VMLY&R Wins Glass Grand Prix and Titanium for 'The Last Ever Issue' at Cannes

VMLY&R has won the 2019 Glass Grand Prix and a Titanium Lion for 'The Last Ever Issue' which saw the agency and Gazeta.pl, a leading Polish newspaper, purchase and close down the country's longest-running erotic magazine, 'Twój Weekend' in opposition to the objectification of women.

'The Last Ever Issue' turned Poland’s longest running erotic magazine into a conversation-sparking, ground-breaking platform promoting diverse and progressive narratives of femininity in partnership with Gazeta.pl, Mastercard and BNP Paribas.

VMLY&R Poland was also named Cannes Lions Agency Of The Year 2019 (Track Good). This is Poland’s first ever Grand Prix, first ever Glass and first ever Titanium.

Marzena Szkolak, content director, Gazeta.pl and editor-in-chief, The Last Ever Issue, said: “It's a special honour to be awarded at Cannes Lions, especially the Glass Grand Prix, which is so important and meaningful. Our day to day job at Gazeta.pl is to create a platform for conversation, to shine a light on important issues, and to inspire change. I believe, The Last Ever Issue did just that, in spectacular manner. I am very thankful for these awards, for they offer another opportunity to keep the conversation going.”

Dawid Szczepaniak, executive creative director and partner, VMLY&R Poland added: “I am beyond happy and proud right now. And to be honest, I still can’t believe it. We never could have done this work without our three bold and courageous clients Gazeta.pl, BNP Paribas and Mastercard. They did not back down when we received severe national backlash. We need more brands and more people like them in Poland right now. Marta, Darek, Michal - you are my heroes.”

'The Last Ever Issue' organically reached 4.5M+ people and generated 25M+ media impressions. It drove over 500k unique visitors to gazeta.pl in the first few days of the campaign. It also became the best-selling issue of 'Your Weekend' and the online issue was the best-selling e-magazine in Poland in March 2019.