IPG Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity 2024 Highlights

Grand Prix and Top Honors

Interpublic had an incredible showing at the 2024 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, winning one Titanium award and 10 Grand Prix – more than any other company by a wide margin.

Additionally, IPG companies won 21 Gold, 32 Silver, and 52 Bronze Lions. These wins underscore the company’s creativity, forward-thinking and innovation, and represent a broad range of clients, categories, agencies, disciplines and geographies.

All three global creative networks received Grand Prix. McCann Worldgroup won three Grand Prix in the Direct Lions, Entertainment for Gaming, and Creative Data categories. The network also won a Titanium Lion for its “The Everyday Tactician” work for Microsoft. FCB took home two Grands Prix in the Digital Craft and Health & Wellness categories. MullenLowe Global won an Outdoor Grand Prix.

Showing dominance in the public relations arena, Golin won two Grand Prix in the Public Relations and Audio & Radio categories. Golin’s win marked the first time a PR agency won the top honor in the PR category, which debuted in 2009. Weber Shandwick won the Grand Prix in Brand Experience & Activation – becoming the first PR agency to win a Grand Prix in this category. The Weber Shandwick Collective also had more shortlists and Lions combined than any other PR network in Cannes for the second year in a row.

Our agencies also received top honors. FCB Global was recognized as Regional Creative Network of the Year in North America for the sixth consecutive year, and FCB New York was named Network Agency of the Year in the Craft track.

IPG Health was named Healthcare Network of the Year for the third year, and Area 23 was chosen as Healthcare Agency of the Year also for the third year.

LOLA MullenLowe was awarded Agency of the Year in the Classic track.

IPG Inclusion Breakfast

A major highlight of the Festival was IPG’s 12th annual Inclusion Breakfast, focusing on the implications of equality in the workplace, society and media. This year’s theme, “Uncovering the Genuine: At the intersection of tech, art and audience,” examined our current moment in history where we’re faced with an ethical impasse in exploring new innovations responsibly and authentically. Speakers explored how, if used correctly, these rapidly evolving technologies can drive positive change, address global challenges, and empower us to create meaningful impact.

This year’s speakers included Philippe Krakowsky, CEO of IPG; Channing Martin Chief Diversity & Social Impact Officer at IPG; Bayyina Black, Global Director, Sustainability & Impact at R/GA; Patrick Bennett, Senior Vice President, Executive Creative Director at Momentum Worldwide; A.P. Chaney, Senior Director, Creative at The Coca-Cola Company; and Bianca Bradford, Director, Head of Agency, NA at Meta.

The IPG Common Ground at The Carlton

For the First Solo Brands Chief Growth Officer Michael McGoohan and Martin Agency Chief Brand Officer Elizabeth Paul gave a behind-the-scenes look at the most talked-about campaign of the year, “Snoop goes Smokeless for Solo Stove,” and a sneak peek into what’s next.

McCann presented “Unlocking the Truths of Today’s High End Customer” at the FQ Equality Lounge to unpack proprietary research on the new dynamics of luxury and affluence – and how to position and elevate brands at the premium price point. Speakers included Nadia Tuma-Weldon, Head of Luxury Strategy, McCann Paris & Head of Thought Leadership, McCann Worldgroup; Julien Calot, Chief Creative Officer, McCann Paris; Hilary Milnes, Americas Editor, Vogue Business; and Émilie Nguyen, Sales Director CPG & Luxury, Pinterest.

Susan Howe, President of The Weber Shandwick Collective, spoke with Gen Z influencers, creatives and Cannes Young Lions participants for the Gen Z POV on marketing, emerging creative trends and how we can propel the industry forward.

IPG Events & Activations

Many leaders across the IPG network joined The Female Quotient’s Equality Lounge at Cannes to discuss unconscious biases and the urgency of closing the gender gap. IPG panelists included Philippe Krakowsky, CEO, IPG; Channing Martin, Chief Diversity & Social Impact Officer, IPG; Rebecca Roussell, Senior Vice President, Inclusive Communication, Current Global; Kim Getty, CEO, Deutsch LA; Lisa De Bonis, CEO, Huge; Jacki Kelley, EVP, Chief Client Officer & Chief Business Officer, IPG; Lynn Lewis, Global Chief Marketing Officer, IPG Mediabrands; Bonnie Smith, Senior Vice President and Head, Vivi, Culture Marketing, Jack Morton Worldwide; Lauren Ogúndèkó, Chief Digital Officer, KINESSO; Nadia Tuma Weldon, Head, Luxury Strategy and Insights, McCann Paris; Julien Calot, Chief Creative Officer, McCann Paris; Courtney Jones, VP, Head, Business Development, The Martin Agency; and Susan Howe, President, The Weber Shandwick Collective (TWSC).

IPG and R/GA announced the launch of the “Commerce Design” capability in a presentation at the Festival’s Palais stage. Jeriad Zoghby, Chief Commerce Strategy Officer at IPG, and Tiffany Rolfe, Global Chief Creative Officer & Chair at R/GA, discussed “promptable brands” and the merger of marketing with purchasing, emphasizing the need for brands to embrace commerce as a creative frontier to differentiate in an AI-accelerated world.

IPG Mediabrands Global CMO Lynn Lewis joined the Unstereotype Alliance at its annual members event at the IPG Mediabrands Villa to reflect on the business case for responsible and purposeful advertising.

IPG Mediabrands hosted La Vie en Shows: A Drag Brunch, featuring show-stopping performances from legendary drag duo Marti and their drag daughter Peachez. The event also included exclusive insights into how UM Worldwide, TRAVERSE32, and göt2b brought to life the groundbreaking film “Queen of New York” that followed Marti’s run for City Council in New York City.

UM London continued their partnership with the Unstereotype Alliance at their annual members’ event in Cannes, in collaboration with NBCUniversal. The discussion explored the business case for progressive advertising.

UM and She Runs It hosted an inspirational “Fearless Voices” event that shared stories of pushing past adversity, using the power of words and actions to give voice and courage to others. 

Jack Morton helped TikTok show up at Cannes Lions with an immersive space in the garden at The Carlton Hotel, featuring multiple touch points that showcased how TikTok fosters creativity and ideas that drive brand growth.

For the fourth year in-person, Jack Morton also led creative execution, production and thought leadership at Meta Beach 2024, where guests experienced bespoke-to-Cannes activations featuring AI, Reels, Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses and Meta Quest 3 mixed-reality VR