India made an emphatic statement at the 72nd Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, bringing home a total of nine prestigious metals — two Gold, four Silver, and three Bronze Lions. The wins cut across major categories including Outdoor, Print & Publishing, Health & Wellness, and Pharma, underlining the nation’s growing stature on the global creative map. With ideas deeply rooted in cultural insight and purposeful storytelling, Indian agencies proved that creativity from the subcontinent is not only award-worthy but also socially resonant and globally relevant.
Leading the metal tally was FCB India, which won a coveted Gold Lion in the Outdoor category for its ‘Lucky Yatra’ campaign for Indian Railways. Tackling the persistent issue of ticketless travel, the campaign ingeniously turned train tickets into daily lottery tickets, playing on India’s love for luck to drive a behavioural shift. Through a seamless mix of on-ground activations, digital engagement, radio, and train-based messaging, every valid ticket became a chance to win, transforming mundane journeys into moments of excitement. The campaign redefined public service messaging by aligning it with aspirational behaviour.
Dheeraj Sinha, Group CEO, FCB India and South Asia, says, "Winning at Cannes is always special — it means your work has cut through on the world's biggest creative stage. To bring home a Gold and Bronze for ‘Lucky Yatra’ and a Silver for ‘Too Yumm!’ is a proud moment for all of us at FCB India. What makes it even more meaningful is that these wins span businesses and categories — a true reflection of the creative momentum we’re building across the board. It’s not just about individual campaigns; it’s about a culture of creativity that encourages bold thinking and real impact. Congratulations to our teams and our incredible clients for making this possible."
Havas India also claimed a Gold Lion, this time in the Print & Publishing category, for its powerful ‘Ink of Democracy’ campaign created in partnership with The Times of India and the Election Commission. Taking a bold stance against voter apathy, the campaign printed entire editions of the newspaper in unused electoral ink, the same indelible purple that marks a citizen’s vote. Each front page became a striking call to action, urging citizens to value their right to vote and never waste the ink that symbolises democracy. With bold visual storytelling and sharp cultural relevance, the campaign became both a conversation starter and a moment of reflection for millions.
Explaining his pride in the win, Rana Barua, Group CEO, Havas India, South East Asia and North Asia, says, “Winning a Cannes Lions for ‘Ink of Democracy’ is a moment of immense pride, for the work, the people behind it, and what it stands for. At our core, we’ve always believed in the power of creativity. We truly believe it has the power to shape conversations and spark change.” Speaking about the people who worked on the campaign Barua says, “I’m incredibly proud of Anupama, Ravinder, Soham and our team that brought this idea to life. Also, a huge shoutout to Team TOI, Joji, and our global team for their belief in the idea and all the support. Here’s to a team that continues to raise the bar, pushing boundaries with integrity, heart, and fearless creativity.”
Anupama Ramaswamy, Joint MD & Chief Creative Officer, Havas Creative India, says, “From the moment we thought of Ink of Democracy, I knew in my gut this idea needed to be made and needed to be seen by the world. It wasn’t loud or flashy, but it had truth, purpose, and heart. One thing I held onto was patience. And a quiet tenacity to see it through, no matter how long it took. What makes this Cannes Lions win truly special is my young team that brought it to life — Soham, Ravinder, and Annie — who poured everything into it. They carried the idea with courage and craft, and I couldn’t be prouder.”
“A big thank you to Rana and the global team at Havas for believing in the work and helping us take it beyond borders. This is a shared win, and a reminder of what’s possible when we trust our instincts and support one another,” highlights Anupama.
Adding to this, Sagnik Ghosh, Head Creative Strategy, Innovations, Trade Marketing and Brand Solutions, The Times of India, says ,"We are extremely happy to partner with Havas for this extraordinary project. It was very difficult to execute and bring to life. The teams at The Times of India and at Havas were extremely diligent in getting everything together and make this happen. A Big congratulations to all those who worked on the Ink of Democracy project.”
Adding to India’s strong showing were four Silver Lions that showcased a diversity of thought and execution. Talented earned Silver in the Outdoor category for ‘Nature Shapes Britannia,’ a campaign that turned sustainability into spectacle by building billboards that grew around existing trees rather than cutting them down. These biodegradable installations demonstrated how advertising could be both impactful and environmentally respectful.
Sharing her joy at winning a metal, Binaifer Dulani, Founding Partner & Creative, Talented, says, “I’m overjoyed that a campaign that bravely challenges deep-set industry norms is receiving so much love from the industry! We’re proud of Nature Shapes Britannia and our hope is it inspires the future of outdoor advertising.”
FCB Kinnect was also recognised in Outdoor cateogry with a Silver for its ‘Too Yumm! To Cheer’ campaign. In a smart response to snack bans in cricket stadiums, the brand introduced oversized edible chips printed with fan slogans in edible ink, allowing spectators to cheer and snack at the same time. It was a clever cultural hack that delighted fans and elevated brand affinity through innovation.
Chandni Shah, Founder & COO, FCB Kinnect, adds, “We don’t chase awards, we chase the kind of work that earns them. ‘Too Yumm! To Cheer’ is a powerful reminder of what’s possible when bold ideas meet brave clients and a team that shows up with heart every single time. Winning our fourth Cannes Lion only reaffirms that integrated creativity isn’t just what we do — it’s who we are.”
"It’s such an exciting thing to bring to life ideas that seem impossible and then win with brand partners who have been with us a long time. Who trust us. And this is just a representation of that. It takes an entire village to make an idea come to life and we are just so happy," expresses Neville Shah, CCO, FCB Kinnect.
In the Health & Wellness category, Godrej Creative Lab picked up a Silver for its ‘Naga Saint Eye Test’ campaign for the Eyebetes Foundation. Held during the Kumbh Mela, the initiative offered eye tests, diabetes screenings, and free glasses to thousands of pilgrims and police officers, with blessings and support from the Naga Sadhus. The campaign beautifully blended medical care with spiritual context, making health feel like a sacred service.
"The most complex human problems can have the simplest of solutions. Our first win was when the Naga Sadhu community said 'yes' to us, this win will now make the Eyebetes Foundation get visibility all over the world. Our idea has travelled from the world's biggest spiritual festival...to the world's biggest creative festival," states, Swati Bhattacharya, Global Head, Godrej Creative Lab.
Rounding out the Silver wins, Lowe Lintas was honoured in the Pharma category for ‘Dawai Reader,’ a platform developed for Alkem Laboratories that delivered regular medical updates and educational resources directly to healthcare professionals. The campaign strengthened the continuum of care by empowering doctors with relevant, up-to-date knowledge, positioning the brand as a leader in scientific advancement.
Prateek Bhardwaj, CCO, Lowe Lintas, says, "The ‘Dawai Reader’ is what you get when you combine cutting edge AI, domain specific data and real-world problems. The win is a nod to the impact that decoding doctor’s handwriting is having on health outcomes, and also to the power of collaboration. Huge credit to Alkem Laboratories for backing such a deceptively simple idea, to Doceree for bringing in crucial domain expertise and being our partners in crime, and to Digital Rhetoric for bringing the tech to life."
India also secured three Bronze Lions, all in the Outdoor category, further highlighting the strength of physical, contextual storytelling in the Indian creative landscape. Ogilvy Mumbai brought home two Bronze Lions — one for ‘Chai Bansuri – The Tea Flute’ for Brooke Bond Taj Mahal Tea, a poetic installation that turned steam from a tea kettle into classical Indian music, merging tradition, ritual, and sound in a sensorial brand experience. Their second Bronze came for Vodafone Idea’s ‘Vi Guardian Beads,’ which engraved Rudraksha and Tulsi beads with emergency contact numbers to help reunite lost individuals with their families during the massive Kumbh Mela pilgrimage, a simple yet powerful innovation blending spirituality with safety.
“It’s an extremely gratifying feeling, to be opening our Lions tally on day one of Cannes, with work for two of our most iconic brands - Taj Mahal Tea and Vodafone-Idea (Vi). It’s great to see both brands carrying on their winning ways from last year, now with Chai Bansuri and Number Rakshak. A big shout out to all our teams at Ogilvy and our partners who have strived to push excellence on these pieces of work, along with all our fantastic clients," hightlights Kainaz Karmakar, Harshad Rajadhyaksha & Sukesh Nayak, CCOs, Ogilvy India.
FCB India also bagged a Bronze for ‘Lucky Yatra’ alongside its Gold, further cementing the campaign’s standout impact and versatility across multiple juries.
With nine metals in total — two Gold, four Silver, and three Bronze, India’s performance at Cannes Lions 2025 speaks volumes about the country’s evolving creative ethos. Campaigns were not just ideas on paper but real-world interventions rooted in culture, emotion, and purpose. Whether it was transforming snacks into symbols of support, redefining voter communication, or turning train tickets into moments of joy, Indian agencies showcased a creativity that was bold, responsible, and refreshingly local in its global appeal.
Metal Tally for Day 1 Across Categories
Day 1 – Total : 9 (2 GOLD, 4 SILVER, 3 BRONZE)
OUTDOOR – 1 GOLD, 2 SILVER, 3 BRONZE
- LUCKY YATRA FOR INDIAN RAILWAYS BY FCB INDIA – GOLD
- NATURE SHAPES BRITANNIA FOR BRITANNIA INDUSTRIES LTD BY TALENTED – SILVER
- TOO YUMM TO CHEER! FOR TOO YUMM! BY FCB KINNECT – SILVER
- CHAI BANSURI - THE TEA FLUTE FOR UNILEVER BROOKE BOND TAJ MAHAL TEA BY OGILVY – BRONZE
- LUCKY YATRA FOR INDIAN RAILWAYS BY FCB INDIA – BRONZE
- VI GUARDIAN BEADS FOR VI (VODAFONE IDEA) BY OGILVY – BRONZE
AUDIO & RADIO – NO SHORTLISTS
HEALTH & WELLNESS – 1 SILVER
- NAGA SAINT EYE TEST FOR EYEBETES FOUNDATION BY GODREJ CREATIVE LAB – SILVER
PHARMA - 1 SILVER
- DAWAI READER FOR ALKEM LABORATORIES BY LOWE LINTAS – SILVER
PRINT & PUBLISHING – 1 GOLD
- INK OF DEMOCRACY FOR THE TIMES OF INDIA BY HAVAS INDIA – GOLD
