WPP emerged as the standout performer at Cannes Lions 2026, with its agencies dominating several marquee categories. Ogilvy claimed the title of Creative Network of the Year, with VML following closely in second place, while Burson London was named PR Agency of the Year.
The network’s overall haul stood at 140 Lions, comprising one Titanium, seven Grand Prix, 29 Gold, 40 Silver and 63 Bronze, with winning entries drawn from over 25 countries. WPP Media also held onto its title as the most-awarded media network for a second straight year, and clients including KitKat, adidas, Vaseline, IKEA and BCP Bank ranked among the festival’s top ten creative brands.
Standout work included VML and Burson’s Titanium Lion-winning Oreo Cows campaign, which tied a cow breed’s natural markings to Mexico’s milk-dunking culture and reportedly lifted sales by 12%. Ogilvy picked up the Direct Grand Prix for its Bad Bunny-linked Uva Uva Bombón campaign, while VML, Burson and OpenMind won PR Grand Prix honours for KitKat Heist, built around a real shipment-loss incident.
Other wins included Johannes Leonardo and EssenceMediacom’s double Grand Prix for adidas’ Oasis-inspired Original Forever, Grey’s Creative Data Grand Prix for BCP Bank’s SOS POS initiative, and VML’s Creative Commerce Grand Prix for its AI-driven Lucky Fan Index for Wisła Kraków.
WPP CEO Cindy Rose called creativity the group’s “superpower,” while Global Chief Creative Officer Rob Reilly credited the wins to clients willing to back bold ideas – emphasizing that every standout campaign began with a client saying yes.
