Last week, we celebrated the 73rd year of the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity, the global gathering that serves as the absolute benchmark for ultimate creative excellence. What began in 1954 as an awards show inspired by the Cannes Film Festival has evolved into an epicentre of creativity where brands, agencies, creators, and professionals come together to celebrate and define the future of marketing.
This year, the Croisette transformed into a living showcase of creativity, from thought-provoking speaker sessions by the world’s leading CMOs to beachfront brand activations, demonstrating that creativity remains one of the most powerful differentiators within the industry.
Beyond the yachts, panels, and activations, Cannes remains an awards festival at its core. The coveted Grand Prix awards represent the highest honour in creative marketing, recognising the ideas that push the industry forward and set new global standards for innovation, craft, effectiveness, and cultural impact. This year’s winners showcased everything from masterclasses in storytelling, design, and brand building to technological breakthroughs.
Consider this your official round-up of all the campaigns that took home the highest accolade at Cannes Lions 2026: the Grand Prix.
Day 1 Grand Prix Winners :
The first day of the festival saw the announcement of Lion winners across Audio & Radio, Creative Brand, Creative B2B, Health & Wellness, Lions Health, and United Nations Foundation Grand Prix for Good, Outdoor Pharma, Pharma and Print & Publishing Lions.
Speaking on the winning work for day one of the festival, the CEO of Cannes, Simon Cook, stated,
“The body of winning work selected by our Jurors clearly demonstrates creativity as a growth driver for people, business and society, setting the global creative benchmark. Thank you to all our Jurors for your commitment, generosity of time, and depth of expertise in establishing the work that is raising the creative bar.”
Audio and Radio Lion
‘Coquí Alarmed’, for Hyundai Puerto Rico, by BBDO Puerto Rico, Guaynabo
The campaign strengthened Hyundai’s role as a cultural ally by replacing the standard factory lock sound in partner rental cars with the call of the coquí frog, a symbol of Puerto Rican culture. Before this, tourists online had described the local sound of the frogs as annoying, with one Airbnb guest online asking if there was a spray to deter the frogs. Hyundai leaned into this ongoing discussion, creating a campaign to change perceptions and behaviour as a result.
Speaking on the award, Jury President for Audio and Radio Lions, Chief Creative Officer for Mother New York, Oriel Davis Lyons, stated,
“Though it was rooted in a hyper-local insight, its execution and impact were universally admired. It shows that even in a “Classic” category like Audio & Radio, it’s still possible to push the definition to exciting new limits whilst delivering serious business impact.”
The Creative Brand Lion
‘AB InBev: Creativity at Scale’ for AB InBev by Anheuser-Busch InBev, Leuven
Winning out of 73 entries, their work highlighted how creativity can be embedded into organisational culture and used as a structured growth capability across a global business.
Jury President, Creative Brand Lion Jury President Marcel Marcondes, Global CMO at AB InBev, stated,
“This Lion is unique because it evaluates the inputs – the capabilities and processes – behind the creative work that drives results. Not just across one campaign or quarter, but across years, brands, and geographies. With no Gold, Silver or Bronze awarded, we treated those shortlisted as if they were winners, and the Grand Prix selected by the Jury best delivered on the category definition.”
Creative B2B Lion
‘The Faroe Islands Space Program’ for SFK, by NORD Stockholm
This was an award for turning B2B communications into a global sustainability conversation, playfully reframing ocean tidal energy as a terrestrial space race by using underwater kite turbines to harvest “moon power.”
Creative B2B Lions Jury President, Ty Health, Global Director, Thought Leadership, GTM Strategy commented on the award, stating:
“SKF, a global leader in industrial bearings and friction reduction, rejected the rational specs playbook entirely. Instead, they did something awe-inspiring: an actual space program, built to bring their belief in frictionless work to life. Unmissable, unforgettable, and very distinctive. This is creative bravery in B2B. SKF proved that creative bravery in a commodity category delivers real business results.”
The Health and Wellness Lion
The Ordinary for ‘The Periodic Fable’ by SMUGGLER, London / Uncommon Creative Studio, London
By reframing knowledge around beauty misconceptions by identifying unregulated marketing terms and reclassifying them within a reimagined periodic table, the ordinary’s campaign championed a no-fuss approach to skincare.
Health & Wellness Jury President, Kainaz Karmakar, Chief Creative Officer, Ogilvy, India, congratulated the award:
“It’s an outstanding commentary on how the obsession with skin trends is getting more out of control every day. When health, creativity, craft and culture intersect in the best way possible, work like this is born. This piece was more than deserving. It was undeniable.”
