
Glass: The Lion for Change
The Glass Awards celebrate the brands that go beyond purpose to shift culture, create systemic change and positively impact the world.
Introduction

The history of the Glass Lions
The Glass: The Lion for Change was introduced in 2015 to reward work which shatters sexual stereotyping, confronting prejudice and inequality through progressive, socially conscious representations of gender and marginalised communities.
In 2025, on its 10th anniversary, we expanded the scope of the Award beyond gender to celebrate creative excellence that promotes more equitable representation for a broader range of communities – from disability and race to sexuality and social inequity. Entrants are now asked to identify the specific community that the work is aiming to represent; explain the problem it’s trying to address and demonstrate how it’s having a meaningful and long-lasting impact on that community.
All entry fees for Glass are donated to related charities that will be announced after the festival has taken place.
Guidelines to entering

What kind of work can be entered?
Glass: The Lion for Change recognises creative work that addresses inequality and prejudice by consciously representing and empowering marginalised communities. This can include, but not be limited to, disabled people, Black and Indigenous people, refugees, asylum seekers, displaced individuals, minority religious groups, marginalised ethnic groups, LGBTQ+ communities, underserved socioeconomic groups and people of all ages, especially those underrepresented or stigmatised in society.
The work entered into Glass can be for any commercial or non-commercial client, regardless of the product or service or the medium of communication.
What are the judging criteria?
A number of criteria will be considered during judging and weighted as follows: 25% idea; 25% strategy; 50% impact and results.
Is there a limit to how many times I can enter?
The same piece of work can be entered up to two times.
Eligibility
Work will need to have been executed during the eligibility period of 01 February 2026 - 08 April 2027.
Presentation in Cannes
Shortlisted entrants will be required to present their work to the Jury in Cannes. These are live presentations with an audience that include a Q&A session where entrants will be expected to answer questions from the Jury.
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”.
Entry Tips

What’s the Jury looking for?
Work that demonstrates how addressing inequities not only reflects a brand’s commitment to social responsibility but also strengthens its reputation, relevance and business 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.
Advice from the 2026 Glass: The Lion for Change Jury:
“The formula for great Glass work is a deep understanding of the problem, a creative solution rooted in human insight, and a clear impact on people's lives. When those three elements come together, creativity becomes a force for meaningful change.”
Rana Sadek | Senior Creative Director, Impact BBDO Dubai
"You won’t win by moving us with the tragedy of the problem; you win by exciting us with your solution. Don't tell us what you did for a community. We want to see the real change you delivered with them."
Marty Davies | Founder, Smarty Pants Consultancy
“1) Make sure the impact is real not intended. 2) Creativity still matters make sure its is woven throughout. 3) Make sure the community being served is not burdened with creating the solution.”
Monique Nelson | Executive Chair, UWG Inc.
The Categories

A. Glass
NIGRUM CORPUS | IDOMED & INSTITUTO YDUQS | ARTPLAN, SAO PAULO | GRAND PRIX, PRODUCT/ SERVICE | 2026
A01. Technology
A02. Product/Service
A03. Initiatives
A04. Internal Practices and Values
The Written Submission

Here’s the questions you’ll be asked regarding your work.
To start your entry to the Glass 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
1. Why is this work relevant for Glass: The Lion for Change?
2. Brand Context
3. Objective(s)
4. Summary of the work
5. Identify the community
6. Describe the creative idea
7. Describe the strategy
8. Describe the execution
9. Describe the results/impact
10. Describe the long-term expectations/outcome for this work
Equity, Representation and Accessibility
Was Artificial Intelligence (AI) used in the work or the entry materials?
Sustainability Context
Confidential information for the Jury
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