Insurer AXA and agency Publicis Conseil won the Dan Wieden Titanium Grand Prix at Cannes Lions for changing home insurance policies to help people leave domestic abuse.
AXA’s “Three Words” was one of the most awarded campaigns at Cannes Lions this week, having already won the Grand Prix in the Direct and Creative Business Transformation categories. Publicis Conseil was also named Agency of the Year at Cannes Lions.
The Titanium Lions, which recognize work that progresses the industry, are one of the most prestigious prizes in advertising. This year, 18 pieces of work were shortlisted out of 187 entries, and only four received a Titanium Lion, including AXA.
Publicis Conseil is the first French agency to receive the Titanium Grand Prix in the award’s 22-year history. Its trophy is also another feather in the cap of holding company Publicis Groupe, which has been on a winning streak lately with new business, most recently Mars’ media account.
With “Three Words,” AXA helped “give women the freedom to leave abusive relationships,” said Judy John, president of the Titanium jury and global chief creative officer of Edelman.
In France, where AXA is headquartered, home insurance is mandatory by law and already provides emergency relocation when a home becomes uninhabitable in the event of fire or flood. AXA added the three words, “and domestic violence” to its clause to help women escape abusive situations.
As part of the policy, a woman will be immediately relocated if she calls an emergency number and will receive free legal, financial, and psychological support. The cause was included in all of AXA’s 2.5 million home insurance contracts with retroactive effect.
AXA “handed the entire insurance industry a clear roadmap for reform,” John said. “The decision to award it was instant and unanimous.”
A long, complicated road
AXA already has longstanding programs supporting women, and in 2023, it launched its “Being a Woman Shouldn’t be a Risk” platform. “Three Words” came from data showing that domestic violence is on the rise in France, as in other places, and is the leading cause of injury for women in the country, said Agathe Bousquet, president of Leo and Publicis Groupe France.
“This was a powerful and systematic solution to a systemic and very large problem,” she said.