Cannes Lions to honour Susan Credle with Lion of St Mark

The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity will present its lifetime achievement honour, the Lion of St Mark, to Susan Credle in recognition of a career spanning more than four decades in advertising.

Susan Credle began her industry journey with an internship at BBDO New York and went on to shape creative work and leadership cultures across several major agencies.

Recognition for long-term industry impact

Simon Cook, CEO, LIONS: "Susan Credle is a trailblazer and a creative force. Throughout her career she has consistently built cultures where creativity thrives, producing iconic work while shaping the values, standards and conditions for success. Cannes Lions has had the privilege of witnessing Susan's brilliance many times. She has served on our Juries eight times, three of those as Jury President, including Titanium, and her influence on the work itself is undeniable. She understands deeply that creativity is more than a driver of progress; it is an economic multiplier. Beyond the iconic campaigns, Susan has been a generous mentor to leaders, peers and generations of creatives, and a tireless advocate for inclusion and the next wave of talent. Her contribution to the industry is significant, passionate and generous, and we are honoured to recognise Susan with the Lion of St Mark. We look forward to celebrating her extraordinary legacy in Cannes."

Campaigns that shaped major brands

Over the years, Susan Credle has contributed to widely recognised work for brands including M&M’s, Allstate, Secret Deodorant and McDonald’s.

In 1996, Susan Credle and art director Steve Rutter introduced the comedic ensemble of M&M’s characters, a campaign that helped accelerate her rise within the industry. She also played a role in campaigns such as Allstate’s Mayhem series, Secret Deodorant’s Mean Stinks anti-bullying initiative and McDonald’s Happy Meal literacy programmes.

Leadership across global agencies

Susan Credle has held senior creative roles at several major agency networks, including BBDO, Leo Burnett and FCB. Her tenure as Global Chief Creative Officer at FCB coincided with strong recognition for the network at international award shows.

During this period, FCB North America was named Cannes Lions North America Agency of the Year for six consecutive years. The network also received the title of Global Network of the Year at Cannes Lions in 2020/21 and ranked first in the WARC Effective 100 for creative effectiveness in 2023.

Reflecting on a Cannes Lions influence

Susan Credle, Interpublic Global Creative Advisor: "When I walked into the lobby of BBDO on Madison Avenue in the summer of 1985, I saw a poster celebrating Pepsi's Cannes Lions Grand Prix-winning 'Archaeology', directed by Joe Pytka. The Jury that honored that work set the bar for what great advertising could be. It was provocative and beautifully crafted and showed real respect for the audience. More importantly, it launched something much bigger – the 'Choice of a New Generation' platform that took the Cola Wars to another level. That Cannes Lions Award taught me something I've carried with me ever since: the best ideas don't just succeed in the moment – they strive to be NVRFNSHD."

Susan Credle will receive the Lion of St Mark during the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in Cannes, France. She will also take part in the Lion of St Mark seminar on Monday 22 June. The festival runs from 22 to 26 June.

www.canneslions.com

Follow Marketing Report on LinkedIn