Burger King adds Titanium Grand Prix to its Cannes haul

The Titanium Grand Prix, arguably the most-coveted honor at the Cannes Lions, went to Burger King’s “Whopper Detour” from FCB New York on the final night of the festival.

The campaign, which also won the Mobile and Direct Grand Prix earlier this week, offered consumers Whoppers through BK's mobile app for just a penny, but they had to be inside or near a McDonald’s to claim the deal. The campaign snagged the most top nods at the festival this year and its showing is a bit of an upset to Nike’s “Dream Crazy," which many observers predicted would be the top winner of the festival before the week began.

The category was introduced by Wieden & Kennedy co-founder Dan Wieden in 2002 to honor work that doesn’t easily fit into any existing category yet pushes the industry forward.  David Lubars, chief creative officer of BBDO Worldwide and chairman of BBDO North America, explained the jury’s criteria in deciding the winners kept true to the Wieden’s intentions: “It’s the kind of work where you think, ‘What the fuck, where did that shit come from?’”

This year, however, Burger King--rather than the work out of Wieden’s own agency--took top honors because “It checks off all the boxes,” Lubars said. “It was flawlessly executed, it looks effortless, it’s a future-facing tech hack, it had great sales results, so it was real, it was on brand, fun, human, delighting, and definitely a ‘what the fuck.’”

Unlike other categories, this one only bestows two types of award, Titanium and Titanium Grand Prix. Though it didn't take top prize, Nike’s “Dream Crazy” did receive a Titanium honor, along with Microsoft’s “Changing the Game” (which also earned the Brand Experience Grand Prix earlier); Essity’s “Viva La Vulva” spot from AMV BBDO London; Reporters Without Borders’ “The Uncensored Playlist” campaign from DDB Berlin (which got out news censored in certain countries stealthily via songs); and “The Last Ever Issue” campaign from VMLY&R Poland for Gazeta, Mastercard and BNP Paribas, which also earned the Glass Lion Grand Prix on Friday night.