Ogilvy crowned Network of the Year as LePub Milan claims Agency of the Year at Cannes Lions
The final night of Cannes Lions 2026 saw the festival’s coveted Special Awards presented, with Ogilvy crowned Network of the Year for the third time in five years and LePub Milan named Agency of the Year after an outstanding week on the Croisette.
Ogilvy secured the Network of the Year title after 36 offices contributed to an impressive haul of 81 Lions, including three Grand Prix, 13 Gold, 22 Silver and 43 Bronze Lions, along with 137 shortlists.
Liz Taylor, Ogilvy’s Global Chief Creative Officer, said: “We come to Cannes with one goal in mind: to proudly take the stage each night with our clients and celebrate the power of creativity in every corner of the world. To affirm their belief in ideas to solve any problem, overcome any challenge, and drive the impact they aspire to create. I am incredibly proud of Ogilvy’s performance this week, but more than anything, I’m proud of how we continue to show up for and with the biggest and boldest brands. To shape culture, inspire communities, reimagine entire categories, and to chart the future that we’re all, always, stepping into.”
LePub Milan was named Agency of the Year after winning 26 Lions – two Grand Prix, eight Gold, seven Silver and nine Bronze – for campaigns including work for Heineken and Plenitude.
Across the festival, the LePub network collected 34 Lions spanning 12 categories for campaigns created by its Milan, São Paulo, Mexico City, New York and Singapore offices. The agency’s long-standing client Heineken was also recognised as Creative Brand of the Year, the first time the brewer has received the honour.
Bruno Bertelli, CEO and CCO of LePub Worldwide, said the award reflected years of building a creativity-led business alongside clients prepared to embrace ambitious ideas.
“Today is much more than a celebration of an award. It is the recognition of a journey built over years by people who chose to believe that creativity can become a true business model.
“This moment would not have been possible without Heineken and the extraordinary partnership we had built together. Since 2020, when the world suddenly changed, we stopped thinking in terms of briefs and started thinking in terms of possibilities. Together, we created a different way of working rooted in curiosity, cultural relevance, and the ambition to build ideas that move seamlessly between global vision and local truth.
“Seeing Heineken recognised as Creative Brand of the Year while LePub is named Agency of the Year makes this achievement even more meaningful because these victories belong together.”
SPECIAL AWARDS
Network of the Year:
1. Ogilvy
2. VML
3. TBWA Worldwide
Independent Network of the Year:
1. Rethink
2. Mother
3. Wieden+Kennedy
Agency of the Year:
1. LePub, Milan, Italy
2. VML, New York, United States
3. Rethink, Toronto, Canada
Independent Agency of the Year:
1. Rethink, Toronto, Canada
2. Isle of Any, New York, United States
3. Mother, London, United Kingdom
Palme d’Or:
1. MJZ, United States
2. Biscuit Filmworks, United Kingdom
3. CANADA, Spain
Creative Brand of the Year:
1. Heineken
2. KitKat
3. IKEA
Agency of the Year by Track
Classic: Rethink, Toronto, Canada
Craft: TBWA\Media Arts Lab, Los Angeles, United States
Engagement: LePub, Milan, Italy
Entertainment: DAVID, New York, United States
Experience: VML, Warsaw, Poland
Good: Motion Sickness, Auckland, New Zealand
Health: Fallon, Minneapolis, United States
Strategy: Publicis Conseil, Paris, France
Independent Agency of the Year by Track
Classic: Rethink, Toronto, Canada
Craft: Isle of Any, New York, United States
Engagement: Special, Los Angeles, United States
Entertainment: Wieden+Kennedy, Mexico City, Mexico
Experience: WESAYHI, Sliema, Malta
Good: Motion Sickness, Auckland, New Zealand
Health: Klick Health, Toronto, Canada
Strategy: Rethink, Toronto, Canada
In-house Agency of the Year
Apple, Cupertino, United States
Google Creative Lab, Mountain View, United States
L’Oréal, New York, United States