CHLORODONT TOOTHPASTE | IL CIRCO | 1954
It All Started Here / CHLORODONT "IL CIRCO"
In 1954, at the first advertising film festival held in Venice, this piece rose to the top of 187 entries. At this festival, which would later become Cannes Lions, "Il Circo" won the very first Grand Prix.
The idea
The film is done in stop-motion animation. Set in a circus, it's a world where tubes of toothpaste come to life. This was a groundbreaking film technique for its time, and it seems to have been an attempt to get across the product's appeal.
What happened
It won the Grand Prix at the first international advertising film festival held in Venice. Given that this award would later grow into Cannes Lions, this is a landmark piece in advertising history.
Afterthought
An ad from 70 years ago. By today's standards, the footage and the production might look old-fashioned. But the fact that this is where it all began carries real weight. If someone hadn't won that first Grand Prix, Cannes Lions as we know it wouldn't exist — and I can't help but feel respect for the piece that became that "someone." I couldn't track down details about how it was made, but there's still plenty to enjoy just watching the film.
Awards
- Cannes Lions Grand Prix 1954
Featured in
- Only the Ones Marked 'First'Reading through the Grand Prix records in order, from the very first in 1954 to 2022
