CANNES, France—Just weeks before the London Olympics, ad agency BBH got Britain on the board at Cannes Lions here Tuesday, winning the Grand Prix in Creative Effectiveness for its Axe Angels campaign.
The prize honors a campaign that rolled out in 100 markets worldwide and reversed a downward sales trend for the brand. Each year, in a bid to attract more young men, the brand introduces a new product—the most successful being the chocolate-scented Dark Temptation in 2008. However, its more recent products had flopped. Desperately needing a hit, the brand got one from BBH—Axe Excite, promoted by the "Angels will fall" campaign. The work was a hit with local country brand managers, was flexible enough to work across channels, and resonated with a global youth audience. The result was increased sales and a significantly profitable return on investment.
Along with the Grand Prix, five other Creative Effectiveness Lions were handed out. (Unlike the other contest here, there are no golds, silvers or bronzes—just Lions.) Two U.S. shops were honored: Wieden + Kennedy in Portland, Ore., won for Chrysler's "Born of Fire" campaign; and Grey, New York, for its "Breathe happy" campaign for Febreze.