Cannes Lions 2025 Grand Prix Winners in The Lion for Change, Sustainable Development Goals, Film, Dan Wieden Titanium Lions, and Grand Prix for Good

With the fifth and final day of Cannes Lions coming to a close, the winners of some of the festival’s most prestigious categories have been named. Those who have eagerly anticipated Glass: The Lion for Change, Sustainable Development Goals, Film, Dan Wieden Titanium Lions, and the Grand Prix for Good, can now rest easy, knowing their curiosity is about to be satisfied.

Despite there only being five categories left to reveal, however, there are actually six winners today. From the UK, Brazil, France, and New Zealand, there’s a whole host of work, including Natura’s financially and environmentally sustainable endeavour to preserve the Amazon, as well as two unique but bold films – one reimagining how the public sees Paralympic athletes, and the other exploring the history of L’Oréal’s famous ‘I’m Worth It’ slogan. But really, it’s all incredible work, and you should check it out right now.

See the full list of Friday’s Grand Prix winners below:

Glass: The Lion for Change

Dove - Real Beauty: How a Soap Brand Created a Global Self Esteem Movement

Kicking things off, Ogilvy and Dove have won another Grand Prix, following yesterday’s triumph in the Creative Strategy category. While you can get more of the details here, in short, the brand and agency’s combined 20-year ‘Real Beauty’ initiative to fight against toxic standards and, originally, the fact that only 2% of women saw themselves as beautiful, has made for a heavyweight case study this year. While the name alone speaks for itself, the fact that it encompasses so many global initiatives – from the creation of the brand’s ‘Self Esteem Project’ to various, well-selected battles – truly lends the work a sense of magnitude, making it an unsurprising winner.

Jury president KR Liu, global head of product innovation and marketing partnerships for platforms and devices, Google, said, “This year’s Grand Prix winner was selected because it moved beyond awareness to deliver consistent, measurable, societal impact. It showed what’s possible when creative brand storytelling is backed by community partnership and deep cultural understanding. In a field full of strong contenders, this work stood out for its continuous impact and commitment – not just as a campaign, but as a catalyst for real change for women and all aspects of the multiple communities they represent.”

Sustainable Development Goals Lions

Natura - The Amazon Greenventory

A number like 18.3% might not sound huge in a lot of contexts, but when it refers to how much of its biome the Amazon has lost… it’s a tad bit alarming, to put it lightly. Of course, while clear-cutting and deforestation won’t stop overnight, Natura and agency Africa Creative decided that nevertheless, it was time to try and find a new, financially viable alternative for the local communities. Utilising a cutting edge drone, combined with an AI prompt that could identify tree canopies by species, the two gained the ability to map large areas of unprecedented size, all in record time. For instance, a zone that would previously have taken 25 years to properly scan could now be done in six months.

While that alone is pretty cool, to actually enable change, the two then provided the data to local communities so they’d know precisely where to harvest. A move which presented them viable alternatives to cutting down trees, ensuring they’d get a new stream of income, Natura’s final offering was to purchase 100% of the production, ensuring this model would be sustainable in all ways for years to come.

Josy Paul, chairperson and chief creative officer, BBDO India, and jury president, commented, “Good work informs. Great work transforms. That’s exactly what the SDG jury saw in Natura’s ‘The Amazon Greenventory’. It wasn’t just impressive, it was transformational. This groundbreaking initiative challenged the belief that profit in the Amazon must come at the cost of deforestation. A powerful demonstration that sustainable profit can come from innovation, not destruction. It’s work that doesn’t just create impressions, but leaves a lasting impression on the world.”

Film Lions

Channel 4 - Paris Paralympics 2024: Considering What?

Ahead of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, Channel 4 conducted a study which revealed that 59% of people watch to 'see athletes overcoming their disabilities', whereas just 37% watch for ‘exciting sporting competition’. The thing is, however, despite their disabilities, these are still world-class athletes playing at the height of their game, which is precisely why the broadcaster decided to centre its promotional campaign around setting the record straight.

In a visually-striking film, viewers are treated to Paralympians taking on the strongest forces in the world – gravity, friction and time – things which make no exception for any athlete, disabled or not. A fun step away from the ‘overcoming their disabilities’ trope that frequently gets used in this sort of marketing, it sends a powerful message both conceptually and visually: sport doesn’t care about disability.

