Cannes Lions releases first Lions creativity report of the decade

Cannes Lions has released the first Lions Creativity Report of the Decade to recognise and award sustained creative success across the global industry. 

Data from Lion-winning and shortlisted work, spanning ten years and audited at the Festival by PwC since 2013, was compiled by Cannes Lions to produce the definitive global rankings and benchmarking report.

The ten-year rankings chart the ascending performance of the world’s most creative companies, celebrating those that have delivered an unfailing level of world-class creative work. The report’s findings are presented alongside commentary and analysis from sister company WARC, the global authority on marketing effectiveness.

The Lions Creativity Report of the Decade presents six regional agency of the decade awards and six global awards: Network, Holding Company, Agency, Independent Agency, Brand Marketer and Palme d’Or of the Decade. Winners were revealed this week as part of LIONS Live, the digital experience from Cannes Lions (22-26 June 2020). 

The full report is available to download from the LIONS Live intelligence platform and at The Work.

Simon Cook, Managing Director, Cannes Lions, comments: “As we enter a new decade, it is important to reflect on the body of work that serves as our creative foundation. The formative work that will provide a benchmark for the ten years ahead. The Lions Creativity Report of the Decade provides us all with rich insight and recognises the world-class, creative companies who have consistently sustained creative excellence - adapting, evolving and innovating year after year. There's a lot to learn from those who consistently produce game-changing work that transcends limitation and constraint and sets the bar for the future of creativity. 

Lions Creativity Report of the Decade Winners are announced as follows:

Regional Agency of the Decade - Middle East & Africa

1st place: VMLY&R Dubai née Y&R Dubai
2nd place: TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris Johannesburg
3rd place: Ogilvy Johannesburg

An impressive haul of 44 Lions makes VMLY&R Dubai deserving of the number one place. Winning 9 Gold, 17 Silver and 18 Bronze Lions demonstrates their ground-breaking creative output this decade.

Kalpesh Patankar, Chief Creative Officer, VMLY&R MENA said; “Our big learning of the decade is that no matter where you work, you have to be willing to break the rules. I’m very grateful to all of the people who have brought us this far and contributed passionately to our story. The next decade I hope we can write a story that is even bigger and bolder.”

Regional Agency of the Decade - Europe

1st place: adam&eveDDB London
2nd place: AMVBBDO London
3rd place: Ogilvy Paris

adam&eveDDB London has collected 8 Grands Prix, 1 Creative Effectiveness Lion, 27 Gold, 46 Silver and 59 Bronze Lions over the last ten years, making them so deserving of this achievement.

Richard Brim, Group CCO, adam&eveDDB, says: “To win a Lion is special, to win a Grand Prix is incredible, to win European Agency of the Decade is mind-blowing. This is to everybody, past and present, who has been part of the adam&eveDDB story.”

Regional Agency of the Decade - Latin America

1st place: AlmapBBDO São Paulo
2nd place: Ogilvy Brasil São Paulo
3rd place: VMLY&R née Y&R São Paulo

AlmapBBDO São Paulo started the decade with a Grand Prix and went on to collect a further 23 Golds, 39 Silvers and 79 Bronze Lions. A total of 142 trophies places them #1 in Brazil, Latin America and the world. The agency has also secured the number one title as global Agency of the Decade.

Regional Agency of the Decade - Pacific

1st place: Colenso BBDO Auckland
2nd place: Clemenger BBDO Melbourne
3rd place: Leo Burnett Sydney

Colenso BBDO Auckland have picked up 1 Grand Prix, 1 Creative Effectiveness Lion, 1 Titanium, 24 Gold, 28 Silver and 42 Bronze Lion trophies. An achievement that has them leading the way for the Pacific region this decade.

Regional Agency of the Decade - Asia

1st place: Dentsu Inc. Tokyo
2nd place: Hakuhodo Inc. Tokyo
3rd place: Ogilvy Bangkok

The work of Dentsu Inc., Tokyo is a showcase of exceptional creative talent with an impressive trophy count of 127 Lions including: 60 Bronze, 40 Silver, 24 Gold, a Titanium Lion and 2 Grands Prix Lions.

Regional Agency of the Decade - North America

1st place: Wieden+Kennedy Portland
2nd place: BBDO New York
3rd place: Droga5 New York

Wieden+Kennedy Portland has amassed a haul of Lions over the past ten years: 6 Grands Prix, 2 Creative Effectiveness Lions, 2 Titanium, 36 Gold, 49 Silver and 62 Bronze Lions. Their vibrant and risk-taking work has seen them take both the Regional Agency of the Decade North America top spot, as well as first place as the Independent Agency of the Decade globally.

Independent Agency of the Decade

1st place: Wieden+Kennedy Portland
2nd place: Droga5 New York
3rd place: Forsman & Bodenfors (Years 2010-2016)

Eric Baldwin, Executive Creative Director, Wieden+Kennedy Portland, comments: "We have gratitude for our incredible talent and client partners who believe in the power of creativity to drive business and impact culture. In the decade ahead, we hope this industry will make great strides toward equity, diversity and inclusion. Because when we elevate these voices, their creativity will do things we've never imagined."

Susan Hoffman, Chairman & Global Creative Director, Wieden+Kennedy Portland, adds: “The thing you see when you walk into a W+K office are pictures of our people - not awards. These people are who we can thank for this accolade, along with Dan (Wieden) and David (Kennedy) who had the courage to bring together this crazy/creative bunch in the first place.”

Brand Marketer of the Decade

1st place: Procter & Gamble
2nd place: Nike
3rd place: Volkswagen

Procter & Gamble’s decade of creativity has seen a pride of 7 Grands Prix, 1 Grand Prix for Good, 3 Creative Effectiveness Lions, 2 Titanium, 49 Gold, 4 Glass, 77 Silver and 100 Bronze Lions won. P&G has delivered it with humour and dedication to social and environmental issues throughout.

Marc Pritchard, Chief Brand Officer, Procter & Gamble, said: “It’s as important now, as ever, to continue to use our voice and creativity to be a force for good, a force for growth and a force for change. On behalf of all of our P&G brand builders and creative partners, P&G is so humbled and honoured to be recognised as the Lions Brand Marketer of the Decade.”