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Brand Experience & Activation Lions

The Brand Experience & Activation Lions celebrate creative, comprehensive brand building through the next level use of experience design, activation, immersive, retail and 360° customer engagement.

Introduction

The history of the Brand Experience & Activation Lions

Prior to the Brand Experience & Activation Lions there were the Promo Lions. Launched in 2006, the Promo Lions awarded creative excellence in sales promotion including retail marketing, environmental design and in-store advertising.

In 2010, Promo was updated to the Promo & Activation Lions to reflect trends in the work. Continued change and exponential growth since has seen an expansion to encompass digital communications, events and promotional stunts.

In 2018, after much discussion with former Jurors and key industry leaders, it was updated again to become the Brand Experience & Activation Lions. This update reflected the industry’s growing focus on customer journeys and 360 immersion.

The Brand Experience & Activation Lions are now a dedicated space for brands and clients to celebrate the powerful brand currency of intelligent customer journeys and immersive experiences.

What kind of work can be entered?

Live experiences, AR, VR and mixed reality experiences, digital installations, interactive brand videos and products, tech-led brand experiences and connected experiences, in-store experiences, retail promotions and competitions etc.

Both brand experiences and activations are accepted into this Lion. The differences between these are as follows:

A brand experience is the holistic perception and emotional connection a consumer develops with a brand over time, through every interaction or touchpoint. It encompasses how a brand makes consumers feel, shaping their overall impressions - from the website and customer service, to in-store environments and advertising.

A brand activation refers to specific, often short-term marketing efforts designed to directly engage consumers and prompt immediate action, like participation or purchase. It’s typically a campaign or event that brings the brand to life in an interactive way, creating memorable, one-off experiences to boost brand awareness or loyalty. While brand experiences are long-term and ongoing, brand activations are tactical, short-term strategies within that larger experience.

What’s the Jury looking for?

The work should show how the brand has thoughtfully designed each step of the brand experience or activation to be meaningful and cohesive. Each interaction is an opportunity to reinforce the brand’s identity, address customer needs, and build trust. Whether through personalised recommendations, engaging content, or attentive customer support, each touchpoint should seamlessly guide the customer through their experience with the brand.

Beyond individual touchpoints, the overall experience should be memorable and emotionally resonant, providing customers with a sense of connection and loyalty. This includes everything from the look and feel of the brand to its voice, tone, and messaging style.

IMAGINE WITH PETACOS | ABInBev | BUENTIPO ANCHOR, BOGOTA | BRONZE, BRAND EXPERIENCE & ACTIVATION LIONS | 2024

The Categories

A. Brand Experience & Activation: Sectors

The same entry can be submitted only once in this section.

B. Touchpoints & Technology

The use of technology and multiple touchpoints across a brand experience or activation.

C. Retail Experience & Activation

The work in these categories must have taken place within a retail environment.

D. Excellence in Brand Experience

E. Excellence in Brand Experience

Work that is brought to life through cultural insights and regional context.

Eligibility

Work will need to have been executed during the eligibility period of 8 February 2024 - 10 April 2025.

Is there a limit to how many times I can enter?

The same piece of work can be entered up to four times in Brand Experience & Activation.

Exceptions:

  • The same piece of work may only be entered once in ‘A. Brand Experience & Activation: Sectors’.

RICE OF GLORY | SUPER EXTRA | MARURI, GUAYAQUIL | GOLD, BRAND EXPERIENCE & ACTIVATION LIONS | 2024

Previous Winners

The First Edible Mascot

Cannes Lions 2024 Grand Prix Weber Shandwick, Chicago / Pop-Tarts / 2024

Pop-Tarts stood out in the crowded college football sector by sacrificing its mascot to players as a post-game snack. It achieved 4bn impressions and Pop-Tarts’ highest category share of 2023.

