By The Malketeer
The curtains have closed on the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity 2025, and if there’s one takeaway from this year’s event in the south of France—it’s that the Asia-Pacific region has truly arrived.
With a total of 118 Lions—including a Titanium Lion, 8 Grand Prix, and 22 Golds—APAC’s presence was not only loud but layered with bold storytelling, social change, and local relevance that resonated across global juries.
The Titanium Moment: Vaseline Verified from Singapore
Stealing both hearts and headlines was Ogilvy Singapore’s “Vaseline Verified” campaign for Unilever.
The project, which cleverly tested viral Vaseline beauty hacks to distinguish fact from fiction, was awarded not one, but two Grand Prix—in Health & Wellness and Social & Creator—before going on to snag the Dan Wieden Titanium Lion, one of the most coveted awards celebrating boundary-breaking creativity.
It also earned multiple Silvers and a Gold in Media, helping Singapore record its best Cannes performance in years, finishing fifth in APAC with 12 wins.
For a market often overlooked on the global stage, this was a defining year.
New Zealand’s Risk Pays Off: Herpes, but Make It Human
What could have been dismissed as provocative clickbait turned out to be a campaign of real purpose. “The Best Place in the World to Have Herpes” by Finch Sydney and Motion Sickness Auckland, created for the New Zealand Herpes Foundation, swept major awards including the Lions Health & UN Grand Prix for Good, the overall Grand Prix for Good, and Gold in Film.
This cheeky-yet-empathetic effort used bold messaging to fight stigma and promote public health.
It’s now being celebrated not just as brave, but as brilliant.
India’s Golden Rail Journey
India led the APAC pack with 32 Lions, thanks in large part to FCB India’s “Lucky Yatra”—a campaign for Indian Railways that turned mundane train tickets into lottery tickets.
It didn’t just win the PR Grand Prix; it brought home six Golds in categories spanning PR, Direct, Outdoor, Brand Experience & Activation, Creative Business Transformation, and Creative Commerce.
In a year where cultural sensitivity, data-driven insight, and executional finesse mattered more than ever, this campaign proved that India’s creativity is no longer just prolific—it’s profoundly purposeful.
Australia & New Zealand Shine in Craft
Bear Meets Eagle on Fire, Sydney’s indie darling, continued its hot streak with Telstra’s “Better on a Better Network” campaign.
The cinematic film took home the Film Craft Grand Prix, two Golds, and multiple other Lions.
The agency also contributed to Australia’s 28-win total, placing it second after India.
The production company Revolver made history too, becoming the first Australian company to win the Palme d’Or, Cannes’ most prestigious production award, recognising excellence in film craft.
Regional Highlights: Golds with Heart
Standout Stats: A Region on Fire
This year also saw Asia-Pacific campaigns dominate early in the Health, Pharma and Wellness tracks—categories historically led by Western markets. Day 1 alone saw a Grand Prix sweep of all three health-related awards.
Global Accolades for APAC Talent
What Does This Mean for Malaysian Agencies?
While Malaysia did not make the headlines this year, the strong showing from neighbouring countries sends a clear signal: regional ideas with bold insights and cultural resonance can—and do—win at the world’s biggest creative stage.
It’s a call to action for Malaysian brands and agencies to push harder, go deeper, and lean into what makes local stories universal.
As Cannes Lions 2025 wraps up, Asia-Pacific’s ascent is no longer a question—it’s an exclamation.
From titanium-level trust hacks to herpes-powered health truths, the region proved that when creativity meets courage, it doesn’t just spark a Lion. It roars.
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