Prestigious creative awards the Cannes Lions has added a Mobile category for the first time. The inaugural mobile awards will be presented at the 2012 Cannes Lions Festival. 

Tom Eslinger, digital creative director at Saatchi & Saatchi Worldwide, will preside over the first Mobile Lions jury, which will be made up of experts in mobile from the digital agency and app development industry.

Mobile Lions will reward the best work which “lives on or is activated by” a mobile device, app, or mobile web. The judging criteria will be based on creativity and the idea, execution, relevance to the mobile platform and results, says Cannes Lions. The categories for the new Mobile Lions will include awards for: Creative Use of Technology; Mobile Websites and Web Apps; Mobile Apps; Tablet Apps; Games; Rich Media Mobile Advertising; and Integrated Campaigns led by Mobile.

Philip Thomas, CEO of Cannes Lions says: “Mobile has been part of the Lions for some years, within other sections such as Cyber and Film, and a large number of winning campaigns in sections like Media, Design, Direct and Outdoor have made significant use of mobile technology. By carving it out of the other sections, we are simply reflecting the importance of mobile in the media mix, and we are delighted that Tom Eslinger has agreed to step up and lead as jury president. The category could not be in better hands in its launch year.”

Eslinger says: “Its always an honour to be asked to join a jury and awesome to be asked to be president for a new category, especially one I have a deep passion for. Ive been creating mobile ideas for over a decade and Im stoked that Cannes Lions has chosen this particularly exciting time to start recognising the best ideas created for mobile devices, apps, sites and other new and wonderful permutations.”

Entries for the Mobile Lions will open on 26 January 2012. The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity will take place 17-23 June.