Mumbai: Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity has announced the winners across the Entertainment and Craft Track Lions during the Festival’s second Awards show, recognising work that demonstrated excellence in creativity, storytelling, design, technology and consumer engagement.
This year’s winners highlighted how brands are increasingly leveraging fandom, cultural relevance, AI and elevated craft to drive stronger audience connections and business impact.
Commenting on the announcements, Simon Cook, CEO, LIONS, said, “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.”
adidas’ ‘Original Forever’ Wins Double Grand Prix
Among the standout campaigns of the evening was ‘Original Forever’ for adidas, created by Johannes Leonardo, New York and adidas, London, which secured two Grands Prix across Entertainment Lions and Entertainment Lions for Music.
Selected from 656 entries, the Entertainment Lions category awarded 20 Lions in total. The campaign drew on adidas’ cultural association with Oasis, combining official tour merchandise and cultural storytelling to build fandom.
Chris Beresford-Hill, Worldwide Chief Creative Officer, BBDO Worldwide and Entertainment Lions Jury President, 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.”
In Entertainment Lions for Music, which received 318 entries, the Jury awarded two Grands Prix — adidas’ Original Forever and ‘Rosalía Ft. Björk, Yves Tumor – Berghain’.
Matt Murphy, Global Chief Creative Officer, 72andSunny and Jury President, said, “This Award is about music driving the storytelling experience, where the brand endorses the artist, as much as the artist endorses the brand. We were looking for breakthrough collaborations between artists and culture. Ultimately, it came down to COMMITMENT. Going all in on an idea. We awarded two Grands Prix: adidas ‘Original Forever’, a fantastic integration of Brand, Band and Audience. It not only reignited nostalgia for older fans, it ushered in an era of new ones. Rosalina ‘Berghain’. Wow! Just wow! A feast for the eyes and ears, integrating classical and modern, fantasy and reality.”
Gaming and Sports Celebrate Community-Led Engagement
In Entertainment Lions for Gaming, ‘Copycats Welcome’ for Clash Royale by David, New York, received the Grand Prix among 216 entries. The campaign invited players of imitation games to return to the original platform through an interactive and community-first approach.
Lolly Thomson, Joint Global Chief Creative Officer, M+C Saatchi Group, said, “The Jury debated hard, but when we got there, we were unified. This year’s Grand Prix did something radical— an amnesty. Instead of lengthy IP battles, it went after the millions playing knock-offs and said: we see you, come home, bring everything with you. Progress, hours, accrued wealth— all transferable, no quibbling. Re-establishing the original as the most generous version of itself— a masterclass in value exchange. When you do something like that, the community takes over. You don’t need to shout. They do it for you.”
Meanwhile, in Entertainment Lions for Sport, ‘The Thousand Sponsors of Muni’ for Club Deportivo Municipal by McCann, Lima, took the Grand Prix after transforming football supporters into sponsors and creating a broader national movement around fan participation.
Shannon Washington, Chief Creative Officer and Managing Partner, 11 Ounces, said, “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. The craft is exceptional, down to the math behind the pricing and the grid on the jersey itself. But what makes this Grand Prix-worthy for the room is what it says about sport: this is fandom doing the work that money used to do, and community deciding what the future of a club looks like. It’s a reminder that sport’s real power isn’t the sponsorship deal – it’s the people who refuse to let the thing they love disappear.”
Apple, Google, Coinbase and De’Longhi Win Across Craft Categories
In the Design Lions, Apple TV Rebrand for Apple by TBWA\Media Arts Lab, Los Angeles, won the Grand Prix for bringing cinematic craft and visual identity together.
Greg Quinton, Chief Creative Officer, Design Bridge and Partners, said: “We awarded the Grand Prix because it’s gloriously human-made. It recaptures the drama of cinema and the sheer magic of light and sound. Frankly, at a time obsessed with tech threats, this is a beautiful rebellion. Had they not shown how it was crafted, the magic may have evaporated. Instead, you can genuinely feel the love poured into it. A brilliantly simple, soulful design with a proper beating heart and a glorious brand transformation”.
In Digital Craft, ‘Project Genie’ for Google received the Grand Prix for demonstrating new possibilities in consumer-facing AI experiences.
Andrés Ordóñez, Global Chief Creative Officer, McCann, said, “’Genie’ earned the Grand Prix because it perfectly embodies what Digital Craft should celebrate: not just where technology is today, but where creativity can take it next. The work gives us a glimpse of new creative possibilities, transforming a powerful tool into a platform for imagination. It reminds us that technology alone is never enough. The real breakthrough happens when creativity unlocks what technology can become.”
The Film Craft Grand Prix went to ‘Your Way Out’ for Coinbase by Isle of Any, New York.
Pip Smart, Executive Producer and Partner, Revolver, said, “‘Your Way Out’ was the film that organically rose to the top as we worked through the judging process. Whilst a few of the Jurors may have their hearts in other places to begin with, eventually it was hard to argue for any other piece for the Grand Prix. Ultimately, it was awarded a Grand Prix for direction primarily because the depth and originality of the craft was undeniable.”
In Industry Craft, ‘Tiny Coffee Shops’ for De’Longhi by LOLA, Madrid, won the Grand Prix.
Rafael Gil, Chief Creative Officer, Artplan, said, “‘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. Throughout the judging, this work consistently stood out. And in the final moment, when the lights of the tiny coffee shop turned on, something else lit up as well: our conviction that this was the perfect symbol of what Craft can be. And that is exactly the role of a Grand Prix: to be the symbol of a category today, and an inspiration for the industry tomorrow.”
The evening also saw Oprah Winfrey receive the Cannes LionHeart Award, recognising her contribution to creating meaningful and lasting impact through media, storytelling and philanthropy.
All shortlists and winners are available via The Work platform, while additional Festival information can be accessed through Cannes Lions.
