A 103-strong delegation from the Irish advertising and marketing community will head to the south of France next week for the annual Cannes Lions Festival.
This year, nearly 150 entries from Irish agencies and clients were submitted in the hope of making the all-important shortlist. Some of the entries came from agencies like Droga5, Folk VML, Catapult, Diageo, Forsman & Bodenfors, Ogilvy, Paddy Power, PHD and Publicis Dublin which has already been shortlisted for a Titanium award for its “Pub Succession” campaign for Heineken Ireland. The agency will also be looking to emulate its 2024 success when, together with Thinkhouse, it picked up eight Cannes Lions, also for work with Heineken Ireland and its “Pub Museums” initiative.
From an Irish perspective one of the highlights of the week will be an IAPI-hosted event entitled “Ireland: Your Next Global Marketing Hub” on Monday, 16th June at 16. Speakers include Abi Moran, CEO, Folk VML & IAPI president; Jennifer English, global brand director, Johnnie Walker, Diageo; Mark Shanley, executive creative director, adam&eve DDB; Ronan Nulty, executive creative director, Publicis Dublin; Rory Gallery, chief strategy officer, Special New Zealand and Sinead Gill, director PR & media relations, Smurfit Westrock.
Irish eyes will also be focused on the Youn Lions and the seven teams that will represent Ireland in Cannes. They are as follows:
Design: Conor Leech & Tom Davis (Publicis Dublin)
Digital: Eimear Byrne (OMG) & Gabriella Pricop (PHD)
Film: Lucy Mortell & Isabel Harvey (Publicis Dublin)
PR: Fiona Peppard & Deirbhile Brennan (Wilson Hartnell)
Print: Caitlin Roarty (Accenture Song) & Joy Nelson (Invention, Group M)
Media: Maria Williams & Sarah Jane Clarke (Starcom, Core)
Young Marketers: Damien Biggins & Katie Bradley (Allianz Ireland)
Overall, the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity received a whopping 26,900 entries this year, according to the organisers.
“With submissions from across 96 markets – and significant regional growth from LATAM – we look forward to seeing the breadth of groundbreaking ideas from across the world. We’re excited to see the winning body of work that emerges over the next week as our Juries set the benchmark that will define the future direction for our industry,” says Simon Cook, CEO, LIONS.
According to the organisers, the Design Lions, which underwent significant updates this year to reflect the strategic and behavioural impact of design, “ experienced a 17% increase in submissions, underscoring the growing role of design as a tool for brand and societal transformation.”
Creative B2B also saw growth, with entries up 13%, while the Entertainment Lions for Sport rose by 15%, reflecting an increasing emphasis on creativity within performance-driven and fan-led sectors.
Elsewhere, the Strategy Track, encompassing the Creative Strategy and Creative Effectiveness Lions, has seen a notable 10% year on year increase, marking its fifth consecutive year of growth and demonstrating a clear focus on strategy that drives clear business outcomes.
Meanwhile, Glass: The Lion for Change saw a 53% increase in submissions, driven by a broader, more intersectional approach to work that tackles systemic issues and drives real-world impact.
In terms of the make-up of the entrants, particularly in creative ownership, the organisers have noted an 18% increase in entries from independent agencies, “showing that innovation and big thinking aren’t limited by scale. A similar size increase was also recorded in the Social & Creator Lions, which were updated to better reflect the growing influence of creators in today’s landscape.
“The submissions this year reveal a shift in how creativity is being harnessed for meaningful change for both business and society,” says Marian Brannelly, global director of Awards, LIONS.
“We’re seeing record growth in categories that demand measurable impact, whether that’s through design thinking that transforms user experiences or strategic approaches that deliver tangible business outcomes. Overall, the data shows an industry that continues to evolve and embrace new opportunities to drive impact, with strong engagement with creator-focused submissions and the growth of independent agency participation, representing an industry embracing new models of impact, innovation and transformation.”
