Who watches the watchmen? Why legacy ad awards need a reckoning

When the very sanctity of these awards is questioned—not by cynics, but by the system itself?

Let’s rewind.

Not long ago, a campaign surfaced—a so-called collaboration between two ionic rival confectionery brands that, on paper, made for a headline-grabbing Pride Month alliance. But to anyone who understands the realities of the market and the cautious egos of legacy brands, the execution seemed more like a creative fantasy cooked up for award juries rather than consumers. The only thing it really marketed was ambition—for Cannes, not customers.

We’ve seen a flood of purpose-washing campaigns in recent years—touching on everything from climate change to gender equality. But when such campaigns are made solely for a trophy, and not backed by long-term action or commitment, they become a mockery of the causes they pretend to support.

Barely had the dust settled when Cannes Lions itself made headlines—not for celebrating creativity, but for retracting its Creative Data Grand Prix award. The reason? Manipulated entry content. AI was used to create a skewed narrative of the campaign’s real-world impact. An award, once given with great fanfare, was quietly withdrawn like a bad bet.

Then came another blow—the Lucky Yatra campaign, a Grand Prix-winning entry showcasing the Indian Railways. Glorified as a brilliant idea to make train journeys more rewarding, it drew sharp criticism after a business publication revealed that the project barely saw any real-world traction. What was celebrated in Cannes looked like an illusion back home.

Some clients are unaware of the exaggerated case films made in their name. Others knowingly go along for the glory. But many genuinely impactful campaigns, which solve real business problems, are not even entered—because they’re not ‘award show friendly’.

All of this leads us to a pressing, uncomfortable question: What are we really awarding?

Most legacy advertising awards are still judged by those who create the work—agencies evaluating fellow agencies and jurors from networks whose own agencies may be up next. The result? A culture where creative showmanship trumps strategic efficacy, where real-world impact is optional, and where truth is elastic—as long as the case film is slick, the typography is tasteful, and the music swells at the right cue.

There is little incentive to interrogate claims, test effectiveness, or ask the most basic question: Did it really happen the way you’re showing it? Because, let’s face it, most jurors are complicit in the same theatre.

In an era when brands are increasingly questioned about authenticity, shouldn’t the awards that celebrate them hold themselves to a higher standard, too?

We need a reset.

A transformation that shifts the focus from just creativity to creative accountability. One that rewards not just beautifully packaged ideas, but real ideas that worked in the real world. One that demands transparency, not just in metrics, but in intent. One that involves independent jurors—strategists, technologists, clients, and even consumers—and not just insiders playing musical chairs.

If awards continue to be more about optics than outcomes, we’re not just devaluing creativity, we’re eroding trust, not just in campaigns but in the very industry that celebrates them.

It’s time to stop selling dreams to each other and start creating meaningful work that stands up not just to juries but to reality. The kind that doesn’t just win awards, but wins hearts, changes behaviour, and moves business.

Otherwise, these awards will remain exactly what they’re in danger of becoming: expensive illusions in well-lit rooms. That said, award shows themselves are massive revenue machines—from entry fees and delegate passes to sponsorships and PR mileage. The incentive is often the volume of entries over the validity of results. In such a model, stricter scrutiny could mean fewer entries and less revenue—something the ecosystem quietly avoids.

Who will bell the cat?

Yesudas Pillai is founder, Y&A Transformation, and strategic adviser, Channel Factory.