Lions Health and United Nations Foundation Grand Prix for Good
‘Vehicle of Hope’ for Caritas by Differ Stockholm
In a humanitarian initiative by the Catholic charity Caritas, the campaign converted Pope Francis’s former Popemobile into a mobile pediatric clinic for children in Gaza.
The Outdoor Lion
Mercado Livre, by GUT São Paulo, ‘Field Barcode’
The brand turned Brazil’s Pacaembu stadium pitch into a 104 metre wide barcode, so people could discover and interact with Mercado Livre in real time.
The Pharma Lion
‘Relax Your Tight End’, for Novartis by Fallon, Minneapolis
The work leveraged a private health taboo, prostate cancer screening, and turned it into a powerful public entertainment, Super Bowl spot.
Pharma Lions Jury President, Tracey Brader, Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer, Omnicom Health, said on the award:
“What makes work Grand Prix? When the whole is more than the sum of great individual parts. And this work ticked all the boxes. Based on a relatable human truth. Appropriate to the audience. Deploying celebrity authentically. Integrated from the Super Bowl to Social to PR. Bold. Humorous. All while addressing a genuine issue.”
The Print & Publishing Lions
‘Look Familiar?’, for Heinz Ketchup, by Rethink, Toronto
By reimagining a simple hidden design truth into a global campaign, the campaign translated into measurable commercial growth for the brand.
Day 2 Grand Prix Winners:
The second day of the festival saw the announced winners of the Entertainment Lions, Entertainment Lions for Gaming, Entertainment Lions for Music, Entertainment Lions for Sport and Design, Digital Craft, Film Craft, and Industry Craft Lions.
Simon Cook, CEO, LIONS, spoke on the second day of the awards, commenting:
“Our Jurors have set the creative benchmark with this year’s Entertainment and Craft Lion winners. This body of work spotlights how craft is transforming brands and consumer experience and how the power of fandom is building brand relevance and driving business growth.”
The Entertainment Lions
‘Original Forever’ for adidas by Johannes Leonardo, New York / adidas, London
Drawing on the brand’s cultural legacy, with Oasis, the partnership with the band created official tour merch and fandom cultural moments. The three-minute film that reunited Liam and Noel Gallagher on screen for the first time in 16 years launched the Live ’25 collection like the biggest album drop of the year.
Speaking on the award, Entertainment Lions Jury President, Chris Beresford-Hill, Worldwide Chief Creative Officer, BBDO Worldwide, said:
“Choosing a Grand Prix was difficult, but in the end one piece of work stood apart because it understood the moment perfectly. At a time when so many brands are trying to manufacture relevance, this was a reminder that the most powerful thing a brand can do is show up in the right moment, for the right community, with something worth caring about.”
The Entertainment Lions for Gaming
‘Copycats Welcome’ for Clash Royale, by David, New York
By targeting the games’ imitators to win loyalty, this boundary-crossing work blended brand, film, activism, and interactive gaming experience all in one.
The Entertainment Lion for Music
‘Rosalía Ft. Björk, Yves Tumor – Berghain’, for Rosalía, by Canada, Barcelona / Rosalia, Barcelona; and ‘Original Forever’, for adidas, by Johannes Leonardo, New York / adidas, London
Rosalía’s Berghain blurred the lines between music video, art film and visual storytelling by combining surreal fantasy, orchestral grandeur and striking symbolism. The film transformed a pop release into an immersive cultural experience.
When Oasis reunited, every brand tried to join the cultural moment. adidas Originals did not. It owned its place in it. Rather than create another ad featuring the band, adidas went on tour with Oasis.
The Sport Entertainment Lion
‘The Thousand Sponsors of Muni’, for Club Deportivo Municipal, by McCann, Lima.
A sponsorship platform turning football club supporters into sponsors, the work tapped into fan loyalty and created a national conversation.
Entertainment Lions for Sport Jury President, Shannon Washington, Chief Creative Officer and Managing Partner, 11 Ounces, exclaimed:
“What got me about ‘The Thousand Sponsors of Muni’ is the sheer, simple ingenuity of it! Taking a club in crisis and turning that crisis into a thousand acts of belonging.
Design Lion
‘Apple TV Rebrand’, for Apple, by TBWA\Media Arts Lab, Los Angeles / Apple, Cupertino.
Due to the brand design being as cinematic as the shows and films it represents, the Apple TV rebrand did more than introduce a new identity; it shifted how the brand was perceived in culture, and the response was immediate. The launch became the most talked‑about brand moment of the year for Apple TV, outperforming major content beats including Severance Season 2, The Studio, and F1: The Movie in brand attribution and overall conversation.
