A Guide to the Cannes Lions Awards

If this is your first time entering, we suggest reading through this guide in order. It covers everything you’ll need to know at each stage of your entry journey. From how to select the most appropriate categories for your work, to guidance on how to craft your entry, right through to what happens once you’ve submitted your work.

And if you still have questions or can’t find what you’re looking for, our Awards team is on hand to help.

If you've entered before and are looking for a more specific piece of information, use the side navigation to quickly locate it. Alternatively, explore the ‘How to craft your entry’ section for advice from former Jurors and examples of winning work.

Below are some key dates to keep in mind. Make note of them now to give yourself plenty of time to meet the final deadline.

The first step in the entry journey is determining if your work is eligible, and if so, which Awards and categories best suit it.

We've summarised the main rules from Entry Kit: The Rules to help you figure out if your work is eligible for entry. Use this as a starting point, not a substitute. And once you've got an idea of where you want to enter, always check the full terms and conditions to make sure you've understood the rules.

1. The entry has been submitted exactly as published/aired/released and has not been modified for entry into the 2026 Cannes Lions Awards.

2. The entry has been created within the context of a normal paying contract and genuine brief from a brand or, if it's a case of self-promotion or a non-profit organisation, the brand has approved all the media/production/implementation.

3. You have permission to enter this work from the commissioning brand/brand-owning company. We may request proof of this permission directly from the brand.

4. You have included the brand contact details in the entry including name, position and full contact details.

5. The entry is not speculative or conceptual advertising and has not been banned or withdrawn from the market.

6. A duly authorised senior officer (CD, CEO or Chairperson) from the entrant has given permission for the work to be entered.

7. The entry was not entered into the same Lion last year (the same piece of work cannot be submitted for the same Lion in consecutive Festivals but, providing the entry meets the relevant eligibility requirements, including the eligibility period requirements, you may enter the work into an alternative Lion).

8. There is no reference to your company or any contributing creative companies in any digital or physical materials (except in the case of self-promotion or if the reference existed in the original execution).

9.  The entry, and/or digital or physical materials can be understood in English. For further information click here.

10. You understand that if you withdraw your entry after 5 March 2026, you will not receive a refund. Please see Part A of the Rules for more information on cancellations, refunds and withdrawals.

11. If new results are collected after the entry has been paid for, we will only accept additional written information in the results section of the entry form on or before 9 April 2026.

12.  All included media must be the final version at the point that you complete and pay for your entries. No replacement or additional media can be accepted after an entry has been finalised and received by the Festival without exception.

13.  By submitting an entry, you confirm that you own all applicable legal rights for all media included in your entry.

14.  You have entered the entry into no more than six Lions, excluding Titanium Lions.

15. By submitting an entry you agree to pay the relevant entry fee.

16. Each entry constitutes one campaign, save where otherwise stated in the relevant additional requirements.

If you're unable to meet all the requirements on this list, your entry may be ineligible for the 2026 Cannes Lions Awards. Failure to meet all these requirements could see your entry being disqualified or withdrawn without a refund.

Once you've made sure your work meets all the necessary eligibility requirements, it's time to identify which Award or Awards best suit your work. For this, reference  Entry Kit: Getting Ready to Enter. Here, you'll find a breakdown of all the Awards and their categories, including their judging criteria and material requirements.

Navigate your way through this Kit by considering two questions:

1. What key elements do you focus on when describing your work? Is it the craft, the engagement or maybe the creative strategy? Identifying the root of your work will allow you to match it with the most appropriate Award.

2.  What was the objective? What were you trying to achieve? Was there a particular element that really helped to deliver on that objective? Identifying the intention behind your work will help you when it comes to category selection.

We’re constantly refining and evolving our Awards and their categories to ensure they reflect the landscape of our industry and pave the way forward. For 2026, we’ve introduced several changes, including the introduction of the Creative Brand Lion and updates to the Creative Data Lion and the official Integrity Standards.

Use this checkout checklist to ensure you've completed everything correctly:

• Have you double checked your work meets the eligibility criteria detailed in Entry Kit: The Rules?

• Have you made sure you've got permission from the brand to enter the work?

• Have you made sure you're entering your work exactly as it aired?

• Have you checked to make sure your visual assets are all in English and include English subtitles?

• Have you got the rights to all the assets you're submitting with your entry?

• Have you supplied all of the media placement information outlining when and where your work ran? (This information is used frequently, so make sure it's correct.)

• Have you made sure not to reference the agency or any contributing creative companies in the written submission, as well as in any digital assets or physical materials?

