1. Cannes organizers conclude review into PR Lions Grand Prix winner
The PR Lions Grand Prix winner, Lucky Yatra for Indian Railways by FCB India, had become the latest Cannes International Festival of Creativity entry to come under scrutiny following accusations that the results didn’t live up to the claims made in the entry. The campaign turned railway tickets into potential lottery tickets in a bid to encourage the millions of free riders on the world’s busiest railway system to pay their way. The case study claimed the initiative resulted in a 34% increase in sales, a $685 million increase in revenue and a 490:1 prize to revenue return on investment. “In the room, the jury voted based on the material presented to the jurors,” Tom Beckman, global chief creative officer, Weber Shandwick, and chair of jury, Cannes PR Lions told PRWeek. Cannes organizers added: “On Lucky Yatra, we have received direct confirmation from the relevant client — a government entity — that confirms the campaign ran as described. This concludes our investigation.”
2. Longtime WPP PR rep steps down
Holding company PR and corporate affairs veteran Chris Wade is leaving WPP after a 13-year run during which he shepherded PR for founder and CEO Martin Sorrell and his successor Mark Read, who is also leaving WPP, at the end of the year. I always found Wade to be good to deal with and someone who would do his best to get what the press needed while also protecting the best interests of his agency bosses. After the turmoil of the past few years, Wade is planning a well-deserved rest before reentering the fray. I wish him well. Wade’s successor will be Michael Frohlich, who returns to WPP where he had a 10-year stint at Ogilvy, ending as CEO. Most recently, he was EMEA CEO and chief global transformation officer at Interpublic Group’s largest PR firm, Weber Shandwick. The WPP role will involve different challenges as Frohlich helps the holding company navigate the narrative around a new CEO and reestablishing its market capitalization, which has shrunk to a quarter of big rival Publicis Groupe.
3. DC veteran leaves Weber Shandwick for client role
Another Weber Shandwick alum is departing the firm, after a 22-year run, to take on a client role at substance use disorder nonprofit Shatterproof. Pam Jenkins was synonymous with public affairs and healthcare work in DC, having spent a decade at Ogilvy, followed by running Weber’s public affairs subsidiary Powell Tate for over two decades.
4. Tim Dyson to retire after building PR tech dynasty Next 15
Dyson has led the group for 33 years, since taking over in 1992 as a 31-year-old. He led a group of firms including Text 100 and Bite (now Archetype), Outcast PR and M Booth. The growth of what became Next 15 was a reflection of the burgeoning tech scene, especially on the West Coast and in Silicon Valley, and the media ecosystem that grew up around it. Starting with enterprise technology companies and then tapping into the social media explosion, the story of Next 15 and executives including Aedhmar Hynes and Clive Armitage traces the arc of the tech industry and the PR scene around it, which deserves a longer exposition at some point. We wish Dyson well in his retirement, which will formally happen at the end of Next 15’s next financial year as he mentors his replacement, Sam Knights.
5. Pride in PR and July 4 celebrations
PRWeek concluded its fifth annual Pride in PR list on Monday, continuing our tradition of profiling one PR pro per day from the LGBTQ+ community throughout the month of June. In Cannes this year, there was noticeably less concentration on Pride Month, and the amount of brand activations overall was also well down, as companies pull back from making public statements on what are now seen as controversial issues. Interestingly, there have been relatively few July 4-related brand campaigns this year as well, so I don’t know whether those two things are connected. PRWeek will continue its policy of highlighting DEI issues and purpose-based communications and marketing.
