Independent NZ/AU production company Finch celebrate with four Lions in first year at Cannes

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pedigree.jpgCANNES REVIEW – Finch has tied up its first year in business with a successful week at the 2012 Festival of International Creativity in Cannes, earning two Gold Lions, two Bronze and making the shortlist for Integrated and Titanium.

Finch and Colenso BBDO’s Pedigree Adoption Drive was honoured with a Gold Lion for Best Use of Broadcast in a Promotional Campaign for Promo and Activation. It was shortlisted in the Media Lions category for Best Use of Screens. The campaign allowed viewers to see two different films at the same time by wearing special donation glasses. The campaign was shortlisted for the Integrated and Titanium category.

Finch managing director Rob Galluzzo presented the technology named 37 Degrees, to a packed-out, influential SAWA (cinema trading body) crowd, enthusiastic to realise its potential.

DDB_finch_GOLDlion.jpgSays Galluzzo (pictured left, in between Colnso BBDO’s Scott Coldham and ECD Nick Worthington): “It was good fun presenting. Watching the crowd react to Pedigree was priceless.”

 

The Branded Entertainment category was introduced this year, in which Finch and Wonder’s web series for Qantas and Tourism New Zealand, The Great Crusade, was awarded a Gold Lion for Best Fictional Program, Series or Film where a Client has Successfully Created a Drama, Comedy or Miniseries around a Product or Brand. Glen Condie and Gregor Jordan created the series with writers Nathan Earle and Phil Lloyd. The series was also honoured with a Bronze Media Lion for Best Use of Branded Content and Sponsorship.

Says Michael Hilliard, The Great Crusade EP: “There was a huge proportion of Australian work in competition. You never know how an international panel will respond to regional work – but when we came out of the blind judging round with the highest score for comedy or drama I figured we were in with a chance. We’re in talks with one of the free-to-air stations to build a weekly half hour sports show around Toby so it’s great to have the project recognised.”

Finch picked up a Bronze Film Craft Lion for Derin Seale’s NZTA spot, Flying Objects while Lynx Anarchy, which used modified HD TVs and custom-made polarised glasses to create an experiential installation, was shortlisted in the Digital Outdoor category.