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posted on Jun. 09, 2025 at 9:40 amJun 6, 2025

Lessons, learnings and lenses from the virtual Cannes Lions shortlist jury room

posted on Jun. 09, 2025 at 9:40 amJun 6, 2025

Current Global's Peter Jacob reveals questions asked by the Cannes Lions PR shortlist jury, comments on some of the best work, and offers advise for those preparing submissions in the years to come.

Peter Jacob, Managing Director, MENAT, Current Global on Cannes Lions jury room

Peter Jacob, Managing Director, MENAT, Current Global

And that’s a wrap, the Cannes Lions shortlist voting is done. Before we see the winners, feel the FOMO from social posts from rooftop receptions and creative roundtables, or ponder the inevitable edgy fashion choices, here are a few reflections from my first time as a PR shortlist jury member.

Let’s say at the outset, Cannes takes the judging process seriously. Jury president Tom ‘the voice’ Beckman set the tone for the role of the shortlist jury, as the curators to provide the best possible shortlist for the best campaigns that represent our time.

Turns out it’s not just the work at Cannes that sets the benchmark, it’s also the Oscars of the judging process.

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the authorAnup Oommen

Anup Oommen is the Editor of Campaign Middle East at Motivate Media Group, a well-reputed moderator, and a multiple award-winning journalist with more than 15 years of experience at some of the most reputable and credible global news organisations, including Reuters, CNN, and Motivate Media Group. As the Editor of Campaign Middle East, Anup heads market-leading coverage of advertising, media, marketing, PR, events and experiential, digital, the wider creative industries, and more, through the brand’s digital, print, events, directories, podcast and video verticals. As such he’s a key stakeholder in the Campaign Global brand, the world’s leading authority for the advertising, marketing and media industries, which was first published in the UK in 1968.