"After all, award shows entries across the board are down, and the Film category has produced no clear front runners for the Grand Prix. But rumors of creativity's demise have been greatly exaggerated. In fact, creativity is thriving. Creativity is the primary asset of business today, and it's never been important as it is now, which is why we're thrilled to report that we saw more innovative, fresh and altogether dazzling communication solutions than ever. As a result, you'll find this year's reel includes far fewer Film entries, but more out-of-the-box, genre-defying and altogether brilliant future-facing efforts."

Tutssel say this year's reel is their first fully-integrated Cannes Predictions, a collection that incorporates the most likely Lion winners in multiple categories including Cyber, Titanium & Integrated and even Outdoor.

So, what can we expect at Cannes 2009? Here are Tutssel's general observations on the year:

Integration
Sure, we've certainly heard this before, though we're not referring to efforts merely executed across a handful of media. Rather, we're talking about ideas that harnessed a confluence of technologies to produce truly engaging experiences. Many of this year's entries did just this, though Doritos "Hotel 626" was one standout, linking mobile, Twitter, Facebook and a faux documentary to a rich, terrifying, three-dimensional web universe. And Fiat's "eco:Drive" provided a detailed peek into motorists' driving habits courtesy of a USB flash drive that connected their cars and computers.

Politics
Personal beliefs aside, nearly all of us marveled at Barack Obama's groundbreaking netroots movement that ultimately won him the 2008 U.S. Presidential election. Could a political campaign land a Titanium Lion? Meanwhile "The Great Schlep" - also on behalf of Obama via the Jewish Council for Education Research - served up a side-splitting and unique appeal to voters that broke a few barriers (and taboos) of political advertising.

Online is Flourishing
We've come a long way from the simple banner ad. Burger King's "Whopper Sacrifice" leveraged Facebook so boldly that even the social networking site wasn't sure what to make of it. Sprint's "Plug Into Now" transformed PC desktops into a stunning real-time data dashboard. And the Mentos "Kiss Cam" gave anyone with a webcam the opportunity to share a virtual, interactive 'kiss' with his or her choice of a hunk or babe.

Taking It To the Streets
Pampero Rum's "Ephemeral Museum" turned an entire district of Lisbon into a bona fide art gallery, while Oasis gave New York City residents a sneak preview of their new album by means of street musicians with the "Dig Out Your Soul" effort. And it's hard to resist T-Mobile's "Dance," which employed the impromptu joy of a flash mob to amuse passersby at a Liverpool railway station. Finally, the one-of-a-kind James Ready "Share Our Billboards" invited beer enthusiasts to collaborate on their media plan, resulting in a campaign that was created for the people, by the people, and raised co-authorship to levels unseen in the outdoor medium.

Leveraging the Press
Some of our favorites wove their way into the cultural fabric, effectively using the media to
add traction to their stories. In what many public relations mavens declared to be the best effort of its kind, Tourism Queensland invited jobseekers from around the world to apply for "The Best Job In the World." And the very essence of the NBA's "There Can Only Be One" campaign wound up gracing the cover of Time magazine and spoofed by Saturday Night Live.

Film - A Mixed Bag
Unlike most years, there were few blockbusters in the lot, though we should add a quick caveat: as history tells us, many in this category make their first appearance in Cannes, so it's almost certain we'll be delighted and surprised by a few stellar debuts.

Still, we saw some outstanding work, including "Go On Lad," a throwback to a classic with a trip through time for Hovis, and "House of Cards," a gorgeously rendered visual metaphor with a Radiohead soundtrack for housing charity Shelter. We also caught plenty of ads employing those two perennially Cannes-approved themes: Sex and humor.
Spots like Levi's "Secrets and Lies" and Diesel "SFW XXX" deliver a little raciness, while Pepto-Bismol "Empanada" and Esthe Wam Hair Removal "Beauty Bowling"
provide a few laughs. Also keep your eye on Canal+ "Versailles," an extension of a campaign that's historically performed well yet still remains fresh. And we'd be remiss not to mention JCPenney "Doghouse," the hilarious instructional short for wayward men everywhere.