Entertainment Lions for Gaming
The Entertainment Lions for Gaming celebrate creative work that connects people to brands through gameplay.
On this page
Introduction
The history of the Entertainment Lions for Gaming
Between 2018 and 2023, Lion-winning entries involving gaming increased by an impressive 74%, reflecting the growing significance of the gaming industry in the marketing and entertainment sectors. This surge in interest and creativity within gaming led to the introduction of the Entertainment Lions for Gaming in 2023. This Award was specifically created to acknowledge and celebrate the evolving relationship between brands and gaming communities, recognising campaigns that not only engage these communities in meaningful ways, but also enhance the overall gaming experience.
The Entertainment Lions for Gaming recognise the dual goal of gaming work: to engage and add value to gaming communities while achieving tangible commercial success for the brands involved. By combining creative excellence with strategic thinking, these campaigns demonstrate how brands can effectively tap into the gaming world, driving both cultural relevance and business results. As gaming continues to rise as a dominant force in culture and entertainment, the Entertainment Lions for Gaming reflect its growing importance in branded communications.
What kind of work can be entered?
The Entertainment Lions for Gaming celebrate work that creatively engages gaming communities and integrates brands into the gaming world in ways that enhance the player experience. This may include but is not limited to branded in-game content, such as skins, items, or environments that contribute to the narrative or gameplay, as well as interactive campaigns that tap into the gaming culture. The work may also include sponsorships or partnerships with esports events, influencers, or streaming platforms, or even campaigns that build immersive experiences within virtual worlds or games. The key focus is on adding real value to the gaming community, whether through entertainment, innovation, or community-building, while also driving commercial success for the brand.
What’s the Jury looking for?
Work that creatively and authentically engages gaming communities, seamlessly integrating the brand into the gaming experience. The work should demonstrate innovation in how brands interact with players, whether through in-game content, virtual events, or interactive experiences that enhance gameplay and resonate with the gaming culture. The work should also add value to the player experience, foster community and inclusion, and feel natural within the gaming environment. The Jury will also look for campaigns that deliver tangible results for the brand, balancing entertainment with commercial success, while maintaining authenticity and relevance to the gaming world.

THIS IS NOT A GAME | MOVISTAR | VML, MEXICO CITY | GOLD, ENTERTAINMENT LIONS FOR GAMING | 2024
The Categories
A. Branded Content for Gaming
Creative content crafted to build awareness for a brand by associating it with culture and values through the use of gaming and storytelling.
Branded film, key art and audio and radio content. This could include, but not be limited to, trailers, documentaries, series, posters and original music content with gaming at their core that aim to amplify a brand's message or promote a new game or gaming product.
If you're submitting a series of films, please upload all executions in a single video file with slates denoting the start of the next execution.
Brand or sponsor integration into live coverage of gaming events and esports, e.g. the use of live streaming platforms, where a brand contributes a unique narrative or expertise that clearly enhances the overall quality of the content.
Please provide a sample film file of up to 30 minutes.
B. Gaming-Led Brand Experience
Meaningful, engaging experiences and activations created to attract or maintain an audience.
Any in-person gaming-related experience or activation that was held at a consumer or B2B event for product launch or promotion. This could include, but not be limited to, installations, festivals, conventions, esports competitions etc.
Immersive experiences that creatively push the boundaries of technology within gaming. This could include, but not be limited to, AI, AR, VR, XR, wearable tech and mobile devices, virtual worlds, live service games and all other emerging platforms. Does not include prototypes of early-stage technology.
Mobile games either specifically made for a brand or the strategic and creative integration of a brand into a game designed for and played on a mobile device.
The seamless integration of a brand into a game or gaming platform, enhancing the overall gaming experience and delivering tangible business results. This could include, but not be limited to, one-off stunts and events, temporary environments or permanent brand installations within existing or new gaming platforms.
Innovative use of gaming/streaming platforms to effectively promote a brand, product or service.
Immersive gaming experiences created to launch or relaunch a game or gaming product.
C. Community
Work that focuses on the development, maintenance and nurturing of a community or fanbase.
Work that focuses on the development, maintenance and nurturing of a gaming audience. The work should demonstrate how engaging with a gaming community has increased social engagement, enhancing the brand reputation and trust within the community.
The creative and innovative use of content creators, streamers and/or influencers to drive a brand’s message and engage with a specific audience within the gaming community. This may include, but is not limited to, collaborations, sponsored content and user-generated content.
D. Partnerships
Exceptional strategic partnerships between brands and gaming-related entities.
Strategic partnerships and collaborations between gaming brands and non-gaming brands that leverage gaming experiences, branded content and entertainment to meet specific business goals and mutually benefit everyone involved.
Strategic partnerships between a brand and a known gaming talent.
E. Challenges & Breakthroughs
Creative and innovative work that is brought to life through deep cultural insight, regional context and progressive thinking.
Gaming work that tackles and confronts disparities based on sex, sexuality, disability, age, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or other status within the gaming community.
The innovative use of new or existing technology, platforms, media or channels to create branded products and content that enhance the gaming experience, comfort, performance, safety and accessibility for gamers.
Brands that have creatively adapted their approach in response to competitor pressure by challenging the status quo to create game-changing work that uses progressive thinking and innovative creativity.
Work inspired by a specific audience or community, relying on identifiable social behaviour. The work should demonstrate how leveraging insights into consumer behaviour can create a powerful connection with a brand.
Work that celebrates the art of humour in branded communications, infusing wit, satire, and cleverness into campaigns that provide amusement and create memorable, laughter-inducing connections with audiences.
Creative use of modest budgets and/or resources in relation to the market and/or industry to create maximum impact. The work should demonstrate how fresh insight, smart spending and compelling strategic thinking solved a business problem despite limited resources.
Work that honours marketers who craft strategic solutions rooted in the lived experiences of culturally grounded communities. This approach reflects and translates the nuances of customs, behaviours, and traditions that shape foundational perspectives on identity (e.g. disability, gender, race, orientation, age). Such insights reveal how diverse audiences choose brands and media experiences, driving growth and impact.
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?
There is no overall limit to how many times the same piece of work can be entered into Entertainment Lions for Gaming as long as the categories chosen are relevant.
Esports may be entered across all categories within Entertainment Lions for Gaming.

