So that’s Cannes done for another year. And what a year it’s been. Given the trials we’ve all faced, it’s reassuring to see winning work which is as creative, original and rewarding as ever. And it’s gratifying to see more and more agencies and brands seeking to inspire meaningful social change. Here’s my selection of some of the best work to take home a Lion this year.

Can’t Touch This, Cheetos Popcorn

Let’s kick off with a good old fashioned, well crafted TV spot. A beautifully simple idea borne out of a well observed product truth (and one a less courageous brand might have shied away from).

#StealOurStaff, Beco

A big hearted campaign from Beco, created to combat one of the iniquities of the UK employment market. Delivered with the perfect tone of voice - engaging and amusing without ever straying into sanctimony.

#WombStories, Libresse

Viva La Vulva is, for me at least, one of the best ads of this century. Topping it was a tough ask, but I think Libresse might just have managed it with this example of exceptional directorial craft matched to emotional yet authentic human stories.

Of course, as a brand it’s no longer enough to say you care. You have to show it. ‘Pain Stories’ is a carefully conceived initiative which strives to be part of the solution to the challenges depicted in the TV spot.

The Bread Exam, Spinneys Flour and the Lebanese Breast Cancer Foundation

I love the conceptual elegance of this idea - an oblique but ingenious solution to a deep rooted problem.

You Love Me, Beats by Dr Dre

The murder of George Floyd in 2020 ignited a resurgence in the BLM movement. Of all the work created in response none skewers the hypocrisy around the appropriation of black culture as effectively as this spot from Dr. Dre. Great writing and delivery.

Sick Beats, Woojer

I love the ingenuity of this simple solution to a problem afflicting the lives of young sufferers of cystic fibrosis. A great example of a little creative thinking making a huge difference to day to day lives.

Superb Owl, Reddit

A very small ad which stirred up a very big fuss. Reddit spent their entire marketing budget on 5 seconds of Superbowl airtime and got way more bang for their buck than any other advertiser.

Shutter Ads, Heineken

I really missed my local pub last year. And I know they missed the income from regulars like me. This smart idea from Heineken was an inspired way of supporting neighbourhood bars during the depths of the pandemic.

Crocodile Inside, Lacoste, Agency: BETC, Paris

And finally, there’s something gloriously old fashioned about this ad - an irresistible spectacle in the mould of the best work of directors like Glazer, Kaye, Kleinman et al. It was shot by Megaforce for BETC Paris. You can watch the making of here.

That’s it. Hope you enjoyed my picks. If you’d like to explore more of the winning work at this year’s Cannes - without paying a thousand bucks on the official website - check out this free compilation lovingly put together by young creatives Quynh Tran & Toan Mai.