How loud does the Lion roar?: Awards as signals of quality for advertising creatives

ABSTRACT

This exploratory qualitative study examines the positive signaling effects of winning Cannes Lions, the industry’s most coveted award, in the careers of top advertising creatives. Signaling theory is used as a framework. Thematic analysis was employed to code 18 in-depth interviews conducted with award-winning creatives from Brazil (one of the top 3 most awarded countries in the Festival). The belonging to the Golden Creative Club was identified as the central emerging category, which sends positive signals, both to the job market and to the peers. Findings suggest that obtaining a Cannes Lions sends signals to the job market in the form of enhanced motivation, productivity increase and professional relationship improvement; and to the peers in the shape of better material life, higher self-esteem and role-model status. Authors also introduce ‘lifespan’ of the signal when employing signaling theory in the study of awards.

KEYWORDS:

• Signaling
• awards in advertising
• advertising creatives
• creativity festivals
• awards
• vocational prizes

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Saraí Meléndez-Rodríguez

Saraí Meléndez-Rodríguez is an associate professor at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Her research interests include advertising creativity, awards in advertising, and advertising creatives. She is currently an associate creative director at a digital agency and has over 20 years of experience as a copywriter and creative director.

David Roca

David Roca is an associate professor of advertising and coordinator for the Doctoral Program at the UAB on Strategic Communications, Advertising and Public Relations. He is also the director of the Digital Strategy and Creativity Masters Degree at UAB. David's scholarly work focuses on advertising creativity, creatives, and women in advertising.