Awards: Cannes Lions announces 2021 award entry numbers—29,074 pieces of work are entered from across 90 Countries

CANNES, France—cannes Lions has published its entry numbers ahead of next week ’s Cannes Lions Live running from June 21 to 25. 29,074 pieces of work have been entered from 90 countries, with entries spanning two years after the awards were paused due to the global pandemic in 2020.

Simon Cook, Managing Director, LIONS, said that this was a moment for the industry “to reflect but also look forward”. he continued, “Bringing together this mass of work from across the globe to present to our juries is always an exciting moment for us. The work gives us an initial snapshot of the industry, before our expert juries take on the task of awarding the work that will set the new creative benchmark. This is a highly anticipated moment and the work across two years tells a story about the changing shape of creativity throughout the global pandemic, and showcases the power of creativity as a vehicle for change.”

The work comes from a broader mix of entrants than previous years, and across all Lions. Numbers show that brands continue to invest in creativity, while entries from independent agencies are up by 14% and production companies by 19%.

The newly launched Creative Business Transformation Lions— celebrating creativity that drives business forward—has had a strong first year, indicating that creative companies are now being asked to solve real business problems, with creative thinkers increasingly applying their skills to the business as a whole. Similarly, the Titanium Lions—recognising work that breaks new ground with provocative, boundary-busting, envy-inspiring ideas—have seen large engagement this year with 15% more entries than 2019.