BBDO hands back Lion at Cannes after admitting winning ad was ‘scammy’

One of the world’s largest creative networks BBDO has pulled all of its Brazilian agency’s work for pharma giant Bayer and returned a Bronze Lion it won for an ad which it paid to run, and was condemned for encouraging rape culture.

According to US publication Adweek BBDO’s global creative chief Dave Lubars made the announcement during a session at the festival overnight, saying:   “I learned last night that one of our very own agencies had a pretty scammy ad in the festival, and it won a Lion.

“I told them to return it. Because I don’t want that kind of Lion. BBDO doesn’t want that kind of Lion.”