Hasta La Creative!

What it is: There’s nothing more passionate than a Brazilian soccer fan. So what if that same zest could be applied to one of the nation’s real problems? That was the idea behind the organ-donor push Ogilvy Brazil dreamt up for soccer club Sport Club Recife. Called the "Immortal Fans" organ-donor card, Brazilians were told that their hearts could keep beating for their team — even after their death, or in the body of a rival team supporter. Cards could be downloaded via an app or received in the mail. The campaign featured real patients on transplant lists. “When my lungs go to a guy from a rival team, he will breathe Sport Club Recife!” exclaimed one donor who was included in the case-study video. There were tearful tales told by others about their lives being saved and program’s impact on families. According to the agency, the campaign resulted in 51,000 organ donors and counting. The waiting list for heart and corneal transplants went to 1,000 from zero.

The jury: The 24-person jury was helmed by president Rob Schwartz, TBWA Worldwide’s creative president, who is based in the Los Angeles office of the Omnicom Group network. “I’m pleased to say I’ve judged with more women than I have ever in any show, so it’s nice to see that happening," he said. "Thanks to the gals and thanks to the dudes.” In addition to presiding over a diverse jury, Mr. Schwartz laid out some grand rules about how to pick winners. First was ensuring that pieces engaged the consumer and had immediate calls to action. Second, the jury was instructed to look for entries uniquely of this category — there’s a lot of blur with other categories in the show, and the jury focused on choosing a Grand Prix winner that was decidely promotional. And third, the jury was asked to look beyond examples of good advertising for examples of things they felt "moved by" as humans.

Why it won: Results were a big part of what swayed the jury, and this campaign claimed to improve the organ-donor rate in Brazil by 54%. The campaign also felt like one that could have a lasting impact, which the jury was looking for, especially on the 60th anniversary of the Cannes Lions show. "It’s something 60 years from now people will say, ‘That was really timely, and yet really timeless,’” said Mr. Schwartz.

Continue reading at AdAge.com