CANNES LIONS 2025: from film advertising to the global creative stage

In 1954, in Venice, a group of visionaries from the world of cinema advertising—moved by the spirit of the Cannes Film Festival—laid the foundations of the International Advertising Film Festival. Thirty years later, in 1984, the festival found its permanent home on the French Riviera. From its humble beginnings with just a few hundred entries, Cannes Lions now attracts over 26,900 participants from 97 countries. More than just a competition, Cannes Lions is a catalyst, a cultural mirror, and a stage where dreams, responsibility, and the power of ideas converge. Cannes Lions reminds us why we love this industry—a celebration for those who believe that communication can be an act of ethics, unity, and meaningful transformation.

CANNES LIONS 2025: QUIETER, MORE HUMAN, YET JUST AS POWERFUL

Cannes Lions 2025 was defined by mature creativity. Beneath the familiar festival glitz emerged themes of deeper relevance—emotion, ethics, and human presence.

Artificial intelligence took a back seat, serving as a tool rather than the star. Only 12% of entries used AI. The spotlight shifted to campaigns that didn’t just communicate—they resonated. Campaigns with clear messages, cultural sensitivity, and long-lasting impact.

The awarded work dared to explore difficult topics with ease, humor, or poetry. Influencers established themselves as strategic partners, while brands increasingly embedded themselves into cultural conversations—moving beyond conventional advertising logic. In an age of growing automation, human taste and emotional intelligence have become the creative industry’s most valuable assets.

CANNES LIONS 2025 WINNERS:

• Creative Company of the Year: WPP – 168 Lions (10 Grand Prix, 23 Gold). For the second year in a row, the most creative company, with a strong focus on synergy between AI and human creativity.
• Creative Marketer of the Year: Apple – Honored for a second time, thanks to emotional campaigns like “Shot on iPhone” and “Fuzzy Feelings.”
• Network of the Year: DDB Worldwide – 112 Lions, 4 Grand Prix. Successfully blended creativity and business performance.
• Media Network of the Year: OMD Worldwide – Most nominations and 8 Lions. A leader in integrated, data-driven media strategies.
• Agency of the Year: Publicis Conseil, Paris – The first French agency to win a Titanium award for AXA’s “Three Words.” Repeat titleholder since 2011.
• Creative Brand of the Year: AXA – Awarded both a Grand Prix and Titanium for “Three Words,” recognized for revolutionary creativity.

CREATIVITY IN ACTION: 11 STANDOUT CAMPAIGNS

1. Vaseline – “Vaseline Verified”

• Agency: Ogilvy Singapore
• Country: Singapore
• Categories: Health & Wellness and Social & Creator Lions

The campaign turned viral TikTok hacks into scientifically validated content. A blend of humor, influencer marketing, and real-time responsibility—winning Singapore’s first-ever Titanium Lion.

2. KitKat – “Phone Break”

• Agency: VML Prague
• Country: Czech Republic
• Category: Outdoor

A visual campaign replacing phones with KitKat bars—communicating a clear call for digital detox. The first Grand Prix ever awarded to the Czech Republic.

3. NZ Herpes Foundation – “The Best Place in the World to Have Herpes”

• Agency: Motion Sickness
• Country: New Zealand
• Categories: Health Grand Prix and Grand Prix for Good

An educational, gamified campaign using self-deprecating humor to break down stigma. Co-created with health foundations and approved by medical professionals.

4. AXA – “Three Words”

• Agency: Publicis Conseil
• Country: France
• Categories: Titanium, Direct, Creative Business Transformation

AXA added the words “and domestic violence” to their insurance policy. The campaign offered real shelter and relocation services—a bold “Do vs Say” brand example.

5. Telstra – “Better on a Better Network”

• Agency: Bear Meets Eagle on Fire
• Country: Australia
• Category: Film Craft

26 stop-motion mini-films captured life’s small moments made possible by a reliable network. Visually stunning and technologically masterful.

6. Mercado Livre – “Call of Discounts”

• Agency: GUT São Paulo
• Country: Brazil
• Category: Entertainment Lions – Gaming

In collaboration with Neymar Jr., the campaign turned Call of Duty into an interactive e-commerce platform where gamers earned real-world discounts.

7. GoDaddy – “Act Like You Know”

• Agency: Quality Meats
• Country: USA
• Category: Creative B2B Lions

With Walton Goggins as the voice and face, the campaign took aim at B2B clichés, introducing the AI tool Airo. The results: +87% traffic and +39% sales.

8. Dove – “Real Beauty Redefined for the AI Era”

• Agency: Mindshare
• Country: UK
• Category: Media Lions

Pinterest’s AI was retrained using Dove’s “Real Beauty DNA” to recognize authentic beauty. A powerful continuation of Dove’s 20-year self-esteem mission.

9. Indian Railways – “Lucky Yatra”

• Agency: FCB India
• Country: India
• Category: PR Lions

Train tickets became lottery entries—passengers won prizes while revenues surged by over $685 million. India’s first PR Lions Grand Prix.

10. Hyundai IONIQ – “Night Fishing”

• Agency: INNOCEAN Seoul
• Country: South Korea
• Category: Entertainment – Film

A 13-minute sci-fi film shot entirely using a camera mounted on an electric car. The first Grand Prix for South Korea in the Entertainment category.

11. “Caption with Intention”

• Agency: FCB Chicago
• Country: USA
• Category: Innovation / Accessibility / Film

Created for the hearing-impaired, the campaign redefined subtitles as emotional storytelling devices—capturing tone, mood, and nuance.

CONCLUSION

Cannes Lions 2025 proved that the most powerful campaigns don’t just sell—they challenge, break conventions, and give voice to the unspeakable. In a world oversaturated with content, creativity remains the human compass that leads to meaning, empathy, and cultural transformation. This year’s winners showed that innovation isn’t always about technology—it’s about perspective: bold, honest, and deeply human.

The festival’s dominant themes—brand behavior, influencers evolving into creative partners, new forms of discovery and content personalization, and the fusion of commerce with culture—clearly revealed that the future belongs to ideas with taste, integrity, and intention.

From influencers who educate to brands that drive systemic change, the festival affirmed the need for unconventional storytellers who can move people and spark change.
Because great advertising doesn’t just talk – it makes the world think, feel, and dare to unfold their wings.