The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity and ESL FACEIT Group will recognize gaming for the first time through the Entertainment Lions for Gaming, celebrating creative work that connects people to brands through gameplay
| PRESS RELEASE SUMMARY – Cannes Lions is the largest gathering in the creative marketing community which takes place between June 19th to 23rd – Typically centered around traditional entertainment such as film and TV or the crafts used to bring campaigns across any industry to life, 2023 signifies the first official award dedicated to gaming – ESL FACEIT Group, the leading competitive games and esports company, will be the exclusive partner for the entire Entertainment Track which incorporates music, sports and the inaugural Entertainment Lion for Gaming, supporting the industry’s creative excellence |
Cologne/New York – ESL FACEIT Group (EFG), the leading competitive games and esports company, are pleased to announce their partnership with The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. The 70th edition of the event will see a curated program of world-class experts celebrate the latest creative innovations and discuss the role creativity plays in sustaining commercial growth and building communities. The Lions are the world’s most respected benchmark for creative excellence.
The 70th edition will also be the inaugural event for the new Lion, the Entertainment Lion for Gaming as part of the Entertainment Track. There are currently 30 Cannes Lions Awards housed within 9 tracks and the new gaming Award will look at how brands successfully tapped into complex gaming communities and seamlessly added real value to the overall gaming experience while driving commercial success.
The Cannes Lions Awards incorporate tracks such as Classic, where a big creative idea is brought to life through film, outdoor, print, radio and more, or Craft which focuses on artistry. Cannes Lions first started separating specific entertainment industries in 2016 with the launch of the Entertainment Lions for Music then in 2019 for Sport. Gaming has now been recognized as a new disruptive force for creativity thanks to its innovative approach to brand integrations, content creation and scale of the industry’s gaming celebrities and events.
EFG will be the exclusive Entertainment Track partner which incorporates music, sport and the brand-new Gaming Lion, and will proudly present the best achievements in Branded Content for Gaming, exploring live broadcasts and streams, Community, Gaming-Led Brand Experience and many more.
Rodrigo Samwell, CCO, ESL FACEIT Group [EFG], said: “Gaming and esports are no longer on the side lines of entertainment. With more than three billion gamers and over $200 billion revenue, gaming is already larger than the movies and music industry combined. Gaming is the place where the ever growing global community of players, fans and creators engage and express their creativity without boundaries and far beyond gameplay.”
“We are very proud that a prestigious organization like Cannes Lions recognizes gaming and esports. At EFG we connect some of the largest brands in the world to gaming communities and with this partnership we want to inspire brands out there about how to connect with the gaming audience in a creative, authentic, and meaningful way.“
The final deadline for the Cannes Lions Awards is tomorrow April 13th. Winners for the first-ever Entertainment Lions for Gaming will be announced on June 20th.
Further information about the Awards can be found at www.canneslions.com/awards/lions.
For more general information, please visit eslfaceitgroup.com, and follow ESL FACEIT Group on LinkedIn.
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About ESL FACEIT Group
ESL FACEIT Group (EFG) is the leading esports and video game entertainment company dedicated to creating worlds beyond gameplay where players and fans become community. EFG is built on a legacy of world-renowned brands including ESL, FACEIT, DreamHack and DreamHack Sports Games, providing innovative ecosystems for global communities of players, fans and creators around the games they love. Working alongside leading partners, brands and global IPs, EFG operates an unmatched portfolio of live events, digital platforms and developer tools that reach and engage millions of gamers worldwide. For more information visit www.eslfaceitgroup.com.
About LIONS
As The Home of Creativity, LIONS powers the marketing segment of Ascential and is a destination for those in the business of creativity. As the definitive benchmark of creative excellence and with unparalleled access to insight on how it works, LIONS provides those on the journey to creative excellence all they need, at whatever stage they are at and wherever they are. Our annual five-day Festival, Cannes Lions, is the meeting place for the global creative marketing community and a celebration of the world’s most excellent and effective work.