As the 72nd Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity comes to a close, the final Awards Show honored the winners of Film, Titanium, Glass: The Lion for Change, Sustainable Development Goals and Grand Prix for Good. Also presented were the Special Awards, the culmination of all points earned by companies throughout the week.
Simon Cook, CEO, Lions, said: “This week we’ve taken our industry on an exhilarating journey of the very best creative work. Huge congratulations to each and every brilliant winner and shortlist for the phenomenal recognition bestowed by peers. This is a time for immense pride as we celebrate the transformative power of breakthrough ideas that challenge conventions, solve problems and create meaningful connections.”
Among the Special Award highlights was Revolver, Australia winning the top production company honor, the Palme d’Or. Finishing second in the Palme d’Or derby was Iconoclast’s U.S. operation, with Biscuit Filmworks’ U.K. shop in third place.
Here’s a full rundown of the winners on the concluding day of the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.
Film Lions
From 1,642 entries received, 52 Lions were awarded: eight Gold, 15 Silver, 27 Bronze and two Grand Prix.
One is awarded to “Paris Paralympics 2024: Considering What?” for Channel 4 by Channel 4, London/4Creative, London.
Sixty percent of people watch the Paralympics to see athletes “overcoming disabilities.” UK broadcaster, Channel 4, wanted to challenge audience attitudes towards Paralympians. The film showed how they face the same brutal forces as any elite athlete but also called out the audience on their, at times, condescending view of para-sport. By the end, 79% thought the Paralympics were as exciting as the Olympics.
Jury president Kate Stanners, chairwoman and global chief creative officer, Saatchi & Saatchi, said, “Film is where we tell our most human stories. Raw, authentic lived experiences that the audience can feel and connect with at an emotional level. Our Grands Prix are brilliant examples.
“The Paralympic film from Channel 4 is an incredibly powerful, visceral film, using both real and surreal imagery, extraordinary editing and sound to make us truly feel the film and connect us to the message. Its impact is felt in the heart, the gut and the mind.”
The second Grand Prix was won for ‘The Final Copy of Ilon Specht’ for L’Oréal Paris, by McCann, Paris.
Fifty years after “Because I’m Worth It” was written, its meaning had been eroded by time. This 17-minute documentary tells the untold story of Ilon Specht, the 23-year-old copywriter who wrote “Because I’m Worth It” in 1973, the first beauty ad voiced by a woman, turning the slogan into a living statement of self-worth.
Jury president Stanners commented: “Ilon resonated with us all. A brand telling a very timely story that authenticates and validates its core brand purpose: to champion women. It’s a masterful film that draws us into the wonderful life story of Ilon, the author of the campaign ‘Because I’m worth it’. Its perfect filmmaking keeps us watching, and its humanity lives with us long after the end.”
Saudi Arabia received its first award in this Lion, a Bronze.
Glass: The Lion for Change
From 253 entries received, eight Lions were awarded: one Gold, two Silver, four Bronze, with the Grand Prix going to “Real Beauty: How a Soap Brand Created a Global Self-Esteem Movement” for Dove by Ogilvy UK, London.
To help more women feel more beautiful every day, Dove has framed everyday women as ‘Real Women’, representing real beauty. “Real Beauty” is now more than a creative idea. It is the combination of a distinctive point of view that repeatedly fuels new campaign ideas.
Jury president KR Liu, global head of product innovation and marketing partnerships for platforms and devices, Google, said, “This year’s Grand Prix winner was selected because it moved beyond awareness to deliver consistent, measurable, societal impact. It showed what’s possible when creative brand storytelling is backed by community partnership and deep cultural understanding. In a field full of strong contenders, this work stood out for its continuous impact and commitment–not just as a campaign, but as a catalyst for real change for women and all aspects of the multiple communities they represent.”
Sustainable Development Goals Lions
From 481 entries received, 16 Lions were awarded: four Gold, four Silver, seven Bronze and the Grand Prix, awarded to “The Amazon Greenventory,” for NATURA, by Africa Creative DDB, São Paulo.
By leveraging artificial intelligence and drone technology, Natura conducted the largest tree inventory in Amazon history – 400 km² mapped in just six months. It identified 30,000 trees with cosmetic potential and empowered local communities by improving harvesting methods, boosting incomes and deepening their connection to the land. Natura aims to preserve 3m hectares of forest by 2030.
Josy Paul, chairperson and chief creative officer, BBDO India, and Jury president, commented, “Good work informs. Great work transforms. That’s exactly what the SDG Jury saw in Natura’s ‘Amazon Greenventory’. It wasn’t just impressive, it was transformational. This groundbreaking initiative challenged the belief that profit in the Amazon must come at the cost of deforestation. A powerful demonstration that sustainable profit can come from innovation, not destruction. It’s work that doesn’t just create impressions but leaves a lasting impression on the world.”
This campaign is Brazil’s first Grand Prix in this Lion.
Dan Wieden Titanium Lions
From 187 entries received, four Titanium Lions were awarded and one Grand Prix, won by “AXA – Three Words” for AXA by Publicis Conseil, Paris.
Rooted in a transformative insight, this campaign saw the three words “and domestic violence” being added to AXA’s home insurance contract in France. When a victim calls the emergency number, she is immediately relocated and supported.
