Cannes Lions Creativity Report 2026: Creativity, Impact and Human Talent Define This Year’s Winners

Cannes Lions has published its Creativity Report 2026, a report that brings together this edition’s winning campaigns and analyzes the trends shaping the global standard for creative excellence.

One of the report’s key conclusions is that creativity continues to serve as a growth driver for businesses, while also functioning as a tool capable of generating cultural and social impact. Simon Cook, CEO of Cannes Lions, highlighted that juries evaluated ideas not only for their innovation and creative strength, but also for their results and their ability to generate lasting impact.

The report identifies four major trends among the awarded work: Fair Trade, which focuses on creating genuine value exchanges between brands and consumers; Sound Reasoning, which highlights the strategic use of sound and sonic branding; Fan Folklore, which turns brand stories into participatory experiences; and Tackling Truth, which responds to growing distrust of AI-generated content through greater transparency.

Artificial intelligence also played a significant role in this year’s entries. According to Cannes Lions, 40% of the work submitted this year incorporated AI in some way. However, the report points out that the winning work demonstrated that tools such as AI cannot replace essential elements of creativity, including judgment, craft and care.

“Regardless of the tools or processes used, exceptional work still depends on exceptional human talent,” Cook concludes.

The report also highlights the new Creative Brand Lions, created to recognize how creativity embedded within a brand’s capabilities and systems can contribute to business growth and long-term value creation.