• Have you asked a fresh pair of eyes to sense and spell check your entry?

• Are you completely satisfied with the final version? Remember, once you checkout you can't make any more changes.

The final deadline for entry is 9 April 2026.

What happens if you’ve missed it?

If you’re having trouble meeting the deadline, get in touch with our Awards team to discuss an extension.

Can I edit my entry after submitting?

No, once you’ve submitted your work you cannot make any changes. This includes adding or removing assets.

Once you feel confident with your Award selection, it’s time to think about which category/s best showcase your work. If you’re entering your work across multiple Awards and categories, resist the temptation to copy and paste your answers. Tailoring each entry to match the category’s criteria will make it easier for the Jury to understand why your work deserves to win there.

The written explanation is a compulsory element for every Award. It serves as an opportunity for you to tell the Jurors everything they need to know about your work, from the creative idea, strategy and execution, right through to the results.

Each question has been specifically designed to help you showcase your work, so make sure you take full advantage of each one and answer with as much relevant detail as possible.

Often, the first thing the Jury looks for when distinguishing between shortlisted pieces and Award winners is how the objective links to the impact and results. You may have a beautiful piece of work, but did it work for the brand? If your objective is to drive sales but your results focus on increased awareness, the Jury will notice this disconnect. They’re industry experts, so think carefully about what they would view as a metric of success.

It’s also important to remember that most of the Jury won’t be from your market. This is where the cultural context question comes into play. Use it to provide insight into why your work is relevant for this particular brand, at this particular moment, in this particular market. Help them understand why this work pushed the boundaries of what great is for the audience in the market where it ran.

The supporting materials are some of the most important elements of your entry. They are what the Jury examine, watch and read during their decision-making. Each Award has different material requirements. Some elements are mandatory, others recommended or optional. Below is an overview of the entry requirements – please see Entry Kit: Getting Ready to Enter for the full list, plus formatting guidelines.

Regardless of the Award you’re entering, some general rules to remember are:

• All case films and presentation images must be in English.
• All case films, films, demo films and original content must be subtitled in English.
• Work that was not originally published in English (TV commercials, print ads, billboards, etc.) can be translated or subtitled exactly as it was published or aired so that it can be understood in English by the Jury.
• If translating original video work, please note that dubbing is not allowed. Voiceovers can be translated, but visible speech must be kept in the original language and subtitled.
• Supporting materials must not contain any reference to your agency or any contributing creative companies or individuals.

The presentation image is compulsory across many Awards. This is a visual presentation of your work, including images and English text, concisely summarising the brief, execution and results. It is often referenced by Jurors and should provide an engaging, easy-to-digest overview of the work.

The case film is not mandatory for all Awards but is often a highly recommended addition to your submission. your submission. It gives you an opportunity to introduce and explain your work. It is often the first thing the Jury sees, so include your cultural context, reference your original objective and final outcome and keep it under 2 minutes. The case film will be displayed publicly on our intelligence platform The Work.

Tell the human story Keep the customer at the heart of your entry. What’s the problem and how does your work solve it?

Keep the criteria front of mind The main criteria the Jury will consider for each Award is listed in Entry Kit: Getting Ready to Enter. Ensure every touchpoint (written submission, case film and supporting materials) is crafted with them in mind.

Craft matters, but so does substance Winning work is well rounded. A brilliant idea with poor craft will only get so far, as will a beautifully crafted execution with a weak insight. Aim for balance.

Show real-world impact Awards aren’t just about creativity in a vacuum — they celebrate work that works. Go beyond vanity metrics and show measurable impact.

We have a range of resources available to help with crafting your entry. Get inspired by previous winning work, dive into Jury room insights to better understand what Jurors are looking for and talk to our Awards team about category selection.

After you check out your entry, each piece of work is reviewed multiple times by our Awards team before it gets to the Jury. If there are any issues, a member of the team will be in touch. If you don’t hear from us, it means you’re all set and your work has progressed through to the judging stages.

What happens if you’ve been shortlisted?

Shortlists are decided in the first round of judging. If you make the shortlist, our team will let you know via email and provide assets that you can use to celebrate your success on social media. The shortlists will also be available on The Work.

Where can you find shortlisted work?

Success at the Festival is a remarkable achievement and no easy feat. Each year, only 10% of all entries make the shortlist and only 3% win an Award.

All entries submitted will be exclusively available on The Work. Non-subscribers will be able to access a list with the winners’ details, while subscribers can read the full entry and supporting material.

If you’re coming to the Festival, the Basement in the Palais will host this year’s shortlisted entries, both digitally on kiosks offering access to The Work and in exhibitions where shortlisted and Award-winning work will be displayed.

