Calculated from the Film, Print, Outdoor, Cyber, Radio, Design, Promotion & Activation, Film Craft, Titanium and Integrated, Media, Direct, PR and Creative Effectiveness categories, the points for the Holding Company of the Year Award will be given as follows:

• 12 points for a Titanium Grand Prix
• 12 points for a Creative Effectiveness Grand Prix
• 10 points for all other Grand Prix
• 10 points for the Grand Prix for Good
• 10 points for a Titanium Lion
• 10 points for a Creative Effectiveness Lion
• 7 points for a Gold Lion
• 5 points for a Silver Lion
• 3 points for a Bronze Lion
• 1 point for a shortlist position

There is no cap on the number of shortlist points for this award but if an entry is shortlisted and then goes on to win an award, the shortlist point is no longer counted.

Special awards gaining in importance, relevance

"The Cannes Lions Special Awards have become increasingly important and relevant to the industry. While many are making their own calculations, to prevent any confusion and to impart an accurate and official position, we thought it necessary to introduce the Cannes Lions Holding Company of the Year Award, which we have no doubt will be a much-sought-after accolade and benchmark for the business," says Terry Savage, festival chairman.

The Holding Company of the Year Award will be presented alongside the Agency of the Year, Independent Agency of the Year, Palme d'Or and Network of the Year, in Cannes on Saturday 25 June. Other Special Awards given at the Festival include Direct Agency of the Year, Media Agency of the Year, Advertiser of the Year, Media Person of the Year and Grand Prix for Good.

As previously announced, to be noted are the changes made to the Agency of the Year Award. Before, only points from Film, Film Craft, Press, Outdoor and Radio shortlisted and winning entries contributed to this award. To acknowledge the increasingly critical nature of Integrated and Digital work, the Agency of the Year award will now also include points won in Cyber, Titanium and Integrated Lions categories. The maximum number of points awarded to an agency for shortlisted entries is 10 but if an entry is shortlisted and then goes on to win an award, the shortlist point is no longer counted. The Interactive Agency of the Year Award will no longer exist.

Important dates:

Entries and Delegate registration are now open.
Creative Effectiveness Lions close: 4 March 2011
Entries close: 11 March 2011
Festival dates: 19-25 June 2011