10 of my favourite Cannes effectiveness case studies
It’s kinda funny how we obsess with strategy as if it were ‘the clever bit in the middle’, but actually the real value is in seeing strategy as a narrative that led to consequence. And that narrative often has a set of predictable shapes.
I might be in the minority here, but over time I’ve started to notice that something might feel like a strategy story, or less so. It’s weird. Part of it comes from seeing the rhythms of a) we wanted to do this, b) so we twisted it in this way, c) which unlocked this new set of things, d) and hey look how it worked.
Or, in simpler terms, because I’ve been thinking of medieval things of late, let’s call it the O’SIR narrative. Objective. Strategy. Intervention. Results. I prefer Intervention over Idea because it feels more generative and action oriented, whereas Idea feels a bit too “Big Idea” I.e. we did a mega anthemic film.
(Tho if you’re precious about this, just replace it with Idea and no harm done.)
So, in very topical fashion, here are 10 of the Cannes Lions effectiveness case studies that caught my attention. I spent 3 hours reading them, so I could summarise them for you in 3 or so minutes. In alphabetical order, not order of preference, but they all have a good lesson for us. Hope you enjoy them!
1/ AXA France: Three Words
Objective: Address the lack of emergency relocation for domestic violence victims and improve brand consideration.
Strategy: Turn a private crisis into a collective responsibility by redefining the standard parameters of home insurance.
Intervention: Added three words—'and domestic violence'—to 2.5 million home insurance contracts at no extra cost, providing victims with immediate emergency relocation and support.
Results: Supported 1,576 victims in the first year, boosted net new contracts by 113%, and elevated AXA to #1 in brand consideration.
2/ Astra Zeneca & Merck: Mapping the Tumor 2.0
Objective: Increase biomarker testing rates for cancer patients among overstretched oncologists facing information overload.
Strategy: Replace complex, dense data with intuitive visual metaphors, mirroring how doctors naturally process and explain biology.
Intervention: Created an interactive microsite on OncLive that translated biological tumour features into geographic landscapes, providing actionable and printable clinical tools.
Results: Identified approximately 251 additional patients with treatable HRD-driven disease, increased testing rates to 85%, and secured 36% higher engagement times than platform averages.
3/ Greater Copenhagen Region: Life Quality Insurance
Objective: Attract international skilled workers to Denmark to address a projected 150,000-worker deficit.
Strategy: Remove the paralysis of relocation anxiety by turning a high-risk, permanent move into a safe, guaranteed trial.
Intervention: Launched a world-first "Life Quality Insurance" initiative that guaranteed happiness; if a newcomer's life quality did not improve after a year, the region would help them return home.
Results: Generated over 1,500 high-intent applications from 93 countries (a 2800% increase over benchmarks), creating a highly efficient pipeline of talent.
4/ Mastercard: Makeup Payment
Objective: Defend market share against Brazil's free PIX system and increase daily transactions during Carnival.
Strategy: Merge cultural expression with financial security to offer a theft-proof payment solution in a high-risk, crowded environment.
Intervention: Embedded contactless payment chips into wearable Carnival makeup rhinestones, promoting the innovation via influencers and a targeted PR launch.
Results: Achieved a 156% increase in daily transactions among users, generated 30 million views in five days, and suffered zero thefts.
5/ New Zealand Herpes Foundation: Make New Zealand the Best Place in the World to Have Herpes
Objective: Destigmatise herpes, improve mental wellbeing, and shift national attitudes.
Strategy: Address perceived social judgment rather than a lack of knowledge by turning destigmatisation into a collective, humour-led national challenge.
Intervention: Created the comedic "Herpes Destigmatisation Course" featuring trusted celebrities; completing lessons earned points on a global leaderboard to make NZ the #1 most supportive country.
Results: Viewers consumed over 10,776 hours of educational content, resulting in a 5-point national increase in perceived support and 69% of exposed individuals taking public action.
6/ Opella: Allevia Pollen Passport
Objective: Drive off-season sales and build an emotional connection by de-seasonalising the allergy medication's positioning.
Strategy: Transform the brand from a reactive spring remedy into a proactive travel enabler by targeting the peak holiday-planning window in January.
Intervention: Launched a data-driven digital platform providing real-time allergy forecasts and visual botanical maps for 70,000+ destinations, linked directly to dynamic Amazon discounts.
Results: Drove a 17.2% increase in unit sales and a 27.1% increase in sales value during low-demand months, with a 204% boost in purchase consideration among platform users.
7/ ProColombia: Humanimal Tourism
Objective: Reposition Colombia as a premier ecotourism destination and shift global perceptions away from a history of conflict.
Strategy: Let nature validate the destination by using the instinctual choices of migratory animals as travel endorsements for humans.
Intervention: Synced live GPS tracking of migratory whales, birds, and turtles to trigger real-time, personalised travel offers on booking platforms and digital out-of-home screens the moment the animals arrived.
Results: Generated a 64% increase in flight bookings to Colombia, resulting in an estimated $89.6 million in economic impact and 380 million media impressions.
8/ Progressive Insurance: Dr. Rick
Objective: Increase home insurance awareness and consideration among young, first-time homebuyers.
Strategy: Move beyond auto insurance messaging by tapping into the universally relatable, cringe-worthy insight that buying a home turns millennials into their parents.
Intervention: Deployed "Dr. Rick," a mockumentary-style Parenta-Life Coach helping homeowners navigate 'Parentamorphosis,' expanding the campaign across TV, social media, merchandise, and a published book.
Results: Achieved a 22.1% increase in brand consideration, a 39% increase in policies, and helped the brand rise from the #5 to #2 personal auto insurer in the US.
9/ Sounds Right: Sounds Right
Objective: Create a permanent, self-sustaining financial model for global conservation.
Strategy: Abandon guilt-driven donation campaigns and instead embed conservation funding into the massive, existing consumer habit of streaming music.
Intervention: Established 'NATURE' as a verified, royalty-earning artist on platforms like Spotify, releasing tracks featuring ambient nature sounds in collaboration with major artists like David Bowie and AURORA.
Results: Disbursed $625K to conservation projects to date, achieved over 480 million streams globally, and placed NATURE in the Top 1% of Spotify artists, with projections of $5M annually by 2028.
10/ U.S. Bank: Translators
Objective: Build trust, awareness, and consideration within US Hispanic communities, particularly following a major bank acquisition in California.
Strategy: Connect authentically by elevating and celebrating the shared, real-life experience of immigrant children who act as translators for their families.
Intervention: Launched a 30-minute, unbranded documentary film ("Translators") at film festivals, supported by Hispanic influencers, to subtly support the introduction of their Spanish-language voice assistant app.
Results: Delivered a 13-point increase in brand awareness and a 10-point increase in consideration among California Hispanics, drove a 220% increase in app usage, and secured 16.7 billion media impressions.
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