With less than a month to go for the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, Manifest has started its Cannes Contenders series.

Through this, we aim to showcase India's work for the Lions before the festival kicks off, as the country looks to better its 18-Lions haul from 2024.

Here are FCB Kinnect's entries.

Flipkart Minutes-Q Jumpers

In a market saturated with quick-commerce promises, Flipkart Minutes knew it had to do more than just say “fast,” it had to prove it. On iPhone 16 launch day, while Q-comm brands flooded media with ads promising delivery in minutes, Flipkart cut through with one audacious act: delivering the iPhone to someone still in the queue outside Apple’s flagship Mumbai store. As fans lined up for hours, a Flipkart-branded t-shirt with a QR code appeared ahead in the crowd. One curious scan, one Flipkart Minutes order, and seven minutes later, an iPhone was delivered before the customer even stepped inside. With nothing more than a t-shirt, Flipkart hijacked a cultural moment and won not by advertising speed, but by staging it in real life.

Too Yumm!-Too Yumm! To Cheer

Too Yumm! To Cheer turned a stadium ban into snackable brilliance. With no access to sponsorships or in-stadium sales, during India’s biggest cricket tournament, Too Yumm! pulled off a classic desi jugaad: the world’s first edible cheer signs. Giant chips designed as fan posters, complete with match slogans in edible ink, were packed individually for hygiene and smuggled into stadiums by fans. As they munched mid-match, the slogans disappeared, leaving just two words: Too Yumm! A snack disguised as a poster disguised as an ad, slipped through rules and straight into the spotlight. More than a stunt, it was a moment of fan-fuelled rebellion, proving that in a league of big spenders, you don’t need a billboard to steal the game.

HDFC Bank - Lulumelon EOSS

Category applied in: Creative Effectiveness

Online financial fraud is rampant during festive and sale seasons, and fraudsters are now employing AI to scam innocent people. Traditional PSAs fail to engage with Indians as they harbour an optimism bias. India's first fraud awareness influencer, Vigil Aunty from HDFC Bank had to protect, awaken, and empower the masses.

During 2024’s end-of-season-sale, Vigil Aunty in collaboration with Nora Fatehi replicated the modus operandi of fraudsters by crafting an entirely fake brand - Lulumelon. Fake social media pages, fake websites, and even ads where Vigil Aunty deepfaked herself into Nora, they did it all! 

Those who clicked on these ads (planted with red flags) landed on the reveal website, where they realised how easy it was to get scammed. They learnt how to identify fake websites and deepfake videos. They were encouraged to join the Vigil Army, a WhatsApp community of fraud fighters constantly updated with the latest frauds and safe practices.

1.4 million people fell for Lulumelon’s EOSS. 750 thousand people joined the Vigil Army. 350+ media outlets organically covered the campaign.