Cannes Lions 2025 wrap-up, the South African winners and the work
Yes, we know Cannes is over… but we’re not quite done talking about it. Here’s your full roundup of the week: the complete winners table, the work, and the companies that brought it home. You’ve inspired us all and reminded the world (and ourselves) what South Africans are capable of.
A massive shoutout to our Cannes partners, LITTLEBIG, who teamed up with IDIDTHAT once again to make sure all the SA stories, shortlists, and wins made it back home. Thank you for backing South African creativity so wholeheartedly, we couldn’t have done this without you. Legends, truly. Go show them some love.
Out of 26,900 global entries this year, South Africa submitted 241. Just a few highlights before we dive into the work:
WPP was named Creative Company of the Year
Joe Public took home Regional Network of the Year: Sub-Saharan Africa
Paula Andropoulos and Khomotso Makoto from TBWA\Hunt Lascaris won Silver in the Young Lions Film competition
The future is looking bright!
Joe Public Regional Network of the Year: Sub-Saharan Africa
TBWA\Hunt Lascaris’ Khomotso Makoto and Paula Andropoulos
CANNES LIONS METAL WINNERS
SOUTH AFRICAN CREDITS
Entrant Company: OGILVY Singapore
Agency: OGILVY SOUTH AFRICA PR & Influencer division co-created the Social Influencer side of this campaign.
AWARDED:
TITANIUM LION
GRAND PRIX: Social & Creator (Community Building)
GRAND PRIX: Health & Wellness (OTC Applications)
GOLD LION: Media (Healthcare)
SILVER LION: Social & Creator (Healthcare)
SILVER LION: Direct (Co-Creation & User Generated Content)
SILVER LION: Media (Audience Insights)
SILVER LION: PR (Community Management)
BRONZE LION: PR (Social Engagement)
SHORTLIST: Direct (Use of Social Platforms)
SHORTLIST: PR (Content Creation & Production)
SHORTLIST: PR (Innovative Use of Influencers/Creators)
SHORTLIST: Social & Creator (Audience Targeting/Engagement Strategies)
SHORTLIST: Social & Creator (Innovative Engagement of Community)
SOUTH AFRICAN CREDITS
Entrant Company: McCANN, London
Agency: CLOCKWORK Johannesburg assisted with some of the production elements to this campaign.
AWARDED:
GOLD LION: Creative Effectiveness (Launch)
BRONZE LION: Creative Effectiveness (Collaboration)
SHORTLIST: Creative Effectiveness (Travel, Leisure, Retail, Restaurants & Fast Food Chains)
SHORTLIST: Creative Effectiveness (Single Market)
SOUTH AFRICAN CREDITS
Entrant Company: BANANAS
Film Production: Carbon Films
Sound & Music: Howard Audio
AWARDED:
GOLD LION: Film (Travel, Leisure, Retail, Restaurants & Fast Food Chains)
SOUTH AFRICAN CREDITS
Entrant Company: VML New York, Kansas City & Sao Paulo
Agency: VML (Johannesburg) assisted with the production elements of this campaign.
Film & Stills Production: Neto + Shookan assisted with some of the African based photography of this campaign.
