Tom Eslinger

The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity has announced that it will award the top campaigns in mobile starting in 2012, and leading the Mobile Lions jury will be Saatchi & Saatchi’s Tom Eslinger.

Mobile Lions will be handed out to the best examples of campaigns which work through a mobile device, app, or mobile Web, according to a press release from the Cannes Festival.

Campaigns will be judged on creativity, execution, relevance to the mobile platform and results.

What categories will be up for grabs?

Creative Use of Technology, Mobile Websites and Web Apps, Mobile Apps, Tablet Apps, Games, Rich Media Mobile Advertising, and Integrated Campaigns led by Mobile.

Ironically, PR leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to competing in this event. Last year’s showing left some experts disappointed in the field, saying that it needs to work on its entries and how it presents itself.

In June of this year, an Australian firm Clemenger BBDO Melbourne, an ad agency, took the top PR prize – the Grand Prix -  with a campaign “BreakUp” for National Australia Bank. It started with a Tweet designed to look like a mistake.

So can one year and a new category strengthen PR’s presentation?