As Cannes Lions 2025 enters its final stretch, India is already shining with six Gold Lions in just the first three days, making it one of the most exciting years yet for the country on the global creative stage. FCB India led the way this year with ‘Lucky Yatra’ for Indian Railways, winning three Gold Lions across Outdoor, PR, and Direct. Havas Creative India made history with its first-ever Gold for ‘Ink of Democracy’ for The Times of India, ending a decade-long metal drought. Ogilvy struck Gold in Social & Creator for ‘Erase Valentine’s Day’ (Cadbury 5 Star), while Leo Burnett won in Creative Data for ‘ACKO Tailor Test’.
But this isn't the first time India has had golden moments at Cannes.
2017 and 2022 stand out as landmark years. In 2017, India secured nine Gold Lions, led by McCann Health’s ‘Immunity Charm’ campaign for Afghanistan’s Ministry of Public Health, which alone won four Golds. The same year, Ogilvy earned two Golds for its ‘Savlon Healthy Hands Chalk Sticks’ campaign, while BBDO, Wieden+Kennedy, and Law & Kenneth Saatchi & Saatchi also contributed to the tally.
2022 saw another surge with eight Gold Lions, including three Golds for ‘Shah Rukh Khan - My Ad’ by Ogilvy, three Golds for the ‘Chatpat’ campaign for SOS Children’s Villages, one Gold for ‘The Nominate Me Selfie’, and one Gold each by McCann for ‘Shagun Ka Lifafa’ and Dentsu Creative for ‘The Unfiltered History Tour’, which also earned them the prestigious Agency of the Year title that year.
Going further back, Taproot India’s ‘Farmers’ Suicide’ campaign for The Times of India was a highlight in 2013, earning four Gold Lions and redefining issue-based storytelling. That same year, McCann Worldgroup India’s ‘William Shakespeare’ campaign won two Gold Lions for Penguin India. In 2014, Lowe & Partner/PHD’s ‘Kan Khajura Tesan’ for HUL swept three Golds for its innovative use of mobile radio to reach media-dark regions.
In 2016, Medulla Communications’ ‘Last Words’ campaign won two Gold Lions, showcasing the emotional power of end-of-life care through compelling storytelling. In 2018, TBWA India’s Blink to Speak won a Gold for creating a communication system for the speech-impaired, showcasing the power of design in healthcare communication. That year also saw FCB India win two Gold Lions for its ‘Sindoor Khela No Conditions Apply’ campaign for The Times of India, a bold and inclusive take on tradition.
Over the years, agencies like FCB India, Ogilvy, and McCann have built a consistent Gold-winning reputation, while newer entrants like Leo, Dentsu Creative, and now Havas are shaping the next chapter.
As India stands tall once again at Cannes, with six Gold Lions already in the bag and two more days of announcements ahead, the story is still unfolding. Today and tomorrow might just be another golden chapter.
