Cannes Lions rebrands Social & Influencer Lions to Social & Creator Lions

The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity has announced several key updates for its 72nd edition, set to take place from 16-20 June 2025 in Cannes, France. Notably, the Social & Influencer Lions have been renamed the Social & Creator Lions to better reflect the growing significance of creators in the marketing landscape. This change comes as research indicates that the creator economy could surpass $600 billion by 2036.

Research Nester recently estimated that the creator economy market size will reach more than $600 billion by 2036, underscoring the role creators now play in brand engagement. With this in mind, the new Social & Creator Lions categories will specifically focus on the innovative work creators are producing for brands, acknowledging their pivotal role in driving creativity and engagement across platforms. Information on the Creator Pass is available here.

Marian Brannelly, Global Director of Awards at LIONS, commented, “Gender representation remains essential, and following consultation and research there is now a need to evolve the Lion to recognise the importance of intersectionality, from disability and race to sexuality and social inequity. This Lion is an Award for change. Expanding the scope allows us to celebrate ideas that promote more equitable representation for a broader range of communities and also reflect the importance of embedding authentic inclusivity throughout the creative process.”

Thea Skelton, VP Festivals, LIONS, said: “We know that creativity is an overpowered economic growth lever. The global creative economy is estimated at $985bn and could represent 10 percent of global GDP before 2030, according to the think tank G20 Insights. With this pace and scale we believe that countries and governments have an opportunity to supercharge their creative economy by showcasing their capabilities at Cannes Lions in front of some of the most influential minds in the industry.” This global village will provide countries with the opportunity to showcase local creativity on the global stage, promote creative economies and serve as a hub for learning sessions, as well as benefit from cross-country networking. A dedicated content stage will accompany the pavilions and showcase truly global content and perspectives.

In line with this, the festival will also bring back LIONS Creators, the learning experience designed for the creator economy. The initiative offers creators an opportunity to connect, learn, and build sustainable businesses.  In addition to the changes to the awards, the festival has introduced a new initiative, Country Pavilions, aimed at driving greater global representation. The pavilions will showcase the creative potential of various nations and provide a hub for learning, cross-country networking, and promoting local economies on the global stage.

Applications for the ERA Pass, which provides complimentary passes to underrepresented talent, are also now open, with the festival increasing its funding for the second consecutive year. This move is part of the festival's broader efforts to enhance equity and diversity within the creative industry.

Frank Starling, Chief DEI Officer, LIONS, said the increased investment was “crucial to continue to drive progress for both Cannes Lions and the industry”. Starling added: “The ERA pass plays an important role in fostering a global representation of talent within the creative communications industry at Cannes Lions, and to date our funded opportunities have reached creatives in 46 countries globally. With the Festival being the destination for everyone in the business of creativity, we recognise the importance of creating equitable access to it, and this is why we're prioritising increased representation from the Global South to support a greater range of voices and perspectives from the region at the Festival.” Applications for the ERA pass are open now and close on 5 December 2025. More details can be found here.