STARR PARK CCTV | BRAWL STARS | SUPERCELL, HELSINKI | BRONZE, ENTERTAINMENT LIONS FOR GAMING | 2024
Previous Winners
The Everyday Tactician
Cannes Lions 2024 Grand Prix McCann, London / Xbox/ 2024
Xbox turned a Football Manager fan into a real-life tactician for UK club Bromley FC. Nathan Owolabi’s expertise led to Bromley FC’s historic promotion to the English Football League. This resulted in a 190% rise in Xbox gamers.
THE EVERYDAY TACTICIAN | XBOX | McCANN LONDON | GRAND PRIX, ENTERTAINMENT LIONS FOR GAMING | 2024
Why the work won
The Entertainment Lions for Gaming Jury awarded this work the Grand Prix for its innovative approach, combining a captivating narrative with interactive gameplay that pushed the boundaries of what’s possible in the gaming world.
Jury President Lydia Winters highlighted the project’s unique point of view, which allowed it to stand apart from other entries, as well as its strong community engagement that fostered a deeper connection with players. The engaging storyline kept players invested, while also offering them valuable real-world lessons that extended beyond the screen. The Jury also recognised the stellar business results the campaign achieved, showing that entertainment and education can go hand in hand, with a brand-driven initiative that resonated with audiences and delivered tangible outcomes.

