An Australia/New Zealand collaboration has bagged the first Grand Prix and a Gold Lion at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity for FINCH Sydney and Motion Sickness Auckland’s NZ Herpes Foundation campaign.
“The Best Place in the World to Have Herpes” won the Lions Health and United Nations Grand Prix for Good and a Gold Lion in the Health & Wellness category.
Featuring a first-of-its-kind ‘Herpes Destigmatisation Course’, a global ranking system underpinned by live data and irreverent humour, this campaign took an unusual approach to reducing the herpes stigma, framing it as the key to restoring New Zealand’s diminished sense of national pride.
“This year’s Lions Health Grand Prix for Good unabashedly uses humour to tackle a challenging subject and stigmatisation. Forget doom and gloom, there’s enough of that already to go around. Our 2025 awardee took a taboo topic and turned it on its head – showing that with a great strategy, a big, bold crazy idea…can only imagine the pitch…and humour for days, that anything is possible. Brilliant,” said Jury President, David Ohana, chief communications & marketing officer, United Nations Foundation.
Among other Australian winners, DDB Group Melbourne takes home a Bronze Lion in the same category for its “DyslexicU” for Made By Dyslexia and Virgin in collaboration with adam&eveDDB New York and Collider Sydney. There were 33 Lions in the Health & Wellness category from 1,169 entries.
Ogilvy Sydney was awarded a Silver Lion for Coca-Cola’s “Meet me at the Coke Sign” campaign in the Outdoor category. Ogilvy was the only Australian winner in the category, where 57 Lions were awarded from 2,001 entries.
In the Audio & Radio category, DDB Group Sydney won a Bronze Lion for its kangaroo deterrent RooBadge for Volkswagen in collaboration with Nakatomi and Vert Design in Sydney. DDB Group Sydney was the only Australian agency awarded in the category, where 21 Lions were handed out from 714 entries.
Winners of the Lions will be announced at the Award Shows taking place each evening throughout the Festival, from 16 to 20 June 2025. All shortlists and winners will also be available to view on The Work.
