Digital Craft

The Digital Craft Lions celebrate technological artistry.

Introduction

The history of the Digital Craft Lions

In 2016 the work submitted was becoming bolder and braver with more complex and creative digital ideas. To benchmark these ideas and celebrate the exceptional technological skill required to bring them to life, the Digital Craft Lions were launched.

The inaugural Jury President for Digital Craft, MediaMonks co-founder Wesley ter Haar, emphasised the importance of Digital Craft saying that “as digital quickly becomes the de facto interface (quite literally) between brands and people there is more at stake.”

The Digital Craft Lions have continued to grow over the years. showing how digital design is vast, wide-reaching and now more than ever driven by user need and point of access. How a digital product performs and functions is just as important now as how it looks and feels.

For 2026, we have added the AI craft subcategory to recognise the craft and artistry of work that couldn’t exist without AI but doesn’t just use it as a tool.

Guidelines to Entering

What kind of work can be entered?

Eligible work may include but is not limited to interactive websites, mobile apps, or e-commerce platforms with outstanding user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) design, as well as digital storytelling projects that use multimedia elements to enhance engagement. The Lion also welcomes experiential installations utilising AR, VR, projection mapping, or motion tracking, alongside innovative uses of technology like AI, machine learning, or data visualisation. Gaming experiences, gamified content, and motion graphics with high-quality animation or CGI are also considered, as are accessibility-focused projects that set new standards for inclusivity.

What are the judging criteria?

The main criteria considered during judging will be the execution and experience.

Eligibility

Work will need to have been executed during the eligibility period of 06 February 2025 - 09 April 2026.

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

There’s no overall limit to how many times the same piece of work can be entered into Digital Craft.

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.

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

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

More information on the rules for entry can be found on the Summary of Key Rules for Entering and the handbook for our new Integrity Standards 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”.

Previous Winners

What’s the Jury looking for?

Work that combines technical and creative excellence to innovate and inspire within the digital space. The Digital Craft Jury look for design excellence, technical mastery and originality, focusing on how well the work pushes the boundaries of digital mediums.

  • A strong insight, impressive execution and real results that link back to the objective
  • Considered craft (motion design, UX, AI, etc.)

Tips from the Jury

  • Determine the most impressive part of your campaign and find a category that showcases it
  • Provide tangible results that demonstrate impact
  • Remember the Jury are from all over the world, so provide context throughout your entry to ensure they understand the significance of your results and the relevance of your insight
  • The Jury look at hundreds of pieces of work, use storytelling in the written submission and case film to help your work stand out

Inside the Jury Room: Digital Craft Lions

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

The Categories

A. Form

The overall creative aesthetic value of the work entered in both sound and visuals.

B. Content

The creative use of content, placement and delivery of messages in a digital context.

C. Data & AI

The presentation of data and artificial intelligence used to enhance brand experience.

D. Technology

The value of applied technology as a platform for creative digital content and how it is executed to enhance the user experience.

The Written Submission

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

To start your entry to the Digital Craft 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

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