Cannes Lions: PR winners 2023 /

The Grand Prix in PR has been awarded to delivery platform DoorDash for selling a package containing 11 red roses and a ‘Rose’ vibrator to singles across the US on Valentine’s Day.

The Self Love Bouquet campaign was created by Gut, Los Angeles, and was inspired by the statistic that 69% of Women in the US feel uncomfortable talking about masturbation, and also that 42% of DoorDash’s customers are single.

The brand chose Valentine’s Day to launch of the campaign because it wanted to subvert the celebration of relationships.

The case study for the campaign said that it earned 794 million media impressions. It also mentioned that the Self Love Bouquet was responsible for 4,000 orgasms and counting, but this appears to be unsubstantiated.

PR jury President Jo-ann Robertson, who is also the CEO of global markets for Ketchum, said that, ‘In the PR category, content is only relevant when it initiates a new, difficult or forgotten conversation – with a clear call to action,’ adding that: ‘Teams that are confident to deliver work that is simple but incredibly impactful should always be celebrated.’

Robertson also commented on the key components that work needed to demonstrate to achieve a top award.

‘Simplicity really is beautiful,’ she said. ‘The campaigns that were built on a clear insight, with earned at the core, lived in culture and had business or societal impact – delivered true creative excellence.’

Finally, Robertson called out how the industry often approaches earned media, encouraging advertisers to view it from a different perspective. ‘Earned is not a channel or a category. Earned is a goal or a mission. Actually earning your audience’s attention really is a privilege,’ she said.

PR Gold Lions winners /

Home, for Nike, by Wieden + Kennedy, London

Fighting to Remember, for Zikaron Baslon, by McCann Tel Aviv

The Postponed Day, for LALCEC, by Grey Argentina, Buenos Aires

Apologize The Rainbow, for Skittles, by DDB, Chicago

Where to Settle, for Mastercard, by McCann Poland, Warsaw

Runner 321, for Adidas, by FCB Toronto