The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity has announced a record-breaking 26,753 award submissions for 2024, showcasing a diverse range of creative marketing efforts. This surge in entries highlights significant growth in categories such as Creative Effectiveness, Creative Business Transformation, Creative Commerce, and Creative Strategy.
Industry Trends and Growth
Simon Cook, CEO of Lions, remarked on the trends evident in this year’s submissions. “As a barometer for the global industry, this is when we see interesting shifts across the global landscape,” said Cook. “We’ve seen continued growth in the Creative Effectiveness Lions, which has received the highest number of submissions since its launch in 2011. This demonstrates a strong commitment to creativity as a growth driver. The number of brand submissions rose by 6%, and media owners’ submissions increased by 31%, showcasing the expanding investment in creativity across the spectrum of branded communications. Our Juries are already curating a body of Lion-worthy work, and we look forward to seeing the benchmarks set for the coming year.”
Emerging Categories
Categories beyond traditional disciplines also saw notable increases. Creative Business Transformation submissions grew by 8%, Creative Commerce by 18%, and Creative Strategy by 5%. This growth indicates how creative marketing increasingly addresses business challenges.
The Social & Influencer Lions category experienced a 21% increase in entries, the highest since its introduction in 2018. Marian Brannelly, Global Director of Awards at LIONS, noted the expanded categories within Social & Influencer Lions. “We better recognize and celebrate the pivotal role that content creators play in shaping and amplifying brand messages. The dynamic influence these individuals have on audiences across social and digital platforms reflects the evolving nature of communication and branding. With global social spend projected to reach $247.3 billion in 2024, up 14.3% year on year, this category’s growth coincides with the launch of the new LIONS Creators Pass, indicating a rapidly evolving sector.”
New and Returning Categories
The new Use of Humour category debuted strongly, making up 5% of all entries across 13 Lions categories. Brannelly highlighted this trend, quoting BBDO’s Andrew Robertson: “Humour works.”
The inaugural Luxury & Lifestyle Lions received nearly a quarter of submissions directly from brands, establishing a global benchmark in the luxury space.
Reflecting broader market trends, Outdoor Lions submissions increased by 6% year-over-year, indicating the medium’s evolution with data engagement and emerging technologies. The Audio & Radio Lions grew by 6%, while the Innovation Lions saw a dramatic 52% increase in entries.
Judging and Awards
Shortlists for the Innovation Lions, Glass: The Lion for Change, and The Dan Wieden Titanium Lions are now available. Additional shortlists will be released between June 15-19.
Jury members from around the world have convened in Cannes to judge and award the year’s best creative works. Winners will be announced during the Award Shows held each evening throughout the Festival, from June 17-21, 2024.
🏆 Day 1 of @Cannes_Lions 2024…
So proud of our DDB teams for taking home three gold, six silver, and seven bronze awards across the Health & Wellness, Pharma, Health Grand Prix for Good, Outdoor, Print & Publishing, and Audio & Radio categories. #DDBatCannes #Cannes2024 pic.twitter.com/bcIUYNyQEX
Advertisement— DDB Worldwide (@DDB_Worldwide) June 17, 2024
