The Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival has awarded Volkswagen the Advertiser of the Year award. The festival organisers give the award to advertisers that have distinguished themselves for inspiring innovative marketing of their products and who embrace and encourage the creative work produced by their agencies.
After winning its first Cannes Lion in 1961, Volkswagen ads have gone on to win nearly 150 Lions across all disciplines, including 2 Film Grand Prix, the first in the cinema category back in 1970 followed by the Launch II commercial in 1988; 2 Press Grand Prix, one in 1998 for a Beetle campaign and the other in 2004 for the Polo Cops ad; a Promo Grand Prix in 2006 and a Cyber Grand Prix, in the interactive category, also in 2006 for the GTI campaign.