Cannes Lions 2025: FCB and Havas secure gold on opening day

On the opening day of the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, India claimed two Gold Lions. One rewarded a campaign that incentivised passengers to purchase train tickets in order to discourage ticketless travel. The other promoted voter participation, arguing that casting a ballot prevents the waste of electoral ink.

In total, Indian agencies won nine metals: two Gold, four Silver and three Bronze. This marks a notable improvement over the previous year’s performance, when India had collected three awards on day one.

FCB India’s gold came in the Outdoor category for Lucky Yatra, a campaign that transformed train tickets into lottery tickets in a bid to curb ticketless travel. Rather than penalising those without tickets, the campaign reframed the act of purchasing one as a potential reward. The work also garnered a Bronze Lion in the same category.

“Winning at Cannes is always special — it means your work has cut through on the world's biggest creative stage. To bring home a Gold and Bronze for Lucky Yatra and a Silver for Too Yumm! is a proud moment for all of us at FCB India,” said Dheeraj Sinha, Group CEO, FCB India and South Asia.

“What makes it even more meaningful is that these wins span businesses and categories — a true reflection of the creative momentum we’re building across the board. It’s not just about individual campaigns; it’s about a culture of creativity that encourages bold thinking and real impact. Congratulations to our teams and our incredible clients for making this possible,” he added.

The second Gold was awarded to Havas in the Print and Publishing category for Ink of Democracy, created for The Times of India. In the 2014 general elections, an estimated 7,500 litres of electoral ink were left unused because 34% of eligible voters chose not to cast their ballots. 

To highlight this troubling statistic, The Times of India and The Economic Times printed their pages using the same indelible ink applied to voters' fingers at polling stations.

“Winning a Cannes Lions for Ink of Democracy is a moment of immense pride, for the work, the people behind it, and what it stands for. At our core, we’ve always believed in the power of creativity. We truly believe it has the power to shape conversations and spark change,” said Rana Barua, Group CEO, Havas India, South East Asia and North Asia.

“I’m incredibly proud of Anu, Ravinder, Soham and our team that brought this idea to life. Also, a huge shoutout to Team TOI, Joji, and our global team for their belief in the idea and all the support. Here’s to a team that continues to raise the bar, pushing boundaries with integrity, heart, and fearless creativity,” he added.

Anupama Ramaswamy, Joint Managing Director and Chief Creative Officer, Havas Creative India, added: “From the moment we thought of Ink of Democracy, I knew in my gut this idea needed to be made and needed to be seen by the world. It wasn’t loud or flashy, but it had truth, purpose, and heart. One thing I held onto was patience. And a quiet tenacity to see it through, no matter how long it took.”

“What makes this Cannes Lions win truly special is my young team that brought it to life — Soham, Ravinder, and Annie — who poured everything into it. They carried the idea with courage and craft, and I couldn’t be prouder.”

“A big thank you to Rana and the global team at Havas for believing in the work and helping us take it beyond borders. This is a shared win, and a reminder of what’s possible when we trust our instincts and support one another.”

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Denied the opportunity for sponsorships or in-stadium sales during the Indian Premier League, FCB Kinnect devised a strategy whereby giant Too Yumm! chips, resembling fan posters, were printed with match slogans in edible ink. These chips were individually packaged and smuggled into stadiums by fans. As the snacks were consumed, the slogans disappeared, leaving only the brand’s name: Too Yumm!

“Our relationship with Too Yumm! spanning over five and a half years, that’s what this Cannes Lion represents. Building the brand with consistency, conviction, and craft. We’re here to prove that the slow burn builds the strongest fire. This moment is a testament to what long-term integration truly delivers. Real work, for real brands, with real impact, that’s always been the goal,” said Rohan Mehta, CEO, FCB Kinnect.

Neville Shah, CCO, FCB Kinnect expressed, “It’s such an exciting thing to bring to life ideas that seem impossible and then win with brand partners who have been with us a long time. Who trust us. And this is just a representation of that. It takes an entire village to make an idea come to life and we are just so happy.”

Ogilvy collected two Bronze Lions for work in the Outdoor category. The first, for Unilever's Taj Mahal Tea, was a campaign called Chai Bansuri, which featured a tea kettle that played the flute when the tea in it began to brew. The second, for Vi, involved the creation of sacred bracelets, typically worn continuously, which were strung with digits to form the phone number of a family member. In the event of a child becoming lost, the wearer could simply ask a passerby to call the number on the bracelet.

Lowe Lintas won a Silver in the Pharma category for its campaign for Alkem Laboratories, in partnership with Doceree. DawAI Reader is an AI-powered tool designed to decode handwritten prescriptions for patients in rural and remote regions, where access to pharmacists or literate intermediaries is limited.

“Creativity meets innovation today to change the very basics of the healthcare industry and DawAI Reader is just the right example. It isn’t just a campaign—it’s a solution. A testament to what happens when we design for real-world impact. Truly elated and humbled to be a part of the campaign,” said Prateek Bhardwaj, Chief Creative Officer, Lowe Lintas.

“To bring home a Cannes Lions for India—and especially for a purpose-driven innovation like DawAI Reader—is an honour that deeply humbles us. I’m grateful for the trust and collaboration with Alkem and Lowe Lintas. This win proves that when creativity, technology, and intent come together, we can truly transform lives,” said Harshit Jain, Managing Director, founder, and global CEO of Doceree.

Talented won a Silver in the Outdoor category for its Nature Shapes Britannia campaign for Britannia Industries, which highlighted the company’s sustainability efforts. Billboards were cut in irregular shapes to accommodate the trees growing near them.

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The final Indian winner on the day was Godrej Creative Lab, the in-house creative unit of the FMCG firm. It secured a Silver in the Audio and Radio Story category for a campaign for Eyebetes, a non-profit organisation. The campaign enlisted Naga saints at the Kumbh Mela as ambassadors to promote early eye testing.