Unpitch Fossil Fuels: A Creative Challenge for the Planet
Are you a creative looking to challenge the industry from the inside? Join us during Cannes Lions for Unpitch Cannes: A Creative Challenge for the Planet — a hands-on competition where teams of creatives will develop bold campaign ideas pushing Cannes Lions and the wider awards industry to adopt stronger standards around fossil fuel advertising.
The brief: Design a campaign that pressures the creative industry to stop rewarding fossil fuel-linked agencies with sustainability recognition.
Edelman has 10 contracts on the 2025 F-List, giving them the highest score on Clean Creatives’ Fossil Fuel Income Risk Exposure (FFIRE) index, with an estimated 5.64% of revenue from fossil fuels. Yet in 2024, one month after winning Shell’s global PR account, Edelman won Titanium and Gold Cannes Lions awards for Climate Action for their campaign ‘The Move to -15’. The contradiction exposed a larger industry problem: Cannes Lions judges sustainability on individual campaigns, not agency behaviour.
But the 2025 DM9 AI scandal showed that Cannes is willing to look beyond campaigns and at the agency behavior. Once questions emerged around manipulated evidence, the work was no longer judged purely on creative execution. The award was revoked because the conduct behind the work undermined its credibility.
If Cannes can revoke awards when agency behaviour conflicts with the integrity of the work, surely the same principle should apply to climate awards and fossil fuel representation?
The DM9 case established that context matters. Systems, evidence, and agency conduct can affect whether creative work is considered credible. Fossil fuel clients raise the same integrity question. Can an agency be really celebrated as a climate leader while simultaneously helping fossil fuel companies protect and grow their reputation?
How do we challenge that system?
Working in teams, creatives will tackle a live brief and present ideas to a panel of judges from across the creative industry. Teams will be supported by creative directors, strategists, and industry leaders helping shape and sharpen ideas throughout the session. This isn’t just another networking event; it’s a chance to challenge the rules of the industry from inside the industry itself.
Special Guests: Host, Pitch Team Leads and Judges
Rachel Brandt, Managing Partner, Co-Founder of Corner Table Creative
Marta Edeso Carim, Creative Supervisor at Planta and Associate Professor at Universitat Pompeu Fabra
Brad Jones, Chief Creative Officer at BarkleyOKRP
Rob Mayhew, Content Creator, Host & Speaker, Dunning Kruger Creative Studio
Madeline Meade, Chief Creative Officer, Co-founder of Corner Table Creative
When & Where
📍 Maison LYO, Cannes, France
📅 Tuesday June 23, 2026, 9:00 - 11:00 am. Doors open at 8:40.
How to Apply
Spots are limited! Apply by submitting:
✔️ A link to your portfolio or LinkedIn
✔️ A short response (100 words or less) to: Why do you want to be here and "unpitch" fossil fuels?