The Cannes Lions have announced the launch of Entertainment Lions for Gaming. The new lion will be judged and awarded for the first time in June 2023, with Francine Li, Global Head of Marketing, Riot Games, serving as the inaugural Jury President.
Simon Cook, Lions CEO said, “We have seen the number of Lions winners offering games increase by 74% over the past five years. Given the speed at which this space is evolving and the increased relevance gaming now has in the creative marketing community, this feels like a natural progression. We also can’t ignore the fact that gaming is bigger than Hollywood and the music industry combined. I want to thank all of the many agencies, brands, gaming experts and passionate advocates from around the world who helped create this new Lion. We believe this award will set a new benchmark and spotlight creative work at the intersection of brands, creativity, gaming, customer experience and communities. I would like to thank Francine for agreeing to chair the judging panel for the first Entertainment Lion for Gaming in 2023. We are grateful for their wealth of talent and expertise.”
Entertainment Lions for Gaming celebrate creative work that connects people with brands through gameplay. Submissions must demonstrate how brands have successfully unlocked complex gaming communities and seamlessly added real value to the overall gaming experience while driving commercial success.
Francine Li said, “I am honored and excited to be the first female Jury President of the Entertainment Lions for Gaming. This new lion is introduced at a time when the gambling industry is really reaching new heights. I believe gaming is the future of entertainment, bringing passionate global communities together in shared immersive and interactive experiences. The creative work in gaming is community-driven, deeply rooted in insights and enhancing the gaming experience, a true definition of modern marketing. I look forward to celebrating groundbreaking work and awarding the first-ever Entertainment Lions for Gaming with a panel of judges comprised of my esteemed colleagues.”
The Entertainment Lions for Gaming, originally a part of the Entertainment Lions, are being introduced as part of a long-term plan that began with the Cannes Lions spinning off the Entertainment Lions for Music in 2016 and later the Entertainment Lions for Sport in 2019.
The jury, to be announced early next year, will be multidisciplinary and will be made up of creatives, brands, gaming experts, publishers, platforms and producers.
Entries for Cannes Lions 2023 will be accepted beginning January 19, 2023.
