As the official representative of Cannes Lions in the UAE, Motivate Val Morgan brings you the key updates for the 2025 Awards. From expanded Glass Lions celebrating intersectionality to the newly renamed Social & Creator Lions, see how the world’s premier festival of creativity continues to evolve and innovate.
The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity has launched its 72nd edition, taking place on 16–20 June 2025 in Cannes, France. The Festival has announced that it will double funding to provide €2M worth of complimentary passes to underrepresented talent and underserved communities through its Equity, Representation and Accessibility (ERA) Pass, returning for a second year.
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.”
Glass: The Lion for Change—celebrating 10 years since its introduction—champions work that uses creativity to drive a shift towards more positive, progressive and gender-aware communication. Now, the category announces its significant expansion. Marian Brannelly, Global Director of Awards, LIONS, commenting on the Glass Lions’ evolution said: “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.”
The Social & Influencer Lions have been renamed the Social & Creator Lions to recognise creators’ increasingly important role in the landscape. Research Nester recently estimated that the creator economy market size is estimated to surpass $600bn by the end of 2036. New categories added to the Social & Creator Lions focus on creators and the innovative work they are specifically producing for brands. Aligning with this, LIONS Creators – the bespoke learning experience for the creator economy – will return to the Festival for a second year giving creators a place to come together to learn how to build their business in a sustainable and effective way.
Other changes to the Lions include the addition of a sub-category to celebrate long-term brand platforms. The sub-category will sit across multiple Lions and recognise brand platforms that show long-term effectiveness in building brand equity, fostering loyalty and delivering measurable business results through continuous, creative communication efforts.
Elsewhere at the Festival, a new initiative – Country Pavilions – launches to drive greater global representation of countries at Cannes Lions. 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.
Submit your proposals for the Cannes Lions Call for Content now through 31 December 2025. Anyone from anywhere can apply to speak on stage through our dedicated content portal. Visit here for more information.
Applications for the ERA pass are open now and close on 5 December 2025. More details can be found here.
Information on the Creator Pass is available here.
Passes for Cannes Lions 2025 are now available. Further details on the breadth of options available, including funded opportunities, can be found here.
Motivate Media Group and Motivate Val Morgan are the official representatives of Cannes Lions in the UAE.
