Health care is India's lucky 13 at Cannes Lions Festival

With 13 on health care shortlist, Indian agencies could convert at least half of them into winning campaigns on day one of the festival, say experts

During the last few years, Indian advertisement agencies at the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity, billed as the Oscars of advertising, have turned to the health care and glass lion categories in their quest for metals, industry parlance for awards.

And this year has been no exception, with health care (including health & wellness and pharmaceutical) giving Indian agencies 13 shortlisted entries, an impressive start to its campaign at the French resort town. Shortlists, for the uninitiated, ensure ad agencies are in the reckoning for metals. The higher the shortlists the more is the likelihood of conversion into metals.

Also Read :Cannes Lions 2018: Seamless world of advertising

In the glass lion category, Indian ad agencies have four shortlists this year, including hot favourites such as ‘Sindoor Khela — No Conditions Apply’ for The Times of India (by FCB India) and ‘#StandbyToughMoms’ for All Out mosquito repellents (by BBDO India), both tipped as potential winners this year.

While the results in the glass lion category will be declared later in the week, day one of the festival will be devoted to the health care segment. Among the trophies that will be given on Monday will be the Lions Health Grand Prix for Good, Young Lions Health Award, Healthcare Agency of the Year and Healthcare Network of the Year.

Ad industry veteran K V Sridhar, founder and chief creative officer, HyperCollective, says Indian agencies may land up converting at least half the shortlists into winning campaigns in health care.

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36 lakh Iraqi children at risk, due to surge in violence: Unicef

36 lakh Iraqi children at risk, due to surge in violence: Unicef

The grievous rise of conflict in West Asian country -- Iraq has left 36 lakh children, which is one in five of the country’s children at risk of death, injury, sexual violence or abduction, according to a recent report by United Nations Children's Emergency Fund (Unicef).

In a report titled A Heavy Price for Children, the UN children's agency said that the number of children in Iraq were at serious risk of death or wartime exploitation had increased by 13 lakh in the past 18 months.

The report said that 47 lakh Iraqi children --- a third of all, need humanitarian aid, with deteriorating conditions following the fierce military operations in Fallujah and around Mosul. As the scale and complexity of the humanitarian crisis in the country, reeling from nearly four decades of conflict, insecurity and neglect, where the impact on children worsens every day.

The report quoted the Unicef Iraq Representative, Peter Hawkins as saying: "Children in Iraq are in the firing line and are being repeatedly and relentlessly targeted. We appeal to all parties for restraint and to respect and protect children. We must help give children the support they need to recover from the horrors of war and contribute to a more peaceful and prosperous Iraq." Read More