AWARDED:
SILVER LION: Media (Co-Creation of Branded IP)
BRONZE LION: Brand Experience & Activation (Social Behaviour)
SHORTLIST: Media (Audience Insights)
SHORTLIST: Creative Data (Market Disruption)
SHORTLIST: Media (Use of Outdoor)
SHORTLIST: PR (Brand Voice & Strategic Storytelling)
SHORTLIST: Brand Experience & Activation (Consumer Goods)
SHORTLIST: Brand Experience & Activation (Customer Retailer/In-Store Experience)
SHORTLIST: Brand Experience & Activation (Customer Acquisition & Retention)
SOUTH AFRICAN CREDITS
Agency: Joe Public, Johannesburg
AWARDED:
BRONZE CAMPAIGN LION: Audio & Radio (Script)
CANNES LIONS SHORTLISTED WORK
SOUTH AFRICAN CREDITS
Agency: Joe Public
Film Production: Plank Films
Post Production: Strangelove
Music & Sound: Pressure Cooker
AWARDED
SHORTLIST: Film (Travel, Leisure, Retail, Restaurants & Fast Food Chains)
SOUTH AFRICAN CREDITS
Agency: Joe Public
Film Production: Darling Films
Post Production: Post Modern
Music & Sound: Sterling Sound / Marc Algranti
AWARDED
SHORTLIST: Film (Local Brand)
SOUTH AFRICAN CREDITS
Agency: Ogilvy South Africa
Film Production: Run Jump Fly
AWARDED
SHORTLIST: Sustainable Development Goals (Good Health & Wellbeing)
SOUTH AFRICAN CREDITS
Entrant Company: Dentsu Creative, Nairobi
Agency: Dentsu Creative, Cape Town
AWARDED
SHORTLIST: Sustainable Development Goals (Good Health & Wellbeing)
SOUTH AFRICAN CREDITS
Agency: Joe Public United, Johannesburg
AWARDED
SHORTLIST: Print & Publishing (Consumer Services/Business to Business)
SOUTH AFRICAN CREDITS
Agency: TBWA\Hunt Lascaris
Film Production: Darling Films
Post Production: Dolph / Post Modern
AWARDED
SHORTLIST: Direct (Consumer Goods)
SOUTH AFRICAN CREDITS
Agency: TBWA\Hunt Lascaris
Film Production Company: Giant Films
Post Production & Animation: Chocolate Tribe
Music & Sound: Pressure Cooker / Sterling Sound
AWARDED
SHORTLIST: Direct (Use of Humour)
SOUTH AFRICAN CREDITS
Entrant Company/Agency: LEPUB Johannesburg & LEPUB Milan
Film Production Company: DARLING FLING
AWARDED
SHORTLIST: Outdoor (Special Build)
SOUTH AFRICAN CREDITS
Entrant Company: DAVID, Bogota / DRAFTLINE, Shanghai
Agency: Boundless contributed to this campaign
AWARDED
SHORTLIST: Creative Effectiveness (Multi-Market)
SOUTH AFRICA’S CANNES LIONS WINNERS TABLE
| AWARD | WORK | SOUTH AFRICAN COMPANIES CREDITED | CATEGORY |
|---|---|---|---|
| TITANIUM LION | OGILVY SOUTH AFRICA PR & Influencer division co-created the Social Influencer side of this campaign. | TITANIUM | |
| GRAND PRIX | OGILVY SOUTH AFRICA PR & Influencer division co-created the Social Influencer side of this campaign | Social & Creator | |
| GRAND PRIX | OGILVY SOUTH AFRICA PR & Influencer division co-created the Social Influencer side of this campaign | Health & Wellness | |
| GOLD LION | OGILVY SOUTH AFRICA PR & Influencer division co-created the Social Influencer side of this campaign | Media | |
| GOLD LION | KFC THAILAND ‘LET THERE BE CAKE’ | BANANAS / Carbon Films / Howard Audio | Film |
| GOLD LION | CLOCKWORK | Creative Effectiveness | |
| SILVER LION | OGILVY SOUTH AFRICA PR & Influencer division co-created the Social Influencer side of this campaign | Social & Creator | |
| SILVER LION | Unilever ‘Vaseline Verified’ | OGILVY SOUTH AFRICA PR & Influencer division co-created the Social Influencer side of this campaign | Direct |
| SILVER LION | Unilever ‘Vaseline Verified’ | OGILVY SOUTH AFRICA PR & Influencer division co-created the Social Influencer side of this campaign | Media |
| SILVER LION | Unilever ‘Vaseline Verified’ | OGILVY SOUTH AFRICA PR & Influencer division co-created the Social Influencer side of this campaign | PR |
| SILVER LION | Coca-Cola ‘Thanks for Coke-Creating’ | VML (Johannesburg) / Neto + Shookan | Media |
| BRONZE LION | Unilever ‘Vaseline Verified’ | OGILVY SOUTH AFRICA PR & Influencer division co-created the Social Influencer side of this campaign | PR |
| BRONZE LION | XBOX ‘THE EVERYDAY TACTICIAN | CLOCKWORK Johannesburg | Creative Effectiveness |
