PR gets serious respect this year at Cannes, with the launching of the PR Lions this year. Lord Tim Bell will sit as the President of the inaugural PR Lions jury.
As viral marketing and user-generated content blur traditional lines, the PR Lions join the existing entry sections of Film, Press, Outdoor, Media, Promo, Design, Cyber, Direct, Radio, Titanium and Integrated Lions. It signals the entry of a wider-scoped Festival, with a clear desire to represent the whole advertising and communications industry.
The PR Lions will honor the creative use of reputation management by establishing and sustaining trust and understanding between individuals, businesses and organizations and their representations. Categories will broadly include Sector Related PR, Product & Service and Technique. Judging will be based on points for strategy, creativity and originality, execution and results.
Of the PR Jury Chair, Lord Bell was one of the founders of Saatchi & Saatchi in 1970. He is currently Chairman of Chime Communications. He was Deputy Chairman of The Lowe Group in 1985, buying out the communications division, Lowe Bell Communications, in 1989. Lord Bell is one of the best known figures in the UK communications industry, an adviser to the chairmen and chief executives of a number of Britain’s leading companies and organizations, including foreign heads of state and international business leaders and politicians, as well.
In a statement, Philip Thomas, Festival CEO, said, “Launching PR at Cannes has been on our radar for quite a while and as with any new category we introduce, it takes time to prepare to the standard we expect and is expected of us. The time is now right and we are extremely honoured to have Lord Tim Bell chair the first PR Lions jury. An authority on PR with a long and distinguished career, he will bring valuable knowledge and guidance to the inaugural PR Lions competition.”
The PR Lions competition will be available for entry submissions online starting Jan. 29, 2009.