What happens if you win?

If your work has been selected for a Gold Lion or a Grand Prix, our team will get in touch with you via phone or email. This usually happens at least 24 hours before the Awards Show. We’ll send you details about where to go and when.

Please remember that we’re sharing this information under embargo so that you can make sure the right people are at the Palais to accept the Award. This means that the news cannot be shared externally until we announce it onstage.

Due to time constraints, only Gold and Grand Prix winners will be called onstage at the evening Awards Shows. Bronze and Silver winners will be announced in the afternoon, ahead of the evening’s festivities, and after the Festival they’ll receive an email asking them to confirm their delivery address so their Awards can be mailed to them.

Winners will be updated on The Work from 10pm CET after the Awards Show each night.

Who is called on stage to accept the Award?

The team behind the Grand Prix and Gold Lion-winning companies will be called to collect the Award on stage. You’ll be asked to confirm the full names of up to six nominated people. If you’re not able to find anyone to collect your Award, please notify us and someone will do this on your behalf. It may be your local Festival representative or someone from your network.

If someone doesn’t have a Festival Pass, we can coordinate access for the Awards Show.

Please note, due to the running time, if the same piece of work wins more than one Gold or Grand Prix Cannes Lions Award, you will only be invited onstage once during the Awards Show. So don’t panic if you’ve won a Gold Lion but haven’t heard your company being called on stage. You’ll be called up in a different section.

We know that you value diversity and representation as much as we do, so please consider who will represent your organisation onstage.

Can you get a duplicate of the trophy?

Winning a Lion is a huge achievement. It puts you among the global creative elite and deserves to be celebrated. Ordering duplicate trophies and certificates to reward the team behind your winning work is a meaningful way to do this.

All credited Lion winners, both companies and individuals, can purchase additional hand-crafted Lion trophies, as well as certificates.

Visit the Cannes Lions Store to place your order. If you have any questions, please contact merchandise@canneslions.com

My work was awarded, do I need to book a seat at the Awards Show?

You don’t need to book a seat for the Awards Show.

If you haven’t received an email from us before the Awards Show, you’ll need to join the queue on the red carpet to enter. You’ll need a Delegate Pass to attend.

If you are a Gold or Grand Prix winner, our team will be in touch to confirm allocated seats.

You’ll receive an email prior to the show detailing next steps and asking for a list of the people who will be attending (up to six guests, including idea creation and brand contacts).

If your guests don't have a Delegate Pass, you must ensure that you provide their names so that they’re on the guestlist. We will, of course, do our best to accommodate guests that aren’t on the guestlist, but depending on how busy that night’s show is, and to ensure a smooth process for you and your guests, please provide the names in advance.

For any questions about attending, please contact winners@canneslions.com

How can we make the most of our win?

Celebrate on social media! We’ll share assets that you can use to share across Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Our LIONS Intelligence content team regularly interviews winners to find out more about how the work got made. These interviews will be used in editorial content such as the LIONS Creativity Report. If you’ve got a story to share, please reach out to the team.

What happens if I’ve won but didn’t plan to attend the Festival?

If you’re not in Cannes to collect your Award onstage, please let the Awards team know as early as possible and we’ll help you identify someone to accept on your behalf. It may be your local Festival representative or someone from your network.

The 2025 Festival programme will be announced later in the year. Check the website here for the latest information.

Cannes Lions is an incredible opportunity to take a deep dive into Award-winning creativity and unpack its impact on business with some of the best minds the industry has to offer. Making the most of it can be a daunting task, so we’ve put together a checklist of our top tips.

• Be present and come with a plan.
Take a look at the Festival programme ahead of time and plan your week out. Which sessions, panels, tours and ceremonies are going to be the most useful and relevant to you and your business? Make use of Lions Daily News, available in the Palais de Festivals, to stay up to date and attend evening events to network and celebrate with fellow delegates.

• Calibrate your creativity.
Visit the Basement to spend time with the work and attend our Inside The Jury Room sessions. Take note of general thoughts and feelings for the winning work – how do they measure up to your own analysis? Is your team on the same creative page as the rest of the industry?

• Be a sponge.
Don’t arrive looking to confirm a preconceived hypothesis. Come with an open mind and find the lesson in every session. Take physical notes that you can bring back to your team. Look out for common trends, popular tools and innovative ideas.

• Don’t forget to debrief.
Attending the Festival is step 1 – step 2 is debriefing your team and using your learnings to plan for the next year of improved creative effectiveness.