AB InBev wins first Creative Brand Lion Grand Prix

The inaugural Creative Brand Lions attracted 73 entries

The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity has announced its first winners for 2026, with AB InBev receiving the inaugural Creative Brand Lion Grand Prix as the festival recognised standout work across eight award categories.

The first set of winners spans the Audio & Radio, Creative Brand, Creative B2B, Health & Wellness, Lions Health and United Nations Foundation Grand Prix for Good, Outdoor, Pharma and Print & Publishing Lions.

First winners set creative benchmark

Simon Cook, CEO, LIONS: "The body of winning work selected by our Jurors clearly demonstrates creativity as a growth driver for people, business and society, setting the global creative benchmark. Thank you to all our Jurors for your commitment, generosity of time, and depth of expertise in establishing the work that is raising the creative bar."

In the Audio & Radio Lions, 513 entries were received, with 15 Lions awarded. The Grand Prix went to Coquí Alarmed for Hyundai Puerto Rico by BBDO Puerto Rico. The campaign replaced the standard factory lock sound in rental vehicles with the call of the coquí frog, a recognised symbol of Puerto Rican culture.

Audio and Creative Brand winners announced

Oriel Davis-Lyons, Chief Creative Officer, Mother New York: "'Coquí Alarmed' stood apart because it made the Jury think about our own category in a new way. Though it was rooted in a hyper-local insight, its execution and impact were universally admired. It shows that even in a “Classic” category like Audio & Radio, it’s still possible to push the definition to exciting new limits whilst delivering serious business impact."

The inaugural Creative Brand Lions attracted 73 entries. The Grand Prix was awarded to AB InBev: Creativity at Scale, recognising how the company has embedded creativity into its organisational culture and business operations.

Marcel Marcondes, Global Chief Marketing Officer, AB InBev: "This Lion is unique because it evaluates the inputs – the capabilities and processes – behind the creative work that drives results. Not just across one campaign or quarter, but across years, brands, and geographies. With no Gold, Silver or Bronze awarded, we treated those shortlisted as if they were winners, and the Grand Prix selected by the Jury best delivered on the category definition."

SKF and The Ordinary secure Grand Prix honours

The Creative B2B Lions received 355 entries, with the Grand Prix awarded to The Faroe Islands Space Program for SKF by NORD Stockholm. The campaign transformed a business-to-business message into a broader sustainability discussion.

Ty Heath, Global Director, Thought Leadership, GTM Strategy: "SKF, a global leader in industrial bearings and friction reduction, rejected the rational specs playbook entirely. Instead, they did something awe-inspiring: an actual space program, built to bring their belief in frictionless work to life. Unmissable, unforgettable, and very distinctive. This is creative bravery in B2B. SKF proved that creative bravery in a commodity category delivers real business results."

In the Health & Wellness Lions, The Periodic Fable for The Ordinary by SMUGGLER and Uncommon Creative Studio received the Grand Prix. The campaign challenged beauty marketing language by reclassifying commonly used but unregulated terms through a reimagined periodic table.

Outdoor, Pharma and Print & Publishing Grand Prix winners

Kainaz Karmakar, Chief Creative Officer, Ogilvy India: "It’s an outstanding commentary on how the obsession with skin trends is getting more out of control every day. When health, creativity, craft and culture intersect in the best way possible, work like this is born. This piece was more than deserving. It was undeniable."

The Lions Health and United Nations Foundation Grand Prix for Good was awarded to Vehicle of Hope for Caritas by Differ Stockholm.

The Outdoor Lions attracted 1,410 entries, with Field Barcode for Mercado Livre by GUT São Paulo receiving the Grand Prix. The campaign transformed a football pitch into a giant scannable barcode, allowing fans to interact with the brand in real time.

Aaron Starkman, Global Chief Creative Officer, Rethink: "Awarding ‘Field Barcode’ the Grand Prix was pure joy. Before the Jury even met in Cannes, I saw a soccer pitch reimagined as a giant barcode and fell in love with it. That same reaction was what I hoped the Jury would share. Outdoor is about being seen in the real world, not online. It’s a physical experience that stops you in your tracks, proving the world’s oldest medium is still our most surprising way to connect."

Healthcare agencies recognised in special awards

In the Pharma Lions, Relax Your Tight End for Novartis by Fallon Minneapolis secured the Grand Prix. The campaign addressed prostate cancer screening awareness through a Super Bowl advertisement designed to challenge stigma around the issue.

Tracey Brader, Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer, Omnicom Health: "What makes work Grand Prix? When the whole is more than the sum of great individual parts. And this work ticked all the boxes. Based on a relatable human truth. Appropriate to the audience. Deploying celebrity authentically. Integrated from the Super Bowl to Social to PR. Bold. Humorous. All while addressing a genuine issue."

The Print & Publishing Lions Grand Prix was awarded to Look Familiar? for Heinz Ketchup by Rethink Toronto. The campaign highlighted the strength of Heinz’s visual identity while contributing to commercial growth.

Jessica Apellaniz, Chief Creative Officer, Wieden+Kennedy Mexico: "The Grand Prix had to be Heinz. What we rewarded wasn't the absence of the product. We rewarded the presence of the brand. The campaign trusted the audience, trusted years of consistency, and trusted that a brand built over time could do the work. Its simplicity wasn't an executional choice – it was proof of extraordinary confidence. In a year obsessed with adding more, the best work had the confidence to remove."

Special awards were also presented during the ceremony. Klick Health was named Healthcare Network of the Year, followed by Ogilvy Health and Real Chemistry. Klick Health Toronto received Healthcare Agency of the Year, ahead of Ogilvy Health New York and 21GRAMS New York.

The festival also presented the Entertainment Person of the Year 2026 award to Eddy Cue, Senior Vice President of Services and Health at Apple.

www.canneslions.com

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