Noorings: The Right Intersection Of Tech & Purpose

A few years ago ‘purpose’ had become the subject at Cannes Lions as most marketers delved into the role that brands can make in people’s lives. As this space saw changes from what was truly done to ‘woke washing’, the work that is winning at Cannes Lions this year is acknowledging brands that are truly making a difference.

The work ‘ADLaM - an Alphabet to Preserve a Culture’ for Microsoft, by McCann New York, won two Grand Prix. Microsoft made the ADLaM Display, an evolution of the West African Pulaar alphabet, available on Microsoft 365 suite, desktop, and mobile platforms, preserving an ancient culture and systematising it so that more such marginalised cultures would find their own language.

Another example was the Grand Prix awarded to Apple, Cupertino for their work ‘The Greatest’, which shows how accessibility options can impact people’s lives positively.  

The Innovation Lions Grand Prix went to MouthPad, a device that allows people to use and control their devices through tongue movement.

Many of the winning works have made a positive difference in people’s lives, reiterating that creativity can be used for impacting people meaningfully. As more discuss some of these pressing issues and spread awareness, more creative minds are looking to genuinely touch people’s lives. The overall theme has been a heartening one at the 70th Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.