| BRONZE LION | Coca-Cola ‘Thanks for Coke-Creating’ | VML (Johannesburg) / Neto + Shookan | Brand Experience & Activation |
| BRONZE CAMPAIGN LION | HANSA PILSENER ‘WHAT’S GUCCI?’, ‘OKRRR’, ‘SPILL THE TEA’ | JOE PUBLIC UNITED | Audio & Radio |
| SHORTLIST | Unilever ‘Vaseline Verified’ | OGILVY SOUTH AFRICA PR & Influencer division co-created the Social Influencer side of this campaign | Direct |
| SHORTLIST | Unilever ‘Vaseline Verified’ | OGILVY SOUTH AFRICA PR & Influencer division co-created the Social Influencer side of this campaign | PR |
| SHORTLIST | Unilever ‘Vaseline Verified’ | OGILVY SOUTH AFRICA PR & Influencer division co-created the Social Influencer side of this campaign | PR |
| SHORTLIST | Unilever ‘Vaseline Verified’ | OGILVY SOUTH AFRICA PR & Influencer division co-created the Social Influencer side of this campaign | Social & Creator |
| SHORTLIST | Unilever ‘Vaseline Verified’ | OGILVY SOUTH AFRICA PR & Influencer division co-created the Social Influencer side of this campaign | Social & Creator |
| SHORTLIST | XBOX ‘The Everyday Tactician’ | CLOCKWORK Johannesburg | Creative Effectiveness |
| SHORTLIST | XBOX ‘The Everyday Tactician’ | CLOCKWORK Johannesburg | Creative Effectiveness |
| SHORTLIST | Coca-Cola ‘Thanks for Coke-Creating’ | VML (Johannesburg) / Neto + Shookan | Media |
| SHORTLIST | Coca-Cola ‘Thanks for Coke-Creating’ | VML (Johannesburg) / Neto + Shookan | Creative Data |
| SHORTLIST | Coca-Cola ‘Thanks for Coke-Creating’ | VML (Johannesburg) / Neto + Shookan | Media |
| SHORTLIST | Coca-Cola ‘Thanks for Coke-Creating’ | VML (Johannesburg) / Neto + Shookan | PR |
| SHORTLIST | Coca-Cola ‘Thanks for Coke-Creating’ | VML (Johannesburg) / Neto + Shookan | Brand Experience & Activation |
| SHORTLIST | Coca-Cola ‘Thanks for Coke-Creating’ | VML (Johannesburg) / Neto + Shookan | Brand Experience & Activation |
| SHORTLIST | Coca-Cola ‘Thanks for Coke-Creating’ | VML (Johannesburg) / Neto + Shookan | Brand Experience & Activation |
| SHORTLIST | Chicken Licken ‘Make Your Family Proud’ | Joe Public / Plank Films / Pressure Cooker / Strangelove | Film |
| SHORTLIST | Nedbank ‘Honouring The Class of ’76 Signwriter Film’ | Joe Public / Darling Films / Post Modern / Sterling Sound / Marc Algranti | Film |
| SHORTLIST | Volkswagen South Africa ‘The Life-Saving Night School Platform’ | OGILVY SOUTH AFRICA / Run Jump Fly | Sustainable Development Goals |
| SHORTLIST | Tusker ‘Stitched with Cheer’ | DENTSU CREATIVE, Cape Town | Brand Experience & Activation |
| SHORTLIST | Nedbank ‘Start Smoking’ | JOE PUBLIC UNITED, Johannesburg | Print & Publishing |
| SHORTLIST | Gun Free SA ‘Bulletproof Park’ | M&C SAATCHI ABEL | PR |
| SHORTLIST | Savanna ‘#TryJanuary’ | TBWA\Hunt Lascaris / Darling Films / Dolph / Post Modern | Direct |
| SHORTLIST | Windhoek ‘The Beer Ad Without Beers’ | TBWA\Hunt Lascaris / Giant Films / Chocolate Tribe / Pressure Cooker / Sterling Sound | Direct |
| SHORTLIST | Heineken ‘Heineken Social Screen’ | LEPUB Johannesburg / DARLING FLING Johannesburg | Outdoor |
| SHORTLIST | Corona ‘Extra Lime – The Company’ | BOUNDLESS, Johannesburg | Creative Effectiveness |
AWARDED COMPANIES
AGENCIES
FILM PRODUCTION COMPANIES
POST PRODUCTION COMPANIES
SOUND & MUSIC COMPANIES
If you or your company worked on any of these projects and your credits are not added it means you’re not a member of IDIDTHAT, which is tragic because you are one of the best in your field and nobody knows about it. Don’t be like Van Gogh and only become famous when you’re dead, do it now! Check out our membership options or contact studio@ididthat.co to get signed up and we’ll get you and your work seen by the right people.
SOUTH AFRICA’S CANNES DIARY 2025
During Cannes Lions 2025, we asked some of South Africa’s finest creatives, marketers, and industry leaders to capture just one day at the festival. No briefs. No scripts. Just a bunch of brilliant Saffas sharing Cannes in their own words.
