Cannes Lions to honour brands driving creative excellence with new Creative Brand Lion

Cannes Lions is redefining how creativity is celebrated. Ahead of its 2026 edition, the festival has introduced the Creative Brand Lion, an award designed to recognise brands that build the cultures, systems, and internal capabilities that make world-class creativity inevitable — not accidental.

For 70 years, Cannes Lions has rewarded the outputs of creativity — the campaigns, craft, and ideas that move culture. But now the festival is shifting focus to the inputs: the strategic foundations and organisational practices that enable repeatable, scalable creative excellence.

Simon Cook, CEO of LIONS, said the industry is asking new questions. “We’ve recognised creative outputs for decades. But what are the systems that make those creative breakthroughs possible? The Creative Brand Lion will honour brands that build environments where creativity flourishes and drives real business impact.”

The festival’s 2026 edition, scheduled for 22–26 June, will open submissions on 15 January 2026. Alongside the Creative Brand Lion, Cannes Lions is rolling out updated categories to reflect how creativity, technology, and data continue to reshape the industry.

The Creative Data Lion will undergo a major overhaul. Instead of rewarding campaigns that “used data,” the new framework will spotlight work where data drove creative strategy from inception — influencing concept, execution, and measurable effect.

With generative AI reshaping the creative process, AI Craft subcategories will be introduced across craft-led Lions. These will reward work where human creativity and artificial intelligence collaborate to produce ideas that neither could achieve alone. The emphasis will be on intentionality, artistry, and AI as an enabler — not a substitute.

Retail media’s explosive growth has also inspired new subcategories across the Creative Data and Creative Strategy Lions. With brands increasingly treating retail networks as full-funnel ecosystems, Cannes aims to capture innovation that bridges commerce, media, and creativity.

Marian Brannelly, Global Director of Awards at LIONS, said the shift mirrors industry reality. “Data is now a creative catalyst. AI is expanding what’s possible. Retail media is rewriting how brands connect with consumers. These updates reflect the new creative frontier.”

The Creative Brand Lion marks a watershed moment for marketers. It signals that creativity is no longer judged solely by output — but by organisational commitment, capability, and culture. The brands that win will be those who treat creativity not as a campaign activity, but as a competitive advantage.

Follow Marketing Moves on Instagram and Facebook for industry insights, strategy breakdowns, and brand transformation stories.