After Promo, Direct, Radio, Outdoor and Media, the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival 2007 announced the winners in the Cyber Lions category on June 20, 2007. India has not won a single Lion in this category in the last five years, and this year was no different.

India had entered 36 works in this category, five more than last year, and just one made it to the shortlist – Tribal DDB’s work for MTV Asia. The jury comprised 25 members, including Jury President Tom Eslinger, Creative Director – Interactive and Emerging Technologies, Saatchi & Saatchi. ConnecTurf’s Vice-Chairman, V Ramani, was also a member of this jury.

If Ramani’s words are anything to go by, it would take three years for India to even reach the kind of creative standards that a market like Brazil had, let alone evolved markets like the US, the UK or even markets like Japan. However, he is of the opinion that in some categories like Email Advertising, India could have easily won a Bronze had there been enough number of entries.

He said, “We have just not entered enough work and some of the work that was entered was in categories where the international standards were far too high. I think, as a country we have to be more aware of Cannes Lions and consciously make attempts to win something here by entering more, and good work.”

Like various other Indian jurors, Ramani, too, believes that India as a country has to work on better presentation of entries for platforms like these.