THE EVERYDAY TACTICIAN | XBOX | McCANN LONDON | GRAND PRIX, ENTERTAINMENT LIONS FOR GAMING | 2024
Inside the Jury Room: Entertainment Lions for Gaming
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, weighted as follows: 30% creative idea; 20% strategy & insight; 30% craft & execution; 20% 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 Entertainment Lions for Gaming, 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
The word limit for this section is 100 words.
This question is compulsory.
Please provide any brand and cultural context that would help the jury understand any cultural, national or regional nuances applicable to this work.
You should outline why this piece of work was created for this particular brand, in this market, at this particular moment in time, with all of the cultural and market conditions.
The word limit for this section is 250 words.
This question is compulsory.
Please select the objective(s) that were most important when creating this work – what the work set out to achieve.
For the jury to accurately assess the work, it must first establish its objectives. As you progress through the entry system, you must link your results back to each objective selected.
- Overachieve on brand metrics (e.g. awareness, engagement)
- Change consumer behaviour (e.g. attitudes, frequency, penetration)
- Create short-term sales growth (e.g. sales, promotions, discounts)
- Improve brand health (e.g. consideration, preference)
- Create sustained sales success (e.g. profit, sales)
- Create long-term brand and sales growth (e.g. shareholder value, retention, loyalty)
There is no word limit for this section.
This question is compulsory.
Please provide a summary of your entry.
- describe the background and context behind the work
- what creative challenges did the work face
This should be an overview of the work and an analysis of its effectiveness. You should describe how the objectives of the campaign have been successfully met.
The word limit for this section is 150 words.
This question is compulsory.
Consider the following when describing the creative idea:
- Does the work cross boundaries/have the ability to think beyond conventional boundaries or categories?
- Does the work evoke surprise/have the power to continue captivating attention?
- Does the work transcend the original challenge?
- Does the work incorporate breakthrough thinking?
- How did the creative insight directly influence the amplification of the brand message?
The word limit for this section is 150 words.
This question is compulsory.
Consider the following when describing the strategy:
- Was the strategy based on consumer behaviour and/or cultural insight?
- Did the insight come from research and data?
- Did creativity play a key role in the interpretation of the business challenge?
- Was this piece of work relevant to the defined target audience?
- Does the work genuinely solve a real problem?
- Community building and management approach
The word limit for this section is 150 words.
This question is compulsory.
Consider the following when describing the execution:
- How effectively was the concept brought to life?
- What specific implementation strategies were employed to ensure success?
- Which channels were utilised for placement, and were they optimal for reaching the target audience?
- How extensive was the scale of the execution in relation to the defined objectives?
- Did the execution adapt to any unexpected challenges or changes in the environment?
The word limit for this section is 150 words.
This question is compulsory.
Please refer back to the objectives selected when answering this question. Consider:
- performance against brand metrics (e.g. awareness, engagement)
- change in consumer behaviour (e.g. attitudes, frequency, penetration)
- indications of short-, medium- or long-term sales success (e.g. shareholder value, profit, revenue, ROI, sales, share)
- brand health improvement (e.g. consideration, preference, quality of experience and interaction)
- potential changes in government regulations or societal/economic events (e.g. changes in economic, political, social factors).
The word limit for this section is 150 words.
This question is compulsory.
The word limit for this section is 150 words.
This question is compulsory.
- Yes
- No
This question is compulsory.
I would like the Jury to see this response when judging this work (tick box)
Please outline how this piece of work has aligned with the brand’s sustainability strategy. This could involve either operational measures to reduce the impact on the environment, and consumer strategies to encourage positive behaviour change, or both.
Please provide details of the benchmarks used for measuring the success of this piece of work’s contribution to the overall strategy. This could include, but is not limited to, targets around advertising business operations - advertising production - media planning and buying.
This question is optional.
I would like the Jury to see this response when judging this work (tick box)
Based on the brief, what consideration was given to representation and diversity of the team(s) involved?
What consideration was given to accessibility in the work and what role did DEI thinking play throughout the development of the work?
This question is optional.
If there are additional results you wish to disclose to the Jury but prefer to keep confidential, please enter them below.
The word limit for this section is 150 words.
This question is optional.
Category Specific Questions
Please tell us how the work tackled and confronted disparities within the gaming community/industry.
The word limit for this section is 150 words.
This question is compulsory for E01.
Please outline the innovative elements of the work.
The word limit for this section is 150 words.
This question is compulsory for E02.
Please tell us how the work challenged or was different from the brand's competitors.
The word limit for this section is 150 words.
This question is compulsory for E03.
Please tell us about the social behaviour that inspired the work.
The word limit for this section is 150 words.
This question is compulsory for E04.
Please tell us about the humour insight that inspired the work.
The word limit for this section is 150 words.
This question is compulsory for E05.
Budget Details
Please provide budget details that show how the campaign achieved breakthrough results on a limited budget. Consider:
- the overall budget
- the breakdown of costs
- how the campaign maximised reach vs expenditure
- the significant impact this adjustment had on the campaign's effectiveness.
We recommend providing as much context as possible to understand the budget spend. However, we understand that different cases will have different types of results.
*(Any confidential information should be entered in the confidential information field)
The word limit for this section is 150 words.
This question is compulsory for E06.
Please tell us about the specific cultural insight that drove the nuanced engagement behind this work.
The word limit for this section is 150 words.
This question is compulsory for E07.

LEGO FORTNITE | LEGO | THE LEGO GROUP, BILLUND | BRONZE, ENTERTAINMENT LIONS FOR GAMING | 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.

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