Audio & Radio Lions
The Audio & Radio Lions celebrate creativity that’s wired for sound – work that communicates a brand message through audio excellence, sonic innovation or superior aural storytelling across the airwaves and digital streams.
On this page
Introduction
The history of the Audio & Radio Lions
The Radio Lions were established in 2005 to celebrate creative advertising for radio.
In 2018, they evolved into the Radio & Audio Lions to encompass the growing number of audio mediums.
Now in their third iteration, the Audio & Radio Lions have evolved from their traditional radio roots to celebrate the growing range of audio platforms.
What kind of work can be entered?
Audio content, traditional radio ads, podcasts, original compositions or adaptations of existing songs, audio script or innovative use of the airwaves.
What’s the Jury looking for?
The work should demonstrate ideas that are wired for sound, communicating a brand message through audio excellence, sonic innovation or superior aural storytelling.
The work should be built around high-quality sound design, where every audio element is carefully considered. This could mean clear, high-definition soundscapes, or music and voices recorded and mixed with exceptional clarity and depth. This level of sound quality can elevate the experience, making the brand feel premium and more immersive.
Effective storytelling through sound often involves crafting an emotional journey without relying on visuals. The brand message should be woven into the audio narrative, where each sound, voice, and tone plays a role in building a compelling story. This could involve the strategic use of music, sound effects, and pacing to evoke emotions and create memorable associations with the brand.
DEW BATTLE | MOUNTAIN DEW | BBDO GUERRERO, MAKATI CITY | BRONZE, AUDIO & RADIO LIONS | 2024
The Categories
A. Innovation in Audio & Radio
Innovative use of the audio medium to communicate a brand’s message. Work that enhances and reinvigorates the consumers’ experience by allowing them to engage with and respond to the audio content.
The innovative or creative use of audio or radio as a medium, with evidence of how it was used in a creative and innovative way to communicate the brand’s message.
Forward-thinking ideas that directly enhance the experience of the listener. This could include, but not be limited to, use of apps or mobile/web technology, software development and technology that demonstrates a development in the production process and distribution of audio.
The innovative application and use of voice platforms and voice-activated technologies to create interactive/immersive storytelling that drives engagement and enhances the experience of the listener.
Paid-for, sponsored or brand-funded content/programming on all audio platforms – including radio stations, streaming platforms, podcasts, programme sponsorship, etc. Content that exemplifies the brand message/ethos and enhances the experience of the listener.
Please provide a sample audio file of up to 30 minutes.
The contextually relevant creation and placement of sponsored messaging within appropriate programming.
The innovative integration of different audio-driven elements or channels that complement and build on each other to communicate the brand’s message and/or change consumer awareness and attitudes.
B. Excellence in Audio & Radio
Including original composition, licensed recordings or adapted/altered versions of an existing recording.
The process of specifying, acquiring, manipulating or generating audio elements, including sound effects, location recordings, ‘Atmos’, etc.
Recognises the ability of script to creatively transform a brand idea or message into an audio context that enhances the experience of the listener and meets the confines of the brief and regional regulations.
Scripts should be specific to the audio medium. Scripts for film work will not be accepted here unless the work ran as standalone audio content.
Recognises the overall delivery of the script through performance, where voice performance is integral to the success of the spot. This may include tone and pacing, use of accents or impersonation, etc.
C. Culture & Context
Audio work that is brought to life through cultural insights and regional context.
If you're submitting more than one execution please upload all executions in a single file with a gap to denote each new execution.
Work for brands that is only distributed in a single locality that resonated with a specific target audience.
Brands that have creatively adapted their approach in response to competitor pressure by challenging the status quo to create game-changing work that uses progressive thinking and innovative creativity.
Work that aired or ran in a single country / region / market. The work should describe how the campaign was designed for the specific target market.
Work inspired by a specific audience or community, relying on identifiable social behaviour. The work should demonstrate how leveraging insights into consumer behaviour can create a powerful connection with a brand.
Work that celebrates the art of humour in branded communications, infusing wit, satire and cleverness into campaigns that provide amusement and create memorable, laughter-inducing connections with audiences.
Creative use of modest budgets and/or resources in relation to the market and/or industry to create maximum impact. The work should demonstrate how fresh insight, smart spending and compelling strategic thinking solved a business problem despite limited resources.
Purpose-driven work/brand activism that addresses social, ethical and environmental issues. The work should demonstrate how the brand’s purpose has created value and affected communities by connecting customers to culture.
Brands that have creatively adapted their strategy in response to local / regional / global issues, embracing new ways of delivering their brand while showing consideration for the consumer.
Work that honours marketers who craft strategic solutions rooted in the lived experiences of culturally grounded communities. This approach reflects and translates the nuances of customs, behaviours, and traditions that shape foundational perspectives on identity (e.g. disability, gender, race, orientation, age). Such insights reveal how diverse audiences choose brands and media experiences, driving growth and impact.
D. Audio & Radio: Sectors
The same entry can be submitted only once in this section.
All fast-moving and durable consumer goods, including but not limited to food and beverages, toiletries, cleaning products, other household goods, other FMCG, clothing and accessories, furniture and consumer electronics.
