Strategic use of cultural insights, interactive experiences, creator partnerships and platform-native ideas are emerging as key drivers of commercial success, according to a new report by WARC, the global authority on marketing effectiveness.
The report, Creative Effectiveness Lions – Insights from the 2026 winners, identifies common trends and themes among this year’s Cannes Creative Effectiveness Lions winners. The category recognises creative work that has achieved business objectives while delivering sustainable impact over time.
Drawing on WARC’s exclusive access to jury deliberations and analysis of award entries, the report examines what makes campaigns both creative and effective. It also provides insights into the strategies behind successful work, with lessons for advertisers, agencies, media owners, people and the planet.
Commenting on the report, John Bizzell, Content Lead, WARC, said: “This year's winning Creative Effectiveness campaigns offer valuable insights for marketers, demonstrating how creative excellence can address genuine business and social issues while delivering meaningful growth.”
On the winners, jury president Bertille Toledano, CEO, BETC, Havas Creative Middle East and President of Havas Creative Network, commented: “The jury sought to award Lions to campaigns that delivered genuine impact on real people – the kind of campaigns you would discuss with your mother over lunch. We kept in mind the Creative Effectiveness Ladder to select the most effective creative work that embodied a cultural vision and a clear sense of what the brand stands for. These are the ones I’ll be telling my mother about."
The report highlights three key themes among the Creative Effectiveness Lions 2026 winners.
Rewrite cultural rules, don’t just reflect them
Cultural insight can serve as a strategic business tool, helping brands identify what connects people and determine how they can respond and innovate.
According to WARC, brands that go beyond surface-level cultural understanding and apply cultural analysis strategically can uncover new opportunities for growth, relevance and differentiation.
Brands should prioritise activation over observation, position themselves as solutions to cultural challenges and focus on value exchange rather than transactional relationships.
The Creative Effectiveness Grand Prix winner, Three Words for insurance brand AXA by Publicis France, transformed AXA’s home insurance offering to support victims of domestic violence in France. The campaign added the clause ‘and domestic violence’ to insurance contracts, enabling emergency relocations for people in need.
Gold winner Pedigree’s Caramelo campaign by AlmapBBDO São Paulo redefined the concept of ‘pedigree’ and increased the adoption of mixed-breed dogs in Brazil, particularly the culturally significant Caramelo, while expanding the brand’s total addressable market.
Interactive experiences foster deeper brand involvement
Turning brand assets into interactive tools can deepen engagement, encourage participation and create memorable experiences for audiences.
WARC said brands should embrace direct consumer participation through their assets, use data to build credibility and introduce meaningful reward mechanisms to encourage engagement.
Vaseline, the trusted skin healer’s silver-winning Vaseline Verified campaign by Ogilvy Singapore, worked directly with creators to tackle misinformation about its products on social media and promote safer usage among consumers.
Furniture retailer IKEA’s silver-winning Hidden Tags campaign in Portugal by Uzina, Lisbon, encouraged customers to discover hidden production dates on its products. The initiative aimed to build consumer trust and strengthen long-term brand commitment.
Strategic creator partnerships and platform-native ideas build brands
Creators can play a role beyond that of paid promoters, becoming authentic advocates who provide genuine value to audiences. Meanwhile, platform-specific features can generate community support and help campaigns maintain reach after paid media spending ends.
Brands should focus on integration rather than interruption, look beyond simple amplification and engage audiences where they naturally spend their time.
Uber Eats’ silver-winning Football is for Food campaign by Special US transformed the food delivery platform’s NFL sponsorship into a purchase opportunity by embedding the brand within the sport and linking football directly with food.
Bronze-winning U Up? by Rethink Canada for IKEA used multiple touchpoints to turn unexpected brand interactions into points of purchase for mattresses, using consumer insomnia as the starting point for immediate conversations.
WARC’s John Bizzell added: “This year’s jury talked a lot about context, from sourcing to metrics and culture. The jury wanted to see work that included well-sourced, credible data and metrics on what was the business impact. They also wanted to see cultural context – on an international jury, not everyone may understand why an insight is so important for a brand or category. Entrants should bear these factors in mind for next year.”
The full report is available to WARC Strategy subscribers. An upcoming WARC Podcast, available from 20 August, will discuss the findings.
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