WPP and Coca-Cola have topped the Cannes Lions creative charts for 2024, marking the first time the soft drinks giant has been awarded the accolade.
Coca-Cola has been named the most creative brand of 2024, based on its performance at Cannes Lions where it picked up a total of 17 awards.
As the ‘global benchmark for impactful creativity’, the 2024 LIONS Creativity Report is the industry’s definitive guide to creative excellence. Acting as a benchmark for the industry, it ranks each work alongside impact and results, demonstrating how creativity drives growth.
“The Coca-Cola Company believes creativity is a superpower that drives growth, inspires people and – most importantly – ignites change,” said the brand’s EVP and global CMO Manolo Arroyo, commenting on the win.
Heineken came in second place in the rankings, taking home four Gold Lions. Apple placed third.
Other highlights in the rankings included WPP being named Creative Company of the Year, with its Coca-Cola collaboration ‘Thanks for Coke-Creating’ securing three Gold Lions at Cannes. The group took home a further 14 Lions from this year’s festival, including six Grand Prix.
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“Creative excellence comes down to three things: people, process and passion,” said WPP CCo Rob Reilly.
“But doing it at scale takes an unwavering partnership between our brilliant agencies and our brave brand partners. Thank you for believing in the transformational power of creativity.”
Omnicom came in second place, with Interpublic Group taking the third spot for the fourth year in a row.
The United States took the top spot for most creative country, with Brazil moving up one to sit in second place. The UK came in third, down from second place last year.
Lions CEO Simon Cook said: “The LIONS Creativity Rankings shows creatives and marketers – agencies and brands – the creative marketing that matters, so that they can fuel their pursuit to create better, drive business growth and shift culture.
“The official rankings are a celebration and a powerful tool for future success, while the report is impact-led and built with analysis from the Lions Awards, to deliver tangible examples of how creativity can drive progress.”
Five further reports based on the core festival streams will be published later this year: The Creativity Toolbox, Creative Impact, Innovation Unwrapped, Talent and Culture and Insights and Trends.