All fast-food entries should enter into D04. Travel, Leisure, Retail, Restaurants & Fast Food Chains.
Pharma, OTC drugs, wellness.
If the work has been created for a Charity/NFP, then this should be entered into D07.
Vehicles, other automobiles.
All transport-and travel-related services, including public transport and tourism boards. All entertainment-and leisure-related services, including museums, festivals and gyms. All shops, including online retailers, opticians, hairdressers and estate agents. All restaurants and fast-food chains, including cafés and bars.
Music, film, television, publications and media, books, news, digital platforms and other media.
All commercial public services, legal, financial, B2B technology, consultancies and professional services, other business services, internal and corporate communications.
Government, public information, NGOs, military, charities, nonprofit organisations.
All corporate social responsibility work should be entered in the relevant sector and/or C07. Corporate Purpose & Social Responsibility category in section C. Culture & Context.
Eligibility
Work will need to have been executed during the eligibility period of 8 February 2024 – 10 April 2025.
Is there a limit to how many times I can enter?
There’s no overall limit to how many times the same piece of work can be entered into Audio & Radio as long as the categories chosen are relevant.
Exceptions:
- The same piece of work may only be entered once in ‘D. Audio & Radio: Audio Sectors’ and/or 'E. Audio & Radio: Traditional Sectors'.
- In sections B, D and E, each execution constitutes one entry and all executions must have run within the eligibility period.
- In sections A and C, multiple executions may be entered as one entry. However, all Audio & Radio executions must have run within the eligibility period.
UNINTERRUPTAD | BUDWEISER | AFRICA CREATIVE DDB, SÃO PAULO | GOLD, AUDIO & RADIO LIONS | 2024
Previous winners
The Misheard Version
Cannes Lions 2024 Grand Prix Golin London / Specsavers / 2024
UK eye and hearing test specialist Specsavers used the power of audio to rework a famously misheard song into the world’s first 'mass hearing test’. It partnered with English singer Rick Astley to re-record ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ with misheard lyrics. They then released it without explanation, amassing 20m views in 8 hours and increasing hearing test bookings by 1220% above target.
THE MISHEARD VERSION | SPECSAVERS | GOLIN LONDON | GRAND PRIX, AUDIO & RADIO LIONS | 2024
Why the work won
The 2024 Audio & Radio Jury awarded the prestigious Grand Prix to The Misheard Version, by Golin, London for Specsavers, recognising its outstanding commitment to a bold and imaginative creative idea, underpinned by a playful and clever use of subterfuge. Jury President Simon Vicars highlighted the piece as a standout example of innovation, applauding its success in “proving the case for creativity as a business multiplier.” By skillfully weaving creativity into the fabric of its concept, the work not only captivates listeners but also demonstrates how a strategic, inventive approach can significantly enhance a brand’s impact and business results.
THE MISHEARD VERSION | SPECSAVERS | GOLIN LONDON | GRAND PRIX, AUDIO & RADIO LIONS | 2024
Inside the Jury Room: Audio & Radio Lions
To hear more from the Jury and how they decided on the winning work, check out the video below.
Entries & Judging
What is the judging criteria?
The main criteria considered during judging will be the idea, the execution and the impact.
What do I need to provide with my entry?
To enter, you’ll need to complete an online entry form, which can be found on the Cannes Lions entry site. In the ‘Written Explanation’ section, you’ll be asked to provide the Jury with everything they need to know about your work.
You’ll also be able to submit optional supporting materials to provide additional context with your entry.
All case films, films, demo films and original content must be subtitled in English.
Detailed information outlining the entry process can be found on A Guide to the Cannes Lions Awards.
What if I don’t have all the details right away?
Don’t worry – you can fill in the form in any order and save your progress at any time while it’s still in the pending stage. However, please only check out when your entry is 100% complete as no changes can be made to your entry once you’ve clicked “Submit” and “Checkout”.
The Written Submission
Here’s the questions you’ll be asked regarding your work.
To start your entry to the Audio & Radio Lions, go to our Awards page.
The Jury will refer to the written explanation you provide throughout the judging process. Our advice is to provide as much relevant detail as possible.
When answering the following questions keep the main element you’re trying to celebrate in mind (e.g. the storytelling, the strategy, the craft, the use of data).
The bullet points under each question are prompts designed to guide your thinking, based on the factors the jury will be considering when reviewing your work. You might not need to use them all, and that’s totally fine. They’re there to help you consider what’s most important in your work.
Questions
The word limit for this section is 100 words.
This question is compulsory.
Please select the appropriate medium for your work below.
- Traditional radio spot
- Other audio
There’s no word limit for this section.
This question is compulsory.
Please provide any brand and cultural context that would help the jury understand any cultural, national or regional nuances applicable to this work.
You should outline why this piece of work was created for this particular brand, in this market, at this particular moment in time, with all of the cultural and market conditions.
The word limit for this section is 250 words.
This question is compulsory.
Please select the objective(s) that were most important when creating this work – what the work set out to achieve.
For the jury to accurately assess the work, it must first establish its objectives. As you progress through the entry system, you must link your results back to each objective selected.
