Creative Commerce Lions

The Creative Commerce Lions celebrate the innovative and creative approach to online and offline commerce and payment solutions.

Introduction

The history of the Creative Commerce Lions

In 2018 the Creative eCommerce Lions were introduced to recognise innovative e-commerce payment solutions in response to changing marketing challenges.

In 2022, this Lions was rebranded as the Creative Commerce Lions to reflect the broader scope of modern commerce, now including areas like inclusive commerce and sustainable commerce.

This evolution was necessary to keep pace with the rapid changes in the commerce landscape, highlighting the increasing importance of creativity across all commerce channels.

Guidelines to Entering

What kind of work can be entered?

The work should demonstrate a seamless blend of storytelling with commerce, guiding customers naturally from engagement to purchase. The work should show a clear link to sales objectives, using innovative media and technology to create an experience that feels personalised and interactive. It should reflect strong brand identity and cultural relevance making a meaningful impact on consumers.

Innovative work that enhances the shopping experience and transforms how consumers engage with brands. This includes shoppable experiences such as livestreams, social commerce, and immersive e-commerce platforms that utilize technology to enable customers to transition seamlessly from inspiration to purchase. Entries may also include omnichannel innovation that creates cohesive customer journeys across physical and digital channels, integrating in-store and online experiences through tools like digital kiosks and personalized mobile checkouts.

Interactive and gamified commerce initiatives that engage users in playful experiences, as well as social commerce integrations that utilize platforms like Instagram or TikTok for direct sales, are also encouraged. Creative commerce work promoting sustainable and ethical commerce solutions, innovations that simplify the checkout process, and community and loyalty building programs that foster brand loyalty are also eligible.

What are the judging criteria?

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

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

The same piece of work can be entered up to four times in Creative Commerce.

Exception:

  • The same piece of work may only be entered once in ‘A. Creative Commerce: Sectors’.

Eligibility

Work will need to have been executed during the eligibility period of 01 February 2026 - 08 April 2027.

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.

Subtitles are highly recommended on all case films, films, demo films and original content.

Detailed information outlining the entry process can be found on our 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”.

Integrity Measures

All entries must provide Proof of Impact for every claim made in the written submission and supporting material. This material is compulsory for each entry, and types of sources accepted include third-party analytics, platform analytics, public reports, images of account dashboards, or client letter on official company letterhead.

Each entry must also receive Authorisation to Submit by the most senior executive at both the entrant company (CEO or equivalent) and the brand that commissioned the work (CMO or equivalent). This happens after your entry has been checked out and processed by the Awards team and is a compulsory step in the process.

More information on these new measures can be found on the Integrity Standards.

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”.

Entry Tips

What’s the Jury looking for?

Creative ideas that optimise the end-to-end customer journey and lead to measurable commercial success.

  • A strong insight, impressive execution and real results that link back to the objective
  • Considered strategy, thoughtfully designed at every touchpoint

Advice from the Jury

We asked last year’s Jury for tips for future entrants. Some common themes that emerged across all the Awards were:

Be clear on the problem and the solution

  • Clearly state the problem your work solves. Tell the story clearly and without overclaiming on results or impact. Don’t make the Jury work to connect dots. Keep the main idea simple enough to explain in one sentence.

Focus on one story

  • Lean into one clear story. It's tempting to pack in everything you're proud of, but the entries that resonate most are the ones that pick a single thread and follow it all the way through. Avoid including too many claims with regard to impact, instead focus on the most relevant and impactful results.

Tailor the entry to the category

  • Treat each entry as its own creative brief. Every submission should clearly make the case for why the work belongs in that specific Lion and subcategory. Don’t copy/paste, fill your forms out with care and attention – the Jury will come back to them time and time again.

Context is key

  • Remember the Jury are from all over the world, so provide context to ensure they understand the significance of your results and the relevance of any cultural insight.

Inside the Jury Room: Creative Commerce Lions

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

The Categories

A. Creative Commerce: Sectors

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

RESIZE THE PRICE | AGUILA | DAVID, BOGOTA | BRONZE, CONSUMER GOODS | 2026

B. Commerce Channels

Work in these categories will be judged on commerce creativity and channel innovation.

VASELINE ORIGINALS | VASELINE | OGILVY SINGAPORE | BRONZE, SOCIAL/INFLUENCER COMMERCE | 2026

C. Engagement

Creative commerce work in this section should focus on engaging and captivating audiences both online and offline.

MANDATORY VACATION PACKAGES | CÁMARA COLOMBIANA DE COMERCIO ELECTRÓNICO | NAME, BOGOTA | SILVER, TARGETING, INSIGHTS & PERSONALISATION | 2026

D. User Experience

Commerce work in this section should focus on the customer journey, ensuring a seamless experience at every touchpoint.

STREAMING OUT LOUD | KUAISHOU | TOPIC&LOONG, BEIJING | SHORTLISTED, INCLUSIVE COMMERCE | 2026

E. Challenges & Breakthroughs

Creative and innovative work that's brought to life through deep cultural insight, regional context and progressive thinking.

CANCER PREVENTION DISCOUNTS | BROADFORK PRODUCE | TANK WORLDWIDE, MONTREAL | BRONZE, CORPORATE PURPOSE & SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY | 2026

The Written Submission

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

To start your entry to the Creative Commerce 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

Contact us

We're here to help

Our Awards Experts can help with:

  • Explaining the updates to the Awards for 2027
  • Offering best-practice advice on how to craft a compelling entry
  • Discussing your work and relevant categories
  • Understanding how to use the entry system
  • Scheduling regular catch-ups to answer any questions that arise throughout the entry process

Email: awards@canneslions.com Book a call

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