India at Cannes Lions over the years: A shift from cultural disruption to technological innovation

New Delhi: Over the last few years, India has carved out a distinct identity at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. In 2022, India delivered powerful campaigns rooted in cultural consciousness and behavioural change, which evolved into tech-forward storytelling in 2023.

In 2025, India reached a new milestone by winning 32 Lions, including one Grand Prix, nine gold, nine silver, and 13 bronze medals. However, India’s best performance at Cannes was in 2022, when it won a historic 47 awards, a solid rebound from the previous year’s count of 18 awards. This year, India also made a statement on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival through the presence of its digital influencers.

This journey isn’t just about awards; it reflects how Indian creativity has matured into a force for innovation, making its mark on the world.

In this article, we’ll cover how Cannes has unfolded for India over the past few years:

2022: Creativity Meets Societal Shift

The 2022 edition of Cannes Lions was a breakout year for India, thanks to campaigns that were both emotionally resonant and culturally transformative. Whisper’s “The Missing Chapter” tackled menstrual taboos in rural India, enabling young girls to reclaim agency and voice. Campaigns like “Adeli” by Unipads pushed conversations on gender and health in the workplace. What set 2022 apart was its focus on storytelling that not only sold products but also shifted societal norms. These campaigns demonstrated the power of cultural sensitivity and purpose-led narratives to spark change.

2023: Technology as a Storytelling Engine

In 2023, Indian campaigns moved from cultural commentary to a new frontier: the fusion of technology and emotion. Ogilvy’s “Shah Rukh Khan - My Ad” for Cadbury empowered small retailers using AI, making Bollywood’s biggest star the virtual face of local businesses. Leo Burnett’s “175 Replayed” recreated Kapil Dev’s iconic innings through 5G-powered holography, blending nostalgia with next-gen storytelling. DDB Mudra’s “Machine-Gun Mouth” cleverly spotlighted responsible gaming with a humorous twist, introducing OTP-based parental controls. These campaigns didn’t just use technology; instead, they embedded problem-solving into their narratives.

2025: Action-oriented campaigns

Campaigns in 2025 differed slightly from those in 2023, focusing more on problem-solving than on storytelling and showcasing real-life issues.

This year, FCB India’s “Lucky Yatra” campaign for Indian Railways won the Grand Prix in the PR Lions category, marking India’s first-ever Grand Prix in this category. The campaign addressed the issue of ticketless travel in Mumbai by turning every train ticket into a potential lottery win, aiming to drive both behavioural change and measurable results.

In addition, Ogilvy India extended its winning streak with accolades in Design, Media, PR, and Outdoor for campaigns with Titan, Amazon, and Cadbury. Havas India scored in Print & Publishing and Direct for The Times of India, while standout entries included Leo’s “Acko Tailor Test,” BBH’s Garnier campaign featuring popular comedian Anubhav Singh Bassi, VML’s “The Girl Who Played the Tutari,” and BBDO’s Silver for Ariel in the SDG category.

The independent agency Talented also won medals for Britannia’s “Nature Shapes” and “Avani’s Gold.”

Here’s a semiotic analysis of some of the campaigns:

FCB India – Lucky Yatra

Lucky Yatra | Indian Railways | FCB India

 From a semiotic perspective, the train here is not just a means of transportation; it becomes a symbol of national identity, movement, and possibility, given that Indian Railways is government-owned and most of India travels using it. The lottery element invokes the masses’ relationship with luck, karma, and aspiration, adding emotional and cultural depth.

Ogilvy India – #DibbonSeBadhkar – Maha Kumbh Mela, for Amazon

#DibbonSeBadhkar - Maha Kumbh Mela

The campaign transformed Amazon delivery boxes into beds for pilgrims at the Kumbh Mela, symbolising care, sustainability, and inventiveness from the brand. The cardboard box, traditionally a sign of consumerism, was re-coded as a tool for spirituality. The dichotomy here is interesting, as consumerism is the complete antithesis of spirituality. The Kumbh Mela was especially significant for the brand, as it is not only a huge Hindu festival celebrated by millions worldwide, but it was also backed by the state government and the Government of India. In a way, the campaign gives legitimacy to the brand, as if it is sanctioned by both the state and religion—an ideal way to appeal to the masses in India.

Leo Burnett - Acko Tailor Test

Acko - Acko Tailor Test - Leo India

Leo’s campaign clinched a gold at the awards. It is an ingenious campaign to get insurance for people, and make them aware that they potentially have heart diseases by measuring their hip-to-waist ratio. The campaign is semiotically rich, as the tailor is a symbol of trust for the middle to lower-middle class consumer. He is the custodian of customised fit, a signifier of familiarity and accuracy—values that are not usually associated with the world of insurance in India. It also signifies that Acko can give you a personalised insurance plan, one which is tailored for you.

Ogilvy India – “Eye Test Menu” for Titan Eyeplus

This World Sight Day, we present to you 'The Eye Test Menu'

Ogilvy’s other innovative campaign helped truck drivers avoid road accidents by providing them with free eye checkups, as there was significant reluctance among truck drivers, who were largely in denial about their weak eyesight. Ogilvy smartly used the menu as a substitute for an eye-test chart in dhabas. Dhabas are quintessential pit-stops for truckers, signifying grassroots Indian hospitality at affordable rates. The brand positions itself as a helping hand for the working class without access.

Talented Agency - Shaped By Nature for Britannia

This World Sight Day, we present to you 'The Eye Test Menu'

Talented’s campaign “Shaped by Nature” for Britannia highlights the seemingly binary problem of economics and environment, which are usually positioned at crossroads for the brand rather than as complementary. The campaign put up billboards that were cut out in shapes to accommodate trees, rather than felling trees for advertisements. The campaign was innovative and symbolised Britannia’s concern for the environment.

Final Word

India’s journey at Cannes Lions over the past few years reflects a creative evolution, from purpose-driven cultural disruption in 2022 to tech-powered storytelling in 2023, and finally, to action-oriented campaigns in 2025. This shift highlights how Indian advertising has matured, merging semiotic insight with real-world impact.

What stands out isn’t just storytelling, but a desire for systemic change: campaigns are not just ideas, they are interventions. A train ticket becomes an incentive for reform. A tailor becomes a proxy for healthcare. A cardboard box becomes a spiritual offering. These aren’t only metaphors; they are mechanisms for real-world change.

While the awards showcased how creative thinking can catalyse real world behaviour change, the real-world impact of these campaigns was also debated on the internet.  The Internet debates questioned the legitimacy of the behaviour change showcased.

The debate once again highlighted the gap between award-winning creatives (showcasing the potential of creatives to create impact) and real world results.  The debate once again brought to the fore, the gap between symbolic innovation and actual transformation.