- Overachieve on brand metrics (e.g. awareness, engagement)
- Change consumer behaviour (e.g. attitudes, frequency, penetration)
- Create short-term sales growth (e.g. sales, promotions, discounts)
- Improve brand health (e.g. consideration, preference)
- Create sustained sales success (e.g. profit, sales)
- Create long-term brand and sales growth (e.g. shareholder value, retention, loyalty)
There’s no word limit for this section.
This question is compulsory.
Please provide a summary of your entry.
- Describe the background and context behind the work.
- What creative challenges did the work face?
This should be an overview of the work and an analysis of its effectiveness. You should describe how the objectives of the campaign have been successfully met.
The word limit for this section is 150 words.
This question is compulsory.
Provide a full English translation of any audio.
There’s no word limit for this section.
This question is compulsory.
Please refer back to the objectives selected when answering this question. Consider:
- performance against brand metrics (e.g. awareness, engagement)
- change in consumer behaviour (e.g. attitudes, frequency, penetration)
- indications of short-, medium- or long-term sales success (e.g. shareholder value, profit, revenue, ROI, sales, share)
- brand health improvement (e.g. consideration, preference)
- potential changes in government regulations or societal/economic events (e.g. changes in economic, political, social factors).
The word limit for this section is 150 words.
This question is compulsory.
- Yes
- No
This question is compulsory.
I would like the Jury to see this response when judging this work (tick box)
Please outline how this piece of work has aligned with the brand’s sustainability strategy. This could involve either operational measures to reduce the impact on the environment, and consumer strategies to encourage positive behaviour change, or both.
Please provide details of the benchmarks used for measuring the success of this piece of work’s contribution to the overall strategy. This could include, but is not limited to, targets around advertising business operations - advertising production - media planning and buying.
This question is optional.
I would like the Jury to see this response when judging this work (tick box)
Based on the brief, what consideration was given to representation and diversity of the team(s) involved?
What consideration was given to accessibility in the work and what role did DEI thinking play throughout the development of the work?
This question is optional.
If there are additional results you wish to disclose to the Jury but prefer to keep confidential, please enter them below.
The word limit for this section is 150 words.
This question is optional.
Category Specific Questions
Please outline the innovative elements of the work.
The word limit for this section is 150 words.
This question is compulsory for section A.
Tell the Jury about the use of music.
The word limit for this section is 150 words.
This question is compulsory for B01
Tell the Jury about the sound design.
The word limit for this section is 150 words.
This question is compulsory for B02
Provide the full film script in English.
The word limit for this section is 150 words.
This question is compulsory for B03
Tell the Jury about the casting process.
The word limit for this section is 150 words.
This question is compulsory for B04.
Please comment on how the brand resonated with a specific target audience in a single locality.
The word limit for this section is 150 words.
This question is compulsory for C01.
Please tell us how the work challenged or was different from the brand’s competitors.
The word limit for this section is 150 words.
This question is compulsory for C02.
Please tell us how the work was designed/adapted for a single country / region / market.
The word limit for this section is 150 words.
This question is compulsory for C03.
Please tell us about the social behaviour or cultural insight that inspired the work.
The word limit for this section is 150 words.
This question is compulsory for C04.
Please tell us about the humour insight that inspired the work.
The word limit for this section is 150 words.
This question is compulsory for C05.
Budget details.
Please provide budget details that show how the campaign achieved breakthrough results on a limited budget. Tell us about:
- the overall budget
- the breakdown of costs
- how the campaign maximised reach vs expenditure
- the significant impact this adjustment had on the campaign's effectiveness.
We recommend that you provide as much context as possible to understand the budget spend. Please complete as many of these questions as possible. However, we understand that different cases will have different types of results.
The word limit for this section is 150 words.
This question is compulsory for C06.
(Any confidential information should be entered in the confidential information field)
Please tell us how the brand purpose inspired the work.
- Explain how the purpose is ingrained in the core values and mission of the brand’s DNA.
- Discuss the impact of these initiatives on communities, society or the environment.
The word limit for this section is 150 words.
This question is compulsory for C07.
Please tell us how market disruption inspired the work.
The word limit for this section is 150 words.
This question is compulsory for C08.
Please tell us about the cultural engagement that inspired the work.
The word limit for this section is 150 words.
This question is compulsory for C09.
HEINZ KETCHUP INSURANCE | HEINZ | FP7 McCANN, DUBAI | BRONZE, AUDIO & RADIO LIONS | 2024
Contact us
Everything you need to know to enter
For more detailed information on how to use the entry site, craft a compelling submission or submit your work we have a whole range of resources.
From Entry Guides that give you a step-by-step overview of the entire process to the Entry Kits that provide all the detailed rules and requirements for each and every category.
We are here to help
As Awards Experts, we know the Lions inside out. We can help with:
- Sharing the updates to the Awards for 2025
- Offering best-practice advice on how to craft a compelling entry
- Discussing your work and relevant categories
- Scheduling regular catch-ups to answer any questions that arise throughout the entry process.
Whether you have a specific query or would like expert advice, get in touch today.
Email: awards@canneslions.com Helpline: +44 0 20 7046 1155