Cannes Lions has announced its winners across the Entertainment and Craft Track Lions, and Chicago’s presence continues to grow. The biggest local headline from the latest winners is TBWA\Chiat\Day Chicago, which won a Silver Lion in Entertainment Lions for Gaming for “Gaming Flute” for Skittles.
The winning work is listed as produced by Sawhorse Productions in Los Angeles, with post-production by Hung Studios Chicago and Omnicom Studios Chicago. Starcom Chicago and Weber Shandwick Chicago also appear in the related credits.
The gaming win adds to Chicago’s Cannes footprint after BBDO Chicago appeared in the Entertainment Lions winners list alongside McCann New York and Local Produce San Francisco for “For Papa!” for Instacart, which won a Bronze Lion.
Chicago also appears in the credits for McDonald’s “A Minecraft Movie Meal,” another Bronze Lion winner, with Boxer Brand Design Chicago, McDonald’s Chicago, and TMS Pictures Chicago listed among additional contributors.
So far, Chicago-connected winners in the Entertainment and Craft track include:
Silver Lion, Entertainment Lions for Gaming
“Gaming Flute” for Skittles
TBWA\Chiat\Day Chicago
Additional Chicago credits include Hung Studios Chicago, Omnicom Studios Chicago, Starcom Chicago, and Weber Shandwick Chicago.
Bronze Lion, Entertainment Lions
“For Papa!” for Instacart
McCann New York / BBDO Chicago / Local Produce San Francisco
Bronze Lion, Entertainment Lions
“A Minecraft Movie Meal” for McDonald’s
Additional Chicago credits include Boxer Brand Design Chicago, McDonald’s Chicago and TMS Pictures Chicago.
The Chicago wins, and credits come as the 73rd Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity continues its second major awards show, honoring winners across Entertainment Lions, Entertainment Lions for Gaming, Entertainment Lions for Music, Entertainment Lions for Sport, Design, Digital Craft, Film Craft, and Industry Craft.
The biggest headline of the day belonged to adidas and Johannes Leonardo, New York. “Original Forever,” created for adidas by Johannes Leonardo and adidas, London, won two Grand Prix, taking the top prize in both Entertainment Lions and Entertainment Lions for Music.
The campaign drew on adidas’ cultural legacy with Oasis, partnering with the band to create official tour merchandise and cultural moments that deepened fandom for the brand and the reunion. The work stood out in a year when Cannes jurors repeatedly pointed to fandom, craft, culture, and community as key drivers of brand relevance.
“Our Jurors have set the creative benchmark with this year’s Entertainment and Craft Lion winners,” said Simon Cook, CEO of LIONS. “This body of work spotlights how craft is transforming brands and consumer experience and how the power of fandom is building brand relevance and driving business growth.”
In Entertainment Lions, which celebrates creativity that turns branded content into culture, 656 entries produced 20 Lions: 3 Gold, 6 Silver, and 10 Bronze. The Grand Prix went to “Original Forever.”
Entertainment Lions Jury President Chris Beresford-Hill, worldwide chief creative officer at BBDO Worldwide, added the adidas work rose above the field because it understood the cultural moment. “At a time when so many brands are trying to manufacture relevance, this was a reminder that the most powerful thing a brand can do is show up in the right moment, for the right community, with something worth caring about,” he said.
In Entertainment Lions for Gaming, the Grand Prix went to “Copycats Welcome” for Clash Royale, by David, New York. But for Chicago, the category’s key local story is Skittles’ “Gaming Flute,” which earned TBWA\Chiat\Day Chicago a Silver Lion. The recognition