The Titanium Lion category, encouraged by the creative in 2003, is renamed Dan Wieden Titanium Lion
The Cannes Film Festival has renamed one of its awards, the Titanium Lion, to Dan Wieden Titanium Lion in honor of the publicist and co-founder of Wieden+Kennedy, who passed away on September 30th.
The category was born on account of Wieden and aims to reward provocative, innovative and inspiring work at the festival.
“It’s because of Dan that we ask the jury to award work that makes the industry stop and reconsider the way forward year after year. The Dan Wieden Titanium Lions will forever honor his legacy and serve as a symbol for the creative excellence of game changer for generations to come,” said Simon Cook, the festival’s CEO.
In 2003, BMW’s “The Hire” campaign was recognized by the Cannes judges as an excellent work, but it didn’t fit into the categories at the time and, therefore, only won one Lion. From there, Dan Wieden encouraged the festival to create the Titanium category, with the aim of recognizing works from a new generation.
“Dan Wieden has shaped the Cannes Lions in many ways, but the creation of the Titanium Lions is the most dramatic and most fitting for a visionary. May this award forever reflect his passion, commitment and creative genius in bearing his name, I hope, will be a memorial suited to our industry for one of its greatest talents,” said Philip Tomas, president of the awards.
Dan Wieden has served as President of the Cannes Lions Jury twice and, in all, has been awarded 396 Lees. In 2012, the creative was honored as the Lion of San Marcos with the Cannes Lions, which recognized him as someone whose “integrity and brilliance have inspired a generation and won global respect”.
