The (unofficial) guide to winning a Cannes Lion

Cannes Lions is the Olympics of advertising. It’s where the sharpest ideas, tightest storytelling, and heart-racing craft come to shine… or get left behind, depending on which side of the shortlist you’re on. But what does it really take to win one of those shiny metal wild cats?

I spoke to the creative minds who've played this game long enough to know that behind every winning Lion is a cocktail of vision, sweat, precision and of course, a touch of luck.

Whether you’re a wide-eyed first-timer or a seasoned pro stuck at the shortlist, this guide’s for you.

So, first things first. Let's dive into the anatomy of a Cannes Lion-winning idea.

The idea must roar in one line

At agencies, Cannes isn’t a last-minute dash; it’s a long game, one that requires foresight, patience, and plenty of polish. That’s why, as Varun Anchan, Executive Creative Director, MullenLowe Lintas Group, explained, the process starts months in advance: “We begin evaluating serious contenders by November, though our most ambitious ideas often begin brewing from July onwards. That gives time for real-world traction, measurable outcomes, and client partnership.”

Let’s take a second to do the math. According to this timeline, you should already be brainstorming ideas for the next time to lock in campaigns by November. 

But before you even dream of gold, your idea has to survive the most crucial test: internal shortlisting. It’s a high-stakes filter that demands clarity, timing, and creativity.

Vikram Dhembare, Sr. Creative Director - Art, McCann Worldgroup, described this screening as “a democratic process where everyone in the room is encouraged to challenge and chisel the ideas. We look for originality, clarity, cultural relevance, and real-world impact. If it doesn’t excite in one line or feels overly engineered, it’s out.”

In other words, if an idea can’t make jaws drop in a single sentence, it’s probably not Cannes-ready. 

That clarity, however, is only the first step. At Cannes, the timing, urgency, and impact of an idea matter just as much. That’s where the real filtering begins.

Simplicity, urgency & cultural timing

The demand for clarity isn’t just a creative preference, it’s foundational. Anchan believes that every potential entry must pass two crucial filters: Why does this make sense now? And what does this idea do?

The first speaks to cultural timing. According to Anchan, the relevance of an idea in the current moment is non-negotiable. “If it feels like it could’ve existed any other year, it probably won’t cut through,” he explains. Ideas that tap into societal reckoning, a cultural shift, or an emerging technology tend to stand out; they carry urgency, which is essential.

The second filter is about tangible impact. “If it only generates awareness, it likely won’t go far,” Anchan adds. “Cannes increasingly rewards ideas that do something to change behaviour, shift policy, empower a group, or solve a systemic problem. Tangible impact over intangible impressions.”

From there, the evaluation goes deeper. Anchan believes that a standout idea is one that’s immediately understood yet surprising. 

Simplicity wrapped around a surprising truth always travels far at Cannes.

- Varun Anchan

However, simplicity must never be confused with shallowness. Anchan emphasises that novelty is appreciated only when it’s purposeful. Innovation, he says, should serve the problem and not distract from it. Cannes celebrates the new, but not the gimmicky.

He also highlighted the importance of offering a distinct perspective, especially on well-worn problems. “A great idea can sometimes be a fresh perspective on an age-old problem. You always need to make sure you’re looking at a problem objectively,” added Kanchan.

Ultimately, for Anchan, the most shortlist-worthy ideas are those that carry cultural urgency, clear intent, and a creative solution that feels so inevitable it’s surprising no one thought of it earlier. He said, “We shortlist ideas that have a cultural reason to exist, a clear purpose, and a deceptively simple creative solution that leaves everyone wondering: how has this not been done before?”

That’s what a Cannes-worthy idea looks like on paper. It’s clear, culturally sharp, and creatively solid. But in the real world, it’s not just one person deciding. So, who exactly decides what makes the cut?

Inside the decision room

Okay, we know how ideas are judged internally, but who’s doing the judging? Let’s peek into the room where those decisions actually happen.

Anchan said, “It’s rarely just a creative director and their favourites.”

He shared that the room usually includes Creative leadership (CDs, ECDs, CCO), Business heads to sense-check scalability and client appetite), Strategy leads to validate insight, cultural timing, and narrative arc, and sometimes even PR and production leads join in to assess executional depth and storytelling legs.

“It’s a room that represents every muscle Cannes requires: insight, execution, timing, and client belief,” Anchan added.

So the room is diverse, the filters are rigorous, and the process is democratic. But even the best democratic processes run into a hard truth that not every great idea can go.

Tight budgets, tough calls/ Merit meets math

But what happens when the shortlist outgrows the budget?

Even with a rigorous internal process, there are times when more ideas feel deserving than the resources can accommodate. So what happens when you’ve got 11 Cannes-worthy ideas but budget for only 10?

According to Dhembare, this is where prioritisation becomes sharper. “When budgets are tight, the ideas are targeted with precision. We prioritise diversity across categories and pick the ones with the strongest story, craft, and traction.”

Because at Cannes, not every great idea gets a boarding pass, only the most unforgettable ones do. So, the next critical challenge is ensuring your submission stands out in every possible way so that you can see it take flight. And that’s where the unsung hero of your Cannes entry comes into play: the case film.

