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GSD&M and Harry’s Win Two Bronze Lions at 2018 Cannes Lions Festival

“A Man Like You” campaign honored in Glass Lion and Film Categories for
culture-shifting creativity

Austin, TX, June 26, 2018 — GSD&M and Harry’s announced today that they have won Bronze Lions at the 2018 Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity in the Glass Lion and Film categories. The Glass Lion for Change celebrates ideas intended to change the world, demonstrated through work which sets out to positively impact ingrained gender inequality, imbalance or injustice. The Film Lions celebrate the creative excellence of the moving image and great storytelling intended for screen.

Harry’s, a grooming company for men, is a brand becoming known for progressing the cultural conversations around what it means to be a man today. To amplify this conversation, this year Harry’s created “A Man Like You,” a three-minute short film challenging stereotypes and characterizations of manhood. The short film tells a story of a young boy who learns through a mysterious visitor that the rules of masculinity, which he understood to be true, aren’t rules at all.

“We’ve always felt that existing men’s brands weren’t communicating in a way that resonated with modern audiences,” said Lorna Peters, VP/Marketing at Harry’s. “Over the years we’ve been lucky to learn about our customers’ values and want to do our part in opening up a conversation about what being a man means, in order to better reflect them.”

Notable brand strategist and futurist, Faith Popcorn, paid tribute to Harry’s powerful campaign, “A Man Like You,” at the 2018 Cannes Lions Festival, dubbing it an example of a brand using its voice to make a difference, challenging more brands to make similar impactful stances. During her live presentation at Cannes discussing the future of masculinity, Popcorn aired the three-minute film.

“Winning a Cannes Glass Lion is our biggest creative honor to date,” said Jay Russell, Chief Creative Officer at GSD&M. “As marketers, it’s our job to lead the way for important cultural conversations. This is a historical moment in time for our country and the world — there’s a movement happening — and we’re proud to work with a brand like Harry’s that wants to play a role in changing the definition of what it means to be a man today.”

“For us, this film is the most substantial incarnation of a brand positioning almost two years in the making,” said Luke Crisell, Creative Director at Harry’s. “We’re proud to see it out in the world, catalyzing conversations. We recognize the amazing work being done by men and women around the world on the topic and we’re delighted to be contributing to a conversation that has been percolating for years and now seems to be getting louder by the day.”

Garnering more than 10 million views on Facebook alone, Harry’s short film is helping lead society away from typical masculine clichés, serving as a case study for brands seeking to market to men in ways that are more reflective of today’s culture and customer.

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