LePub Milan named Cannes Lions 2026 Agency of the Year

Heineken crowned Creative Brand of the Year as LePub network secures 34 Lions across Cannes Lions 2026

LePub, the global creative network within Publicis Groupe, has been named Agency of the Year at the 73rd edition of the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, capping a record-breaking week that also saw its Milan office win two Grand Prix for the first time in its history.

LePub Milan collected a total of 26 Lions, while the wider LePub network finished the festival with 34 Lions, marking one of the strongest performances in the agency's history.

The recognition coincided with Heineken® receiving the prestigious Creative Brand of the Year award for the first time, driven by a portfolio of work led by Could Have Been a Heineken and The Pub That Refused to Die.

Two Grand Prix headline historic Cannes performance

Could Have Been a Heineken, created by LePub Milan and LePub São Paulo, received the Grand Prix in Social & Creator after transforming contemporary social behaviour into a creative expression of Heineken's long-standing values of sociability and human connection.

Meanwhile, The Pub That Refused to Die, developed by LePub Milan and Publicis Dublin, earned the Grand Prix in Creative Strategy for reviving a historic Irish pub and turning it into a symbol of resilience and community.

The two campaigns also secured an additional 12 Lions across ten award categories.

Could Have Been a Heineken won five Gold Lions across Media, Direct, Brand Experience & Activation and Outdoor, alongside two Silver Lions in Direct and Audio & Radio, and one Bronze Lion in Brand Experience & Activation.

The Pub That Refused to Die added four Bronze Lions in PR, Direct, Entertainment and Creative B2B.

Long-term partnership with Heineken recognised

Reflecting on the achievement, Bruno Bertelli, CEO and Chief Creative Officer of LePub Worldwide, credited the agency's long-term collaboration with Heineken for enabling its creative success.

"Today is much more than a celebration of an award. It is the recognition of a journey built over years by people who chose to believe that creativity can become a true business model."

Bertelli highlighted the trust placed in the agency by Bram Westenbrink and the Heineken team.

"This moment would not have been possible without Heineken and the extraordinary partnership we had built together. Bram Westenbrink and his team gave us something every creative agency hopes for: trust. They opened the brand to us, encouraged us to challenge conventions, and shared our belief that the best ideas are born when clients and agencies are willing to take risks together."

He said the relationship evolved significantly after 2020.

"Since 2020, when the world suddenly changed, we stopped thinking in terms of briefs and started thinking in terms of possibilities. Together, we created a different way of working - one rooted in curiosity, cultural relevance, and the ambition to build ideas that move seamlessly between global vision and local truth. Ideas that don't interrupt culture but become part of it."

Bertelli added that Heineken's recognition as Creative Brand of the Year alongside LePub's Agency of the Year title demonstrated the strength of close client-agency collaboration.

"Seeing Heineken® recognized as Creative Brand of the Year while LePub is named Agency of the Year makes this achievement even more meaningful because these victories belong together. They are proof that the strongest creative work is never built alone."

Broader portfolio contributes to success

Several additional campaigns strengthened LePub's Cannes Lions performance.

These included Tocayos, created by LePub Milan, which uses shared identity to help independent bars thrive while reinforcing their role within local communities.

Rooftop Revival, developed by LePub Singapore and LePub Milan, transforms underutilised urban rooftops into new social gathering spaces.

For Plenitude, LePub Milan created Dark Mode Ads, a campaign designed to reduce screen energy consumption by leveraging dark mode within digital advertising.

Creativity and innovation remain central

LePub's Cannes success was led by Bruno Bertelli, Cristiana Boccassini, and Mihnea Gheorghiu, who oversee the network's global creative direction.

Looking ahead, Bertelli said the recognition reflects both the agency's journey and the industry's future direction.

"On this special occasion I also want to thank Arthur Sadoun and Publicis Groupe for believing in our ambition from the very beginning. They gave us the freedom to build something unconventional, to challenge the traditional agency model, and to create a new brand unlike any other. That trust allowed us to dream bigger than we thought possible."

He added that technological innovation must always remain in service of strong creative ideas.

"Our industry is transforming faster than ever. Creativity today cannot exist without innovation, technology, and new ways of thinking. Yet those tools only matter when they serve an idea. Our responsibility is to continue raising the bar - combining technological innovation with human creativity, while remaining uncompromising about craft, excellence and the premium standards that define everything we do."

Bertelli concluded by positioning the Cannes recognition as the beginning of the agency's next chapter.

"Because the future won't belong to those who simply adopt new technologies, but to those who use them to create work that people genuinely care about. Today, standing on this stage, it feels like a dream we built together has become reality. Tomorrow, it becomes the foundation for everything we have yet to create."

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