Eleven Indians on jury duty at Cannes Lions 2011

Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity will boast of as many as 11 Indian jury members this time around.

Indians on the jury include Malvika Mehra, Grey India for the film category; Amer Jaleel, Lowe India for the press category; Santosh Padhi, Taproot India for the outdoor category; Nandini Dias, Lodestar UM for the media category; Ryan Menenzes, McCann Erickson for the cyber category; Raj Nair, Contract Advertising for the direct category; Nitesh Tiwari, Leo Burnett for the Radio category; Brian Tellis, Fountainhead Promotions for Promo & Activation category; Preeti Vyas, Vyas Giannetti Creative for the design category; Veena Gidwani, Madison Public Relations for the PR category; and Prasoon Pandey, Corcoise Films for the film craft category.

The festival has announced a new award, Holding Company of the Year. Any agency that is owned 20% or more by a holding company will contribute points to this award across all sections and categories for both shortlisted and winning entries. The Award will be presented alongside the Agency of the Year, Independent Agency of the Year, Palme d’Or and Network of the Year, in Cannes on Saturday, June 25.

"The Cannes Lions Special Awards have become increasingly important and relevant to the industry. While many are making their own calculations, to prevent any confusion and to impart an accurate and official position, we thought it necessary to introduce the Cannes Lions Holding Company of the Year Award, which we have no doubt will be a much sought after accolade and benchmark for the business," explained Terry Savage, Festival Chairman.

Calculated from the Film, Print, Outdoor, Cyber, Radio, Design, Promotion & Activation, Film Craft, Titanium and Integrated, Media, Direct, PR and Creative Effectiveness categories, the points for the Holding Company of the Year Award will be as follows: 12 points for a Titanium Grand Prix, 12 points for a Creative Effectiveness Grand Prix, 10 points for all other Grand Prix, 10 points for the Grand Prix for Good, 10 points for a Titanium Lion, 10 points for a Creative Effectiveness Lion, 7 points for a Gold Lion, 5 points for a Silver Lion, 3 points for a Bronze Lion and 1 point for a shortlist position. Organisers informed that there is no cap on the number of shortlist points for this award but if an entry is shortlisted and then goes on to win an award, the shortlist point is no longer counted.

 As previously announced, the Agency of the Year Award will now also include points won in Cyber, Titanium and Integrated Lions categories along with Film, Film Craft, Press, Outdoor and Radio. Also, the Interactive Agency of the Year Award will no longer exist.