The Film Craft Lion
‘Your Way Out’, for Coinbase, by Isle of Any, New York
By challenging perceptions about today’s financial systems through video game aesthetics, emphasising that life’s a game, but it sometimes feels like someone else has the controller. Starting with a downtrodden computer game hero, it tells the story of his self-discovery. As the film progresses, more real-life details are introduced, and the hero escapes from the system. Every creative choice made to take you seamlessly from game world to real world and in service of a single point: Coinbase is your way out of their system.
The Industry Craft Lion
‘Tiny Coffee Shops’ for De’longhi, by LOLA, Madrid. De’Longhi
De’longhi transformed five of its iconic coffee machines into handcrafted, miniature cafés to change perceptions about drinking coffee at home, deepening brand engagement.
Industry Craft Jury President, Rafael Gil, Chief Creative Officer, Artplan, spoke on the award, stating:
“‘Tiny Coffee Shop’ reconnects us with something rare: the ability to feel like children again. Every detail was crafted with extraordinary care, turning tiny decisions into giant emotions.”
Finally, to wrap up the second day of the festival, Oprah Winfrey was presented with the Cannes LionHeart award, honouring an individual to use their platform for good beyond just building a career and leaving a lasting impact on the world.
Day 3 Grand Prix Winners:
On the third day of the Cannes festival, the Grand Prix winners of the Creative Data, Media, Direct, PR, and Social & Creator Lions were awarded.
Simon Cook, CEO at Cannes Lions, spoke on the achievement of these awards, stating:
“Wednesday’s Lion-winning work demonstrates the power of creativity to drive growth for business, people and society at large. Thanks, once again, to our exceptional Juries for setting the global creative benchmark for the industry.”
The Creative Data Lion
‘SOS POS’, for BCP, by Circus Grey, Lima
BCP created a tool supporting phone theft victims by turning regular POS terminals into account-blocking points, which reached over 34 million Peruvians.
The Media Lion
‘Build Your Own Super Bowl’, for Uber Eats, by Special, Los Angeles
A world-first in-app restaurant that allowed fans to build their own Super Bowl commercial, the work connected with new audiences and drove record-breaking sales.
Media Lions Jury President, Sindhuja Rai, Chief Client Officer, WPP Media, APMEA, congratulated the award:
“This is modern marketing at its most transformative. Rather than using communications to drive consumers to the product, it turned the product itself into the communications platform – seamlessly uniting creativity, media, technology, talent, commerce, and personalization into a single connected experience, effectively collapsing the traditional funnel. The result was a campaign that didn’t just capture attention; it converted participation and engagement directly into business growth.”
The Direct Lion
‘Uva Uva Bombón,’ for UVA App, by de la Cruz Ogilvy, San Juan.
UVA, a challenger delivery app, that earned attention by riding the momentum of Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl headline set, converting a global cultural moment into immediate consumer action.
The PR Lion
‘The KitKat Heist,’ for KitKat, by Burson, London
By turning KitKat’s theft into boosted brand perception, the brand turned crime into a call to action.
PR Lions Jury President, Dana Tahir, CEO, HAVAS Red, Middle East and Egypt, commented:
“Crisis communications has long been the discipline of caution, protecting reputation, minimizing damage, staying safe. But this year’s work rewrote those rules entirely. KitKat didn’t just manage a crisis, they transformed it into a cultural moment, proving that creative bravery and crisis counsel can coexist.”
The Social & Creator Lion
‘Could Have Been a Heineken’, for Heineken, by LePub, Milan
Which transformed WhatsApp voice notes into an invitation to reconnect. It rewarded people for stepping away from their screens and sharing a beer in person.
Day 4 Grand Prix Winners:
The second-to-last day saw Greece win its first Grand Prix ever, with the winners in the following categories announced: Creative Business, Transformation, Creative Effectiveness, Creative Strategy, Luxury, Brand Experience & Activation, Creative Commerce and Innovation.
Speaking on the fourth day, Simon Cook stated:
“Our Jurors have awarded work that clearly demonstrates the effectiveness and transformative power of creativity in business. Congratulations to Greece for winning its first Grand Prix, an incredible achievement that sets the benchmark for global creative excellence.”
The Creative Business Transformation Lion
‘The Wedding Rice’, for Wikifarmer, by McCann Athens
With Wikifarmer, they introduced The Wedding Rice – a product made from rejected grains, designed specifically for weddings. But the idea wasn’t just the product; it was the experience it enabled. By replacing the rice thrown at weddings with a purposeful alternative, they turned a centuries-old tradition into a conscious brand interaction. Every ceremony became a live activation, where couples and guests participated in reducing food waste, without disrupting the ritual itself.