The trailer that sells the movie

You could be sitting on gold, but if the case film doesn’t bring the idea to life, the jury’s moving on.

Mukund Olety, Chief Creative Officer, VML, said, “A case study is a tool that narrates the power of your idea. A bad case can pull a good idea down but a great case can’t save a bad idea. The starting point is still a great idea.”

That means the idea has to be strong, and so does the way you tell it. A weak case film can sink even your most powerful work. And no amount of storytelling can rescue an idea that lacks substance.

The case film is not just a voiceover with stats and stock footage; it’s the pitch, the pulse, and the punchline, all packed into less than two minutes.

In short: no fluff, no jargon, no 'award bait' language. Just the raw power of a beautifully told story.

Because even the best idea in the world can lose if the film doesn’t do it justice, it’s like a blockbuster movie with a terrible trailer. No one shows up.

So if your idea is the hero, the case film is the stage. Build it like the world’s watching, because at Cannes, it is.

Right work, wrong room

You’ve got the idea. You’ve nailed the film. But here’s something nobody tells you on Day 1: choosing the wrong category can kill your chances faster than you can say “Gold.”

Dhembare called the importance of narrowing down on a category “crucial”. He used the term “carpet bombing”, the scattergun approach of entering everywhere and hoping something lands, only to caution against it. 

For him, precision is everything. Each entry, he said, has to be placed where it has the best shot at standing out, aligned with tone, intent, and how that specific jury thinks. 

“We’ve seen great results when the category truly complements the idea,” he added.

But even with the right intent, what makes one category a better fit than another? What happens when a great idea lands in the wrong room?

Anchan broke it down: Cannes isn’t one jury, it’s many. Each has its own language, values, and expectations. A socially charged campaign might leave a Creative Data jury cold. A beautifully crafted film might flounder in Brand Experience if it lacks interaction.

This means if the jurors can’t instantly see the relevance of your idea to their category, it won’t move forward, no matter how good it is.

That’s why, for Anchan, choosing the right category is a strategy. “We don’t just ask where this can enter, we ask where this can win?” he said. 

And there, in that minor tweak in how you look at your own work, lies a clear creative vision. 

For him, the right category is more than an administrative choice; it's an act of creative positioning. "It’s putting your idea in front of the people most likely to champion it. Misjudge that, and even your best work might not stand a chance," he added.

Where you place your bet can matter just as much as the hand you’re holding. Because at Cannes, the wrong category doesn’t just bury your chances, it buries your idea. The smartest work can get overlooked if it’s speaking the wrong language to the wrong room. 

And once you’ve found the right room, the next step is knowing how to speak their language, without losing your own.

Know your jury without losing your voice

The jury room at Cannes is a moving target. Each year, a new group of experts brings different perspectives, biases, and cultural backgrounds. So, how do you present your work in a way that resonates with each person sitting in the room, without watering it down or pandering to every passing trend?

Experience has taught Dhembare to walk that line carefully. He shared that the idea must remain authentic, but how you frame it can change. “We don’t tailor for jurors,” he said, “but we do consider cultural context and past trends. The story remains honest, just better framed.”

But if juries shift every year, how do you plan for something so fluid?

Olety shared that it’s not about second-guessing the jury but equipping them. A strong case study, he said, gives jurors the cultural context and clarity they need to truly see the depth of an idea. After all, the jury room isn’t static. It’s a space shaped by shifting perspectives, where instinct and dialogue often matter as much as the idea itself.

“You can never predict the outcome,” Olety shared. “The best jurors approach the process with open minds and hearts. Conversations and debates can significantly influence the final decision.”

In the end, knowing your jury is about respecting the lens through which your work will be seen and staying true to your idea while making sure its brilliance isn’t lost in translation. 

Frame it right, and you give it the best shot. But once your work is out there, there’s one unpredictable force left in play.

Now what? Cross your fingers

I can imagine how there’s a growing storm in your stomach as you watch your competitor’s work win. More agencies grab awards, and you bite your nails, cross your fingers that guided your team to reach the stage where you are. Now is a good time to breathe, remind yourself that this stage is precious. Not everyone has made it this far. This, in itself, is a victory. 

Now what makes this victory more marvellous, of course, is that shiny metal. However, you can prepare for everything from the idea to the craft to the case film. But there’s one thing you can’t script: luck.

A category with weaker competition. A jury that gets your culture. A moment in history, your idea just happens to ride. Luck at Cannes is real. 

Dhembare said, “Jury, timing, and cultural climate all matter. But luck only favours solid work.”

Olety shared that they create ideas for the real world. And just like in the real world, context and the cultural mood of the times do play a role in the jury room. The chances of winning a Cannes Lion is less than 3% and winning a Gold Lion is less than 1%. 

Considering the unpredictable nature of Cannes, Olety said, “There is an element of luck involved, but a well-crafted idea and a compelling case study can increase the surface area of luck.”

While you can’t control the wind, you can build a better sail, and that’s how you increase your odds of benefiting from the right moment.

Because at the end of the day, luck may open the door but craft, clarity, and conviction are what get you inside.

A Cannes Lion isn’t just a symbol of creative brilliance. It’s a reminder that even in a space where timing, trends, and jury dynamics play their part, the work still matters most.

So dream big, work harder, and when your moment comes, roar louder than ever.