Adidas’s “Supernova Adaptive” gave Canada its lone Gold Lion on Tuesday, earning a top spot in the Design category. It’s the second category win in Cannes for the campaign in as many days, having brought home gold in Health & Wellness Monday night.
Created by TBWA\Canada, the campaign centres on a performance running shoe developed with and for athletes with Down syndrome as well as members of the adaptive community.
For Ben Miles, chief design officer at R/GA APAC and member of the Design jury, the success of the Adidas campaign is a reminder that purpose is powerful when demonstrated through action rather than messaging.
“I think there’s a lot of talk that purpose is not important when it comes to businesses and brands,” he says, “but I think “Supernova” demonstrates that when you’re not shouting about purpose, you’re just letting the action speak louder than words, then purpose across every touchpoint becomes so incredibly important and powerful.
“Adidas doesn’t need to do it, but they have done it, and that signifies a message that complements all the other brilliant things they’re doing. There’s a power behind creating change – especially for an underserved market.”
Image courtesy of Adidas
Miles argued that consumers are increasingly rewarding brands that solve meaningful problems, particularly when those efforts appear authentic rather than performative. That authenticity, he suggested, doesn’t just create goodwill – it can also shape how consumers feel about a brand and, ultimately, influence the bottom line.
Design jury president Greg Quinton, CCO at Design Bridge and Partners, echoed that sentiment, suggesting that taking real action can have a direct impact on how consumers perceive a brand.
“The thing that’s amazing about that is that, as an audience, we feel better about that brand versus other brands,” he explains. “We had a conversation [in the jury room] about where Nike are now versus where Adidas are, both in terms of business, but also how we feel about them. What’s interesting is if you feel good about a brand, then you’re going to buy it more as well.”
According to Miles, the greatest impact comes when brands have both the resources and the ambition to create meaningful change.
“Some brands have the means, some brands have ambition,” he says. “But I think when you have worked with a brand that has both, they have the means and they have the ambition to create change – that’s when real power can happen.
“That’s why I think it’s so important that big brands like Adidas lean into purpose-driven work to demonstrate to the world that it is important, especially now, where humanity needs to take a stance and celebrate what it means to be human.”
The work recognized with Grand Prix awards tonight were:
Design
“Apple TV Rebrand” for Apple from TBWA\Media Arts Lab, Los Angeles/Apple, Cupertino
Digital Craft
“Project Genie” for Google from Google, Mountain View/ Google Creative Team, Mountain View
Entertainment
“Original Forever” for Cerveza Victoria from Johannes Leonardo, New York/Adidas, London
Entertainment for Gaming
“Copycats Welcome” for Clash Royale from David, New York
Entertainment for Music
“Rosalia” for Rosalia from Canada, Barcelona/Rosalia, Barcelona
“Original Forever” for Adidas from Johannes Leonardo, New York/Adidas, London
Entertainment for Sport
“The Thousand Sponsors of Muni” for Club Deportivo Municipal from McCann Lima
Film Craft
“Your Way Out” for Coinbase from Isle of Any, New York
Industry Craft
“Tiny Coffee Shops” for Delonghi from Lola, Madrid
