Digital agency VML has confirmed that it withfrew its shortlisted Blackspot Beacon entry from the recent Cannes International Festival of Creativity.
A spokesperson from VML confirmed to the move saying: “VML removed Blackspot Beacon from the Cannes Lions Awards and we have done so in consultation with our client. We have no additional comments.”
The campaign created for Transport New South Wales, centred around installing beacons in blackspots of New South Wales roads, which would then send a signal direct to car radios altering drivers to the upcoming danger.
The campaign was shortlisted in both the media category and the radio category. It is understood that the campaign did not have sign off from the client to be entered, therefore making it ineligible to win a Cannes Lion in the categories it was entered.
During the festival, when asked by AdNews about agencies entering scam into this year's awards and if the festival had taken any steps to guard more tightly this year than in recent years, following the prominent coverage in the Australian media last year, Terry Savage, chairman of Cannes Lions said: “Whether scam was a big thing last year or the Australian media [Mumbrella] made it a big deal is a different question.”
He added: “The fact is that we prepped the jury this year the same way as we do every year. They are made perfectly aware of what it is we're looking for, they are given the same set of instructions every single year. The real intent [of Cannes Lions] is to find the best work. We don't want work in the festival that isn't real. All the juries, all the presidents and the organisers are aware of that.”
At the time of writing Cannes Lions had not responded to a request for further information.
Read more about the issue of scam here and take our poll on whether scam is a big deal or not.
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