Cannes Lions 2023

More of the best from the world’s biggest and most prestigious advertising competition.

The Cannes Lions Grand Prix winners represent the best-of-the-best of the ad industry from the last year. We’re sharing 17 of the winners here for anyone who loves big creative thinking (or just wants to see what good case videos look like).

This year’s Film Lions were more focused on product and sales, and rightfully so, said jury president Bruno Bertelli. “Most of the clients I work for don’t have an awareness issue, but all of them [have a] conversion issue.”

Cannes’ top honour went to “The First Digital Nation,” an effort to earn Tuvalu international status as a digital-only nation state as the country is submerged under rising seas.

Korea’s “Knock Knock” to help abuse victims wins Glass Grand Prix, while SDG Grand Prix goes to Mastercard for “Where to Settle.”

Cossette and SickKids Foundation win Canada’s lone Creative Strategy Lion, a Silver for “House of Legends.”

It’s brave for a bank to show up in a “completely unmoderated” environment like Twitch, said Creative Commerce jury president Nancy Crimi-Lamanna.

The BBDO campaign picked up three more Lions on Thursday, with the night’s other Canadian winners including FCB and Dentsu.

Angry Butterfly wins its first-ever Gold for “Bill it to Bezos,” while FCB wins for “Runner 321” and Ogilvy for “The Cost of Beauty.

With two more days of competition remaining, Canada has already surpassed its high-water mark of 41 Lions.

Direct jury president Chaka Sobhani said that “Runner 321” for Adidas “could not be a more pure direct idea.”

BBDO’s “Missing Matoaka” and Rethink’s “The Unburnable Book” add to their Lions tally, and the Festival gets its first double Grand Prix winner: “Clash from the Past.”

Also winning Craft Lions on Tuesday night were Performance Art, Rethink, BBDO, Ogilvy, and Broken Heart Love Affair.

Canadian agencies receive a total of 11 nods across five shortlist categories announced Tuesday.

FCB and Klick also land Health & Wellness Lions, with Klick Health winning the lone Lion in the Pharma competition.

In addition to one Gold and two Bronze, ‘Missing Matoaka’ was in the Grand Prix discussion in the Radio & Audio Lions.

BBDO’s “Missing Matoaka” led the way with three nods, but FCB, Rethink, Taxi, McCann, Dentsu and Performance Art all have a chance at Lion.

Rethink’s work for Kraft Heinz earns 39 nods as 17 shortlists are announced Sunday. Its work on “The Unburnable Book” also earns multiple nods.

Some people in the industry roll their eyes about awards shows, and Cannes in particular. But we find it invigorating and inspiring, and are always surprised by what we find there.

BBDO’s “Missing Matoaka” made the Glass Lions shortlist, while Angry Butterfly is on the Innovation Lions shortlist for “Bill it to Bezos”.