Marketers seek to be innovative to break through ad clutter

CANNES, France -- If you can't tell what it is chances are it's advertising.

The blurring of lines for what's an ad is obvious in the competition for Lion awards at the 56th International Advertising Festival this week. Entries in the 11 ad categories range from faux ads and products to marketing that combines a live event, social networking, film and outdoor.

"You're seeing a lot of ideas everywhere," says Mark Tutssel, global chief creative officer, Leo Burnett Worldwide. "The industry has completely changed."

Two of the most-awarded campaigns last year showed the changes underway. U.S. pay-TV network HBO and Japanese apparel maker Uniqlo each took top prizes in four categories for work spanning digital, traditional ads, events and social networking.

HBO won for its multimedia "Voyeur" program that included an intricate website and projection of a film onto a side of a building designed to seem like peering into apartments.

"Our goal is to break through the clutter, generate buzz and engage with people and ultimately drive viewership of our programming. But it's also wonderful to be recognized by the industry," says Courteney Monroe, executive vice president, consumer marketing.

HBO's is trying to win this year with ads for True Blood, a series set in rural Louisiana town where vampires co-exist with humans that just returned to HBO for season two. A real outdoor ad campaign promoted a fake product, Tru Blood, a blood beverage that vampires can drink instead of drinking human blood.

The company also submitted a tie-in for a cross-promotion between its Hollywood show, Entourage, and Virgin America. Marketing included Entourage-branded airplane, and a faux in-flight "Entourage" service that provided flyers with an Entourage blanket, Godiva chocolate, champagne and preview of the new season.

"We strive to make our marketing as innovative as our programming," says Monroe.

Uniqlo won last year for a digital and social networking phenomenon, the downloadable Uniqlock. It featured synchronized moves by young Japanese women wearing Uniqlo apparel can be used as a PC screensaver or a mobile screen, or embedded in a Facebook page.