Creative Effectiveness Lion
‘Three Words’, for AXA France, by Publicis Conseil, Paris
By including a life-saving three-word clause for domestic abuse sufferers in home insurance contracts, AXA boosted short- and long-term business impact.
The Creative Strategy Lion
‘The Pub that Refused to Die’, for Heineken, by LePub, Milan / Publicis Dublin
Heineken transformed a real community story into a living blueprint for change, continuing its mission to keep pubs alive by helping communities take ownership.
Speaking on the award Creative Strategy Lions Jury President, Sarah Lemarié, Chief Strategy Officer, Publicis, said:
“In Ireland, Guinness Country, the beating heart of small communities is the pub. ‘The Pub that Refused to Die’ is a social solution to a social problem that builds on Heineken’s expertise to arm communities to take over pubs collectively. It’s a brilliant cultural engagement strategy, that captured the national attention, and enabled Heineken to find its way into Irish people’s hearts and pints.”
The Luxury Lion
‘Warmer Together’, for Moncler, by Wesayhi, Sliema
Shot by portrait photographer Platon, the main part of the story unfolds in iconic and intimate black-and-white images and a series of short films covering themes of Friendship, Respect, Connection & Trust. The campaign reveals a softer, warmer inside to two characters famous for their tough exteriors and roles. Reflected in the main line: “Warmth was never about the outside. It was always about what was happening on the inside”.
Brand Experience & Activation Lion
‘Expedition Impossible’, for Columbia Sportswear, by Adam&Eve\TBWA, London
Columbia offered to give the company to anyone who could prove the Earth was flat, making exploration an open challenge and generating widespread attention.
Brand Experience & Activation Lions Jury President, Rafael Pitanguy, Deputy Global Chief Creative Officer, VML, commented:
“The work managed to simultaneously return to the Award’s roots, while being firmly grounded in the present day. At its heart, this is a promotion.
Day 5 Grand Prix Winners:
On the last day of the festival of creativity, the final winners were announced, with Kenya taking home its very first Grand Prix. Independent agency Mother London was awarded the film Grand Prix, The Lion for Change, Film Lions, and Sustainable Development Goals Lions, which were also awarded to finish the festival.
Speaking on the final day of awards, Simon Cook, CEO, LIONS, said:
“The body of work our Jurors have awarded showcases the ideas, innovations and creative excellence that moves the industry forward. Across the Festival week, we have seen Lion winners representing every corner of the globe with first-time Grands Prix for Kenya and Greece. Huge congratulations to all. Thanks, once again, to our incredible Jurors, entrants and winners for setting the global creative benchmark for 2026.”
The Lion for Change
‘Nigrum Corpus’, for IDOMED & Instituto Yduqs, by Artplan, São Paulo
The work turned an abstract injustice, racism, into a reality doctors are trained to recognise and treat, shifting how medicine sees, studies and cares for Black patients.
The Film Lion
‘Can I Get a Six Pack Quickly?’ and ‘How Can I Communicate Better with My Mom?’, for Claude, by Mother London
The darkly comedic Super Bowl films positioned Claude as the AI pledging not to run commercial messages on its tools. When they were released in February, just days before Super Bowl 60, Claude’s films drew attention for taking on larger competitors like ChatGPT, which had just announced it was bringing advertising to its platform. Claude used humor to criticize this move and argue there was “a time and a place” for advertising.
Film Lions Jury President, Pelle Sjoenell, Worldwide Chief Creative Officer, NLS Corp, commented:
“An ad about where ads shouldn’t exist. An AI making fun of AI. A challenger that took on the market leader, using its own announcement against it, like corporate aikido, with wit, nerve and craft in every frame. The risk was profound, the execution immaculate, and it reshuffled the perceptions in the most consequential technology race of our age.”
The Grand Prix for Good
‘600K Network’, for Comando Con Venezuela, by Rainbow Lobster, Mexico City / Comando Con Venezuela, Caracas
The work turned a simple QR code into a decentralised electoral verification system, transforming more than 600,000 citizens into an effective electoral verification network during the 2024 Venezuelan elections.
2026’s Grand Prix winners leave behind more than a collection of trophies; they offer a glimpse into where creativity is headed next. Across every category, the standout work proved that the most impactful campaigns don’t simply gain attention; they shape culture, solve real-world problems and spark emotion.
