Cannes Lions: India registers 64 shortlists across 15 categories
India has received 64 shortlists at the 2025 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, as the country prepares for another year of competition at the global advertising and communications event. The annual festival, which runs from 16 to 20 June in Cannes, France, will announce winners across categories each evening.
This year, Indian agencies submitted a total of 982 entries, marking an increase from 826 in 2024. The shortlisted campaigns span 15 categories, with the highest representation in Outdoor (13 shortlists), followed by Print & Publishing (4), Health & Wellness (3), and Pharma (2).
Ogilvy India leads the national tally with 13 shortlists, driven primarily by its 'Eye Test Menu' campaign for Titan Company. FCB India follows with 11 shortlists, including recognition for its 'Lucky Yatra' campaign developed for Indian Railways. Talented and Havas Creative India each secured seven shortlists, while Leo Burnett received four.
Other Indian campaigns cited include 'Nature Shapes' by Talented for Britannia and Ink of Democracy by Havas Creative India for The Times of India.
McCann Worldgroup India, a frequent performer in previous editions of the festival, has not registered any shortlists as of the first day of announcements.
According to figures released by Cannes Lions, Brand Experience & Activation received the highest number of entries globally (2,337), followed by Media (2,058) and Direct (2,038). The categories with the fewest entries include the Titanium Lions (187), Luxury & Lifestyle (181), and Innovation (231).
India’s standing in the country-wise ranking has declined slightly, from 10th place in 2024 to 12th in 2025. Last year, Indian agencies won 18 Lions, 2 Gold, 7 Silver, and 9 Bronze, matching the country’s lowest tally since 2019. In comparison, India earned 25 awards in 2023 and achieved a record 48 Lions in 2022.
Speakers representing India at this year’s festival include Sumit Virmani, Global Chief Marketing Officer at Infosys; Ananya Srikanth Rao, Brand Director, Strategy, at Saatchi & Saatchi; Josy Paul, Chairperson and Chief Creative Officer at BBDO India; and Gurbaksh Singh, Chief Creative Officer and Chief Innovation Officer at Dentsu Creative.
The first round of winners will be announced on 16 June, covering categories such as Pharma, Health & Wellness, Grand Prix for Good, Audio & Radio, Print & Publishing, and Outdoor. Further results will be released over the course of the week.
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