The message conveyed is "a return to humanity."

Cannes Lions 2013 reached its final day, closing with great success as fireworks lit up the sky during the closing party.

During the latter half of the seminars, appearances like Lou Reed (formerly of The Velvet Underground) and Perfume's mini-live performance at the Dentsu Inc. seminar energized the venue. It was a bit amusing to see even foreigners getting into the groove, making you wonder, "Does this guy even know Perfume?"

The final day featured announcements for major categories like the traditional Film division and the forward-looking Titanium division. The judging panel featured legends like John Hegarty, Dan Wieden, and Joe Pitcairn. Adding to the star-studded lineup, Lee Clow—famous for Apple's "Think Different" campaign and another true legend—was honored with the Lion of St. Mark (akin to a lifetime achievement award). It was, quite simply, a stage of unparalleled glamour.

And in the end, the overwhelming winner was the animated song "Dumb Ways to Die," promoting accident prevention for Australia's Metro Trains, which we also introduced last time. It achieved the unprecedented feat of winning five Grand Prix awards across the PR, Direct, Radio, Film, and Integrated categories – truly remarkable.

The familiar melody and cleverly spiced expressions clearly captured the hearts of many people beyond logic. In the venue itself, every time this video played, it sparked huge applause and a massive sing-along.

Then, the joint project between Intel and Toshiba, "The Beauty Inside," also received tremendous recognition, winning Grand Prix in three categories: Cyber, Film, and Branded Content & Entertainment (meaning two Film Grand Prix).
This is a story video about a man who wakes up every morning as a different person. It depicts the conflict he faces as his appearance changes repeatedly after falling in love with a woman. The role of this man was cast by recruiting ordinary people via Facebook, with different participants appearing each day.

Launched as a refresh of the famous "Intel Inside" campaign, its exploration of inner beauty beyond physical appearance resonated deeply, particularly in the racially diverse United States.

The final major category is the Titanium Award, given to groundbreaking ideas that open new dimensions. This year's Grand Prix winner was Dove's "Real Beauty Sketches" campaign in Brazil.

This project involved having FBI criminal sketch artists create portraits based solely on verbal descriptions without seeing the subject's face. Next, a third party meeting the subject for the first time would describe their face, and the artist would create another portrait. Comparing the two finished sketches revealed the second portrait clearly depicted a more positive and vibrant expression.

It was an experiment proving "You are more beautiful than you think." You can imagine how much courage this project gave to so many women.

Well, I suppose these three works came to represent the 60th Cannes Lions. So, what message were the legends trying to convey through selecting these?

Opinions may vary, but I believe it was about a "return to humanity." Over the past few years, dramatic technological advances and the proliferation of social media have vastly expanded the possibilities for communication in the digital realm. Cannes has always highly valued the development of these new forms of communication.

That said, technology ultimately supports only the "means" of communication. And precisely because the means are supported by technology, the content exchanged within that space can now focus more intensely on the human element.

The Grand Prix winner in the Mobile category, "Smart Communications," which I introduced last time, uses SIM cards—a technology that is by no means new—to support the education of children in the Philippines. The Grand Prix winner in the Cyber category, "The Beauty Inside," also lacks the technological impact seen in last year's Grand Prix winner, "Nike Fuel Band." This shift feels emblematic of this year.

You can read a strong message from the legends: "The goal isn't just to develop new communication using the latest technology."

"Dumb Ways to Die" made us realize the value of human life through an approachable song. "The Beauty Inside" questioned the true beauty within people. "Real Beauty Sketches" offered salvation to the insecurities lurking in people's hearts. And these resonated deeply with many, spreading globally through social media connections. I believe this holds a major hint for what companies and brands can contribute to each individual person in this era.

Personally, I also wish they had selected campaigns like American Express's "Small Business Saturday," recognized last year, or the Swedish Tourist Board's "Curators of Sweden" – initiatives that foster more down-to-earth human connections. But regardless, this kind of landscape remains challenging for Japanese agencies. I think there's still a lack of recognition in Japan that these issues can be addressed through communication. But conversely, you could also see it as, "We still have plenty of room to grow."

Of course, winning awards isn't the goal, and messages from Cannes aren't everything. Besides, if you keep harping on Cannes, Cannes, you risk coming across as an out-of-touch, pretentious person. But awards, while primarily a recognition for the winners, also have the essential purpose of sharing outstanding ideas globally. There's no doubt that these are ideas distilled from the contributions of over 10,000 people worldwide who genuinely believe in shaping the future of this industry and using creative power to improve society.

The message of a return to humanity (as I see it), along with the many shared ideas, will be taken back to various corners of the world, where they will spark new developments. That alone surely means the world is gradually moving in a better direction.

And so, this report, delivered to you from the event over three installments, comes to its final chapter. Thank you to everyone who followed along until the end.

I doubt I've conveyed even one-hundredth of the valuable and abundant information available, but I'd be delighted if it offered some hint of inspiration.

Next time, let's meet in person. Until then.