According to Cannes Lions 2025, WPP, a DDV Worldwide network, was named Creative Company of the Year, while Serviceplan was named Independent Network of the Year. Publicis Conseail, Paris, was named Agency of the Year, and Serviceplan Munich was named Independent Agency of the Year. Axa won the Creative Brand of the Year award, and Revolver, Australia, took home the Palme d'Or.
And which works are among the most successful?
AXA – Three Words by Publicis Conseil, Paris for AXA
The Titan Grand Prix, the highest trophy in the Direct and Creative Business Transformation categories, plus two golds, four silvers and a bronze went to a campaign that is not afraid to change the established system. AXA in France has expanded compulsory household insurance by three essential words – ‘and domestic violence’. This allows victims to immediately escape from a dangerous home, including transport, accommodation and legal and psychological assistance. This structural change in the insurance industry has sparked a debate about what insurance should protect – and who.
Caption with Intention by FCB Chicago for Chicago Hearing Society, Rakish, AMPA
A Titan Lion, three Grand Prix awards, three gold awards, two silver awards and two bronze awards for a major innovation in accessibility that redefines the way the film industry works with subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing. The system was developed over ten months of testing with the deaf community and was designed to capture not only what is said, but also how it is said, with an emphasis on emotion, intonation and mood.
Vaseline Verified by Ogilvy, Singapore for Unilever
The campaign, which responded to viral but often dangerous ‘hacks’ with Vaseline on social media, also won a Titanium Lion, two Grand Prix awards, a gold, four silvers and a bronze. The brand decided to get involved and verify the popular tricks scientifically. Those that were safe were labelled ‘Verified’ and the creators received rewards. The campaign achieved record reach and proved that even a traditional brand can be a trusted voice in the digital world.
The Best Place in The World to Have Herpes by Finch, Sydney for New Zealand Herpes Foundation
Two special Grand Prix awards – For Good and Health & Wellness – along with gold and bronze went to a New Zealand campaign that used humour, education and national pride to break down taboos around herpes and engage thousands of people in a more open debate about sexual health. Thanks to the Herpes Stigma Index and an online course, New Zealanders racked up over 10,000 hours of viewing time. The campaign is now continuing in schools.
Lucky Yatra by FCB, Mumbai for Indian Railways
The project, which turned the frustrating formality of buying tickets, which many passengers avoid, into a lottery, won the Grand Prix, six gold lions and a silver and bronze lion. By tapping into the belief in luck that is deeply rooted in Indian culture, it has turned a chore into an opportunity. And it has contributed to a 34 per cent increase in revenue for Indian Railways.
Price Packs by Serviceplan Munich for Penny
The German chain Penny won the Grand Prix and a pack of three gold, three silver and two bronze lions for its Price Packs campaign. At a time when inflation and dynamic pricing were shaking consumer confidence, Penny bet on a radically simple idea: packaging that, instead of an attractive design, shows one thing above all else – a fixed price. This price guarantee, printed months in advance, became a symbol of stability. This set the chain apart from its competitors and attracted the attention of the media and customers alike.
One Second Ads by Africa Creative DDB, Sao Paulo for Budweiser
The campaign that helped Budweiser capture the attention of Brazilians on TikTok won the Grand Prix, two golds and a bronze. How did it stand out in the vast amount of content? It took advantage of the fact that true fans can recognise their favourite songs within a second. Since there is no need to pay for a licence for such a short period of time, it used the most popular songs. Anyone who recognised a song within a second received a coupon. And people kept coming back to guess all the songs.
Haaland Payback Time by David New York for Clash of Clans
After winning two gold, silver and bronze awards, the Grand Prix went to a project that attracted players to Clash of Clans thanks to its long-time fan, footballer Erling Haaland, who also appeared in the game as the first real-life celebrity. This attracted not only those who liked him, but mainly those who admired his skills. They were invited to raze the village he had been building for over ten years to the ground. 34.9 million people enjoyed their revenge, capturing 11.8 trillion gold coins.
Preserved Promos by VML New York for Ziploc
The Grand Prix, gold, two bronze and two silver awards went to a project that responded to consumers under economic pressure. In the US, it responded to the growing use of coupons for discounts on online coupons and the fact that 99 per cent of coupons issued are not redeemed. The campaign revived the missed opportunity to save money by restoring the coupons' validity by adding Ziploc bags to the shopping cart. This helped save money, extend the shelf life of purchased food, strengthen the brand and expand its customer base.
Phone Break – Take a break from your mobile phone by VML Prague for Nestlé
This year's most successful Czech campaign, which won the first ever Grand Prix for the Czech Republic, cannot be left out of the overview. Referring to the famous KitKat slogan, the project encouraged people to put down their smartphones for a moment and enjoy the present moment. The series of three visuals won the highest award in the Outdoor category and also took silver in the Print & Publishing category. As Iva Welker and Jake Barrow from VML Prague said in an interview with MAM, other countries are already signing up to launch the campaign.
Source: mam.cz