Jury president Kate Stanners, chairwoman and global chief creative officer, Saatchi & Saatchi, said, “Film is where we tell our most human stories. Raw, authentic lived experiences that the audience can feel and connect with at an emotional level. Our Grands Prix are brilliant examples.

“The Paralympic film from Channel 4 is an incredibly powerful, visceral film, using both real and surreal imagery, extraordinary editing and sound to make us truly feel the film and connect us to the message. Its impact is felt in the heart, the gut and the mind.”

​Read more about it here.

L’Oréal Paris - The Final Copy of Ilon Specht

If you follow the beauty industry, or you work in advertising, you know L’Oréal’s iconic ‘I’m Worth It’ tagline. After all, the brand has been using it since 1973 to sell its products around the globe, unsurprisingly, to great success. What people might not know, however, is the actual story behind it. Ilon Specht was the woman who came up with this legendary piece of copy, overcoming the sexism of the ‘Mad Men’ era of advertising and breaking trends by creating a campaign not about women wanting to look good for men, but about those who do it for themselves.

While objectively inspirational, both the Paris offices of L'Oréal and McCann felt that more people needed to know this story, and the history of the phrase. Especially at a time of newly-resurgent misogyny, it was time to tell Ilon’s tale, which is exactly what they did. ‘The Final Copy of Ilon Specht’ not only made a huge splash worldwide, but subsequently also breathed new life into the slogan, proving a masterclass in both brand marketing and, as the category suggests, film craft itself.

Jury president, Kate Stanners commented, “Ilon resonated with us all. A brand telling a very timely story that authenticates and validates its core brand purpose: to champion women. It’s a masterful film that draws us into the wonderful life story of Ilon, the author of the campaign ‘Because I'm worth it’. Its perfect filmmaking keeps us watching, and its humanity lives with us long after the end."

​Read more about it here.

Dan Wieden Titanium Lions

AXA - Three Words

In a third win for this piece of work by the French insurance company and Publicis Conseil (tying it for the most Grand Prix won this year), it seems that the decision to add domestic violence coverage to the brand’s policies, alongside emergency relocation, as well as free psychological, legal and financial support, is undeniably brilliant. While you’re invited to read more about it, as well as how it won the Creative Business Transformation and Direct categories, really, the case study speaks for itself. A worthy repeat winner, through and through.

Jury president Judy John, global chief creative officer, Edelman, said, “‘Three Words’ can change the world. This year’s Titanium Grand Prix didn’t just change insurance policies, it helped women literally escape domestic violence. These three simple words in a contract changed their lives, their outcomes, and an industry. In insurance contracts, words matter and with the simple addition of ‘and domestic violence’, AXA turned a contract into a lifeline, giving women the freedom to leave abusive relationships and handing the entire industry a clear roadmap for reform while significantly impacting their business.

“When the Titanium jury set out to find a Grand Prix idea, we wanted the first domino in a movement. ‘Three Words’ was that idea, and our decision was instant and unanimous. In all my years judging at Cannes Lions, I’ve never seen a jury align so completely, so quickly.”

​Read more about it here.

Grand Prix for Good

New Zealand Herpes Foundation - The Best Place in the World to Have Herpes

It seems fitting that the campaign which also won the Lions Health and United Nations Grand Prix for Good triumphed here as well. Clearly, New Zealand Herpes Foundation and Motion Sickness’ combined endeavour truly embodies what it means to do ‘good’. While you’re welcome to dive into the details, and what made the campaign a worthy winner initially, it’s evident, case study or not, that destigmatising and unpacking the misinformation surrounding herpes, while simultaneously pursuing the goal of making one’s country the best place to live for those that have it, is a noble and brilliant cause, deserving of its two Grand Prix.

Judy John, global chief creative officer, Edelman, global, and jury president, said, “Brave, outrageously creative, wildly ambitious and educational are not the usual combination of words you will find to describe the Grand Prix for Good. The title of the campaign, ‘Make New Zealand the Best Place to have Herpes’, by the New Zealand Herpes Foundation says it all. Often overlooked, this campaign played into their national pride, to unite the county in eliminating the herpes stigma as a way to restore our self-esteem, reclaim international glory, and boost patriotism.”

​Read more about it here.