Jury president Judy John, global chief creative officer, Edelman, said: “‘Three Words’ can change the world. This year’s Titanium Grand Prix didn’t just change insurance policies, it helped women literally escape domestic violence. These three simple words in a contract changed their lives, their outcomes, and an industry. In insurance contracts, words matter and with the simple addition of ‘and domestic violence’, AXA turned a contract into a lifeline, giving women the freedom to leave abusive relationships and handing the entire industry a clear roadmap for reform while significantly impacting their business.
“When the Titanium Jury set out to find a Grand Prix idea, we wanted the first domino in a movement. ‘Three Words’ was that idea, and our decision was instant and unanimous. In all my years judging at Cannes Lions, I’ve never seen a Jury align so completely, so quickly.”
Singapore won its first-ever Titanium Lion in 2025.
Grand Prix for Good
Recognizing and celebrating the use of creativity to positively impact not only businesses and brands, but also the world at large, the Jury awarded the Grand Prix for Good to “The Best Place In The World To Have Herpes” for New Zealand Herpes Foundation, by FINCH, Sydney / Motion Sickness, Auckland / NZ Herpes Foundation, Auckland.
Featuring a first-of-its-kind “Herpes Destigmatisation Course,” a global ranking system underpinned by live data, and plenty of irreverent humour, this campaign took an unusual approach to reducing herpes stigma–framing it as the key to restoring New Zealand’s diminished sense of national pride.
Judy John, global CCO, Edelman, Global, and Jury president, said, “Brave, outrageously creative, wildly ambitious and educational are not the usual combination of words you will find to describe the Grand Prix for Good. The title of the campaign ‘Make New Zealand the Best Place to have Herpes’ by The New Zealand Herpes Foundation says it all. Often overlooked, this campaign played into their national pride, to unite the county in eliminating the herpes stigma as a way to restore our self-esteem, reclaim international glory, and boost patriotism.”
Special Awards were announced as follows:
Creative Company of the Year
1. WPP
2. Omnicom
3. Interpublic Group
Network of the Year
1. DDB Worldwide
2. Ogilvy
3. FCB
Independent Network of the Year
1. Serviceplan Agenturgruppe
2. Rethink
3. Wieden+Kennedy
Agency of the Year
1. Publicis Conseil, Paris, France
2. Africa Creative DDB, São Paulo, Brazil
3. FCB Chicago, United States
Independent Agency of the Year
1. Serviceplan, Munich, Germany
2. Rethink, Toronto, Canada
3. Bear Meets Eagle On Fire, Sydney, Australia
Palme d’Or
1. Revolver, Australia
2. Iconoclast, United States
3. Biscuit Filmworks, United Kingdom
Revolver becomes the first Australian production company to win the Palme d’Or in the history of the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity.
The win for Revolver was in addition to winning the Grand Prix for both Film Craft and Film. The Film Craft Grand Prix was shared with Australian agency Bear Meets Eagle on Fire for their work on Telstra’s Better on A Better Mobile Network campaign. The Film Grand Prix was awarded to Steve Roger’s “Considering What?” for Channel 4’s coverage of the Paralympic games.
These wins mark the second year in a row that Revolver has won both the Film and Film Craft Grand Prix honors at the festival.
Revolver’s managing director/co-owner Michael Ritchie remarked on this year’s wins, and what it means for Australian production. “For myself and our entire team, this is an enormous honor, and honestly–pretty overwhelming. Our country is home to some of the best talent globally, and these wins only reiterate the high caliber of work from our region.
“Brent Smart’s (CMO, Telstra) and Micah Walker’s (CCO/founder, Bear Meets Eagle on Fire) industry defining vision for Telstra, and the trust and respect they offer to their production partners and the directors they work with, is something we are so grateful for, and a direct contributor to our success this year. Similarly, a huge thank you goes to the entire team behind Steve’s ‘Considering What?’ campaign, which is a brilliant piece of work with an unflinching grit that celebrated the athletes at the heart of the Paralympics.
“We are also incredibly grateful for our long standing partnership with Biscuit Filmworks in L.A. and U.K. whom we worked with across a number of our winning works. For twenty years we have worked together and to see this coming to genuine fruition now is as rewarding as the work itself.”
Creative Brand of the Year
1. AXA
2. Dove
3. Vaseline
Agency of the Year by Track
– Agency of the Year | Classic: Africa Creative DDB, São Paulo, Brazil
– Agency of the Year | Craft: FCB Chicago, United States
– Agency of the Year | Engagement: GUT, São Paulo, Brazil
– Agency of the Year | Entertainment: DAVID, New York, United States
– Agency of the Year | Experience: DM9, São Paulo, Brazil
– Agency of the Year | Good: Africa Creative DDB, São Paulo, Brazil
– Agency of the Year | Health: =1 Ogilvy, Shanghai, Mainland China and Ogilvy, Singapore, Singapore
– Agency of the Year | Strategy: Ogilvy UK, London, United Kingdom
Independent Agency of the Year by Track
– Independent Agency of the Year | Classic: Serviceplan, Munich, Germany
– Independent Agency of the Year | Craft: Bear Meets Eagle On Fire, Sydney, Australia
– Independent Agency of the Year | Engagement: Rethink, Toronto, Canada
– Independent Agency of the Year | Entertainment: BigTime Creative Shop, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
– Independent Agency of the Year | Experience: Serviceplan, Munich, Germany
– Independent Agency of the Year | Good: =1 L&C, New York, United States and Serviceplan, Munich, Germany
– Independent Agency of the Year | Health: Artplan, São Paulo, Brazil
– Independent Agency of the Year | Strategy: Rethink, Toronto, Canada
