PR gets a chance at Cannes

Global - The Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival is embracing public relations with the launch of a PR Lions award for next year's event.

The first PR Lions will held on 22 June alongside the Direct and Promo Lions. The award wishes to "honour the creative use of reputation management by the building and preservation of trust and understanding between individuals, businesses or organisations and their publics". Categories include sector related PR; product & service and technique while judges will award the prize based on strategy; creativity & originality; execution and results.

"Launching PR at Cannes has been on our radar for quite a while and as with any new category we introduce, it takes time to prepare to the standard we expect and is expected of us," Philip Thomas, Cannes Lions Festival CEO, said.

Lord Tim Bell, Chairman of Chime Communications, will chair the inaugural PR Lions jury.

Further information regarding categories and entry submissions will be available from 29 January at www.canneslions.com