THE FIRST EDIBLE MASCOT | POP-TARTS | WEBER SHANDWICK, CHICAGO | GRAND PRIX, BRAND EXPERIENCE & ACTIVATION LIONS | 2024

Why the work won

The 2024 Brand Experience & Activation Jury awarded the Grand Prix to ‘The First Edible Mascot’ by Weber Shandwick, Chicago for Pop-Tarts, recognising it as a pioneering and inventive campaign that leveraged the unexpected to captivate its target audience. The campaign creatively harnessed "the power of weird," connecting with audiences in a way that felt fresh, playful, and perfectly suited to Pop-Tarts’ fun and irreverent brand image. By breaking away from conventional marketing strategies, it delivered a memorable experience that not only resonated with consumers but also drove notable business results.

Nayaab Rais, Senior Creative Director at FP7 McCann and a 2024 Jury Member, praised the campaign as a prime example of “where logic ends and creativity begins”. Rais’ comment underscores the campaign’s daring approach – embracing the unconventional to create an experience that couldn’t be achieved through logic alone. This playful and unexpected tactic positioned Pop-Tarts in a bold and memorable way, demonstrating the brand's willingness to take risks to engage consumers and deepen brand loyalty.

THE FIRST EDIBLE MASCOT | POP-TARTS | WEBER SHANDWICK, CHICAGO | GRAND PRIX, BRAND EXPERIENCE & ACTIVATION LIONS | 2024

Inside the Jury Room: Brand Experience & Activation Lions

To hear more from the Jury and how they decided on the winning work, check out the video below.

Entries & Judging

What are the judging criteria?

A number of criteria will be considered during judging and weighted as follows: 20% idea; 20% strategy; 30% execution; 30% results.

What do I need to provide with my entry?

To enter, you’ll need to complete an online entry form, which can be found on the Cannes Lions entry site. In the ‘Written Explanation’ section, you’ll be asked to provide the Jury with everything they need to know about your work.

You’ll also be able to submit optional supporting materials to provide additional context with your entry.

All case films, films, demo films and original content must be subtitled in English.

Detailed information outlining the entry process can be found on A Guide to the Cannes Lions Awards.

What if I don’t have all the details right away?

Don’t worry – you can fill in the form in any order and save your progress at any time while it’s still in the pending stage. However, please only check out when your entry is 100% complete as no changes can be made to your entry once you’ve clicked “Submit” and “Checkout”.

The Written Submission

Here’s the questions you’ll be asked regarding your work.

To start your entry to the Brand Experience & Activation Lions, go to our Awards page.

The Jury will refer to the written explanation you provide throughout the judging process. Our advice is to provide as much relevant detail as possible.

When answering the following questions keep the main element you’re trying to celebrate in mind (e.g. the storytelling, the strategy, the craft, the use of data).

The bullet points under each question are prompts designed to guide your thinking, based on the factors the jury will be considering when reviewing your work. You might not need to use them all, and that’s totally fine. They’re there to help you consider what’s most important in your work.

Questions

Category Specific Questions

CORRECT THE INTERNET | TEAM HEROINE | HEROINE DDB NEW ZEALAND, AUCKLAND | SILVER, BRAND EXPERIENCE & ACTIVATION LIONS | 2024

Contact us

Everything you need to know to enter

For more detailed information on how to use the entry site, craft a compelling submission or submit your work we have a whole range of resources.

From Entry Guides that give you a step-by-step overview of the entire process to the Entry Kits that provide all the detailed rules and requirements for each and every category.

Information and advice on how to enter

We are here to help

As Awards Experts, we know the Lions inside out. We can help with:

  • Sharing the updates to the Awards for 2025
  • Offering best-practice advice on how to craft a compelling entry
  • Discussing your work and relevant categories
  • Scheduling regular catch-ups to answer any questions that arise throughout the entry process.

Whether you have a specific query or would like expert advice, get in touch today.

Email: awards@canneslions.com Helpline: +44 0 20 7046 1155