The Lions have announced this year’s new crop of awards, leading in with the creative brand Lions which celebrates a brand for being creative, as opposed to celebrating a brand’s creative output.
New AI craft categories are also being introduced, with which Cannes Lions is aiming to pinpoint success in bringing human creativity together with AI. Sounds like they are looking for the kind of “layered creativity” that David Patton identified for MAA recently. The AI craft awards will no doubt be closely monitored as it attempts to find some genuine creativity among the deluge of AI slop out there.
Like AI, retail media is also on an upward trajectory, and Cannes will be rewarding creativity there too with a raft of new retail media subcategories added to the creative strategy and creative data Lions. All creative data Lions will now expect entrants to show how data has driven both the creative idea and the business impact.
Talking about the new creative brand Lions, Simon Cook, CEO, of the Lions, said: “For 70 years, we’ve recognised the work and creative outputs that drive demand for brands all around the world. But in 2026, we’re asking a different question: what are the inputs that make those breakthrough ideas possible in the first place? The Lion will recognise the visionary brands that are building the systems, cultures and capabilities that make world-class creative marketing inevitable and repeatable.”
Marian Brannelly, global director of awards, Lions, said: “Data has become a creative catalyst, AI is expanding what’s possible and retail media is redefining how brands connect with consumers. These changes reflect how technology isn’t just supporting creativity, it’s allowing us to conquer new creative frontiers.”
