The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity has officially launched the 2019 Festival with details available about next year’s event, including the addition of two new Lions to the awards line-up.

A Creative Strategy Lion and an Entertainment Lion for Sport will be among a total of 27 Lions categories that will be awarded at the five-day event that will take place from 17-21 June 2019.

Sitting within the Reach Track, one of nine Tracks that reflect the breadth of disciplines across the global branded communications industry, the new Creative Strategy Lion will celebrate “the idea behind the idea”.

Specifically, it is designed to showcase how strategic planning can redefine a brand, reinvent its business and influence consumers or wider culture.

The jury will reward exceptional interpretation of the business/brand challenge, breakthrough thinking and transformational problem-solving that led to compelling creative strategy.

Meanwhile, the new Entertainment Lion for Sport, which complements the Entertainment Track, will celebrate creativity that leverages the power of sports and eSports for brands, and the jury will reward excellence in breakthrough creativity within sports marketing.

“Both of these Lions represent a shifting industry landscape and now is the right time to recognise these disciplines through our awards,” said Simon Cook, VP of creative excellence at Cannes Lions.

“With an increasingly broader creative communications ecosystem, the Creative Strategy Lion will elevate and define the importance of strategy in creative vision, while the Entertainment Lion for Sport will give credence to the breadth of content and communications surrounding this unique global market,” he added.

Cannes Lions also announced that it is closing its Product Design Lions category, which will be absorbed into the Design Lions and Innovation Lions, and that Track Ambassadors will be appointed ahead of the 2019 Festival.

In addition, details of the content programme have been announced, with sessions operating within the framework of the nine tracks, and the agenda is expected to be more immersive and interactive than before, including more case studies and debate. WARC once again will be hosting a day of content in the Palais with an emphasis on effectiveness.

Delegate registration is now open and accommodation is available to book. Further information can be found at www.canneslions.com.

Sourced from Cannes Lions; additional content by WARC staff