SOUTH AFRICA AT CANNES: Day 5 by Pete Case
As the curtains close on Cannes Lions 2025, Pete Case, CEO and Creative Chairman of Ogilvy South Africa, shares a final day full of reflection. From his time judging Creative Strategy to stepping on stage for Titanium, Pete wraps the week with insights on the power of creativity, a toast to South Africa’s wins, and a reminder that what we do, and who we do it with, really matters.
SOUTH AFRICA AT CANNES: Day 5 by Carl Willoughby
Okay, so Carl Willoughby may have technically written about more than just Day 5, but when the reflections hit this deep, we’ll allow it. As CCO of TBWA\Hunt Lascaris South Africa, Chairman of the Creative Circle and a first-time Cannes juror, Carl captures the full emotional arc of the festival: from intense jury rooms to late-night inspiration, powerful panels, and South African pride - all wrapped in the beautiful messiness of being human in this industry.
SOUTH AFRICA AT CANNES: Day 4 by Gillian Rightford
Through quick quips, overheard truths, and notes from boardroom meetings, Gillian Rightford captures the contradictions of Cannes like only she can. As Executive Director of the ACA - now Africa’s first member of VoxComm, the global body of advertising associations - and a newly appointed member of the Effie Global Council, Gillian’s Day 4 reflections remind us that the business of creativity is as complex, messy, and fun as ever.
SOUTH AFRICA AT CANNES: Day 4 by Steph van Niekerk
It’s Day 4, and Steph van Niekerk is serving 25,000 steps. As Executive Creative Director at TBWA\ Hunt Lascaris, Steph reflects on what really matters at Cannes: from Droga’s wisdom to Shonda’s brilliance, to the pride she feels for her fellow South Africans. Spoiler: she loves us, and boy, do we love her!
SOUTH AFRICA AT CANNES: Day 3 by Andrea Quaye
From paying her own way to Cannes to now judging one of the festival’s most prestigious categories, Andrea Quaye, Marketing Director at Heineken Beverages, brings a sharp perspective and love for the craft. On Day 3, she takes us inside her more intentional approach to the week filled with meaningful connections and a reminder that, yes, Club Duvet by 10pm is a real Cannes flex.
SOUTH AFRICA AT CANNES: Day 3 by Mpume Ngobese
Today’s diary comes from Mpume Ngobese, Co-Managing Director of Joe Public and proud first-time Cannes attendee. Wide-eyed, curious, and taking notes like a pro, Mpume shares her Day 3 highlights, and it’s a fresh, fired-up take from someone soaking up every moment of the festival. Cannes virgin no more!
SOUTH AFRICA AT CANNES: Day 2 by Koketso Masisi
For Day 2, we hear from Koketso Masisi, Creative Director at Retroviral, whose reflections cut through the noise with warmth and insight. From the power of women-led innovation and standout Outdoor Lions work, to meaningful moments with fellow South Africans, Koketso captures the rhythm of Cannes with a clear reminder to stay grounded, stay curious, and show up with intention.
SOUTH AFRICA AT CANNES: Day 2 by Koo Govender
Day 2 of Cannes Lions and we soak in the elegance of Cannes through the eyes of Koo Govender. From early morning rituals on a quiet beach to fine dining at JAN in Nice, the CEO of Publicis Groupe Africa gives us a grounded, generous look behind the Cannes rush.
SOUTH AFRICA AT CANNES: Day 1 by Khensani Nobanda
Every day this week, we’ve asked one or two brilliant South Africans at Cannes to report back from the frontlines of Cannes Lions. First up, it's Khensani Nobanda, Group Executive for Marketing and Corporate Affairs at Nedbank, who’s kicking off our coverage with a high-energy run and some even higher creative takeouts.
SOUTH AFRICA AT CANNES: Day 1 by Mike Abel
Every day this week, we’re handing the mic to a different South African at Cannes Lions 2025. We’ve asked them to capture one day, however they experienced it, in their own words. First up is Day 1 with none other than Mike Abel, Founder & Executive Chairman M&C Saatchi Abel & Group SA, here to give us a taste of his first day of Cannes, South African style.
Here’s what you need to know about our Cannes Lions 2025 Partners LITTLEBIG:
LITTLEBIG is a team-focused, quality-obsessed production company that backs South African creativity where it counts: behind the scenes, on set, and on the world stage. They’ve been with us every step of the way to Cannes and we couldn’t be prouder to partner with them.
Read more about LITTLEBIG partnering with IDIDTHAT to bring you all the South Africans in Cannes news 2025
