The 2026 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity has officially concluded, with Heineken earning the prestigious Creative Brand of the Year title after another standout year of award-winning creativity.
The annual honour recognises brands that consistently deliver exceptional creative work across multiple categories throughout the festival. Joining Heineken on this year’s podium were KitKat in second place and IKEA in third.
The announcement capped another highly competitive edition of Cannes Lions, where agencies, production companies and brands from around the world were recognised for pushing creative excellence and innovation.
Film Lions celebrates outstanding storytelling
After reviewing 1,469 Film Lions entries, juries awarded 45 Lions, including two coveted Grand Prix awards.
The top honours went to Mother London for the Claude campaigns:
- Can I Get a Six Pack Quickly?
- How Can I Communicate Better with My Mom?
The campaigns were recognised for demonstrating exceptional storytelling, craft and creative effectiveness in film advertising.
Ogilvy leads global agency networks
Among the agency groups, Ogilvy claimed the coveted Network of the Year title, ahead of VML and TBWA Worldwide, reinforcing its position as one of the industry’s most awarded global networks. Italian creative powerhouse LePub Milan was crowned Agency of the Year, followed by VML New York and Canada’s Rethink Toronto.
Creativity remains the industry’s defining advantage
The 2026 Cannes Lions rankings highlight a year in which global brands, independent agencies and in-house creative teams continued to raise the standard for impactful marketing.
For Heineken, being named Creative Brand of the Year reinforces the value of sustained investment in bold ideas, world-class creative partnerships and campaigns that resonate across cultures and markets.
As the industry looks ahead, the 2026 winners provide a benchmark for the creativity, innovation and effectiveness that continue to define the world’s biggest celebration of advertising and marketing excellence.
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