The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity will honour Susan Credle with the Lion of St Mark, its lifetime achievement award, at this year’s festival in Cannes, France, to be held from 22 June to 26 June. The award recognises Credle’s four-decade career in advertising, which began with an internship at BBDO New York and has since, spanned leadership roles across several global agencies.
Over the years, Credle has been behind notable campaigns for brands including M&M's, Allstate, Secret and McDonald's. In 1996, alongside art director Steve Rutter, she helped introduce the comedic ensemble of M&M’s characters, a campaign that became a long-running brand platform. Her portfolio also includes Allstate’s 'Mayhem', Secret’s grassroots 'Mean Stinks' anti-bullying initiative, and McDonald’s 'Happy Meal' literacy campaigns.
Credle has held senior creative roles across agencies including Leo Burnett and FCB. During her tenure as Global Chief Creative Officer at FCB, the network was named Cannes Lions’ North America Agency of the Year for six consecutive years and Global Network of the Year in 2020/21. It was also ranked the No 1 creative agency for effectiveness in the WARC Effective 100 in 2023.
Commenting on the honour, Credle, now Global Creative Advisor at Interpublic Group, said, “When I walked into the lobby of BBDO on Madison Avenue in the summer of 1985, I saw a poster celebrating Pepsi’s Cannes Lions Grand Prix-winning ‘Archaeology’, directed by Joe Pytka. The jury that honoured that work set the bar for what great advertising could be. It was provocative and beautifully crafted, and showed real respect for the audience."
“More importantly, it launched something much bigger—the ‘Choice of a New Generation’ platform that took the Cola Wars to another level. That Cannes Lions Award taught me something I’ve carried with me ever since: The best ideas don’t just succeed in the moment—they strive to be NVRFNSHD,” she added.
Simon Cook, CEO of LIONS, shared, “Susan Credle is a trailblazer and a creative force. Throughout her career she has built cultures where creativity thrives, producing iconic work while shaping the standards and conditions for success. Beyond the campaigns themselves, Susan has been a generous mentor and a tireless advocate for inclusion and the next generation of creative talent. Her contribution to the industry is significant and we are honoured to recognise her with the Lion of St Mark.”
Credle will receive the award during the festival and will also speak at the Lion of St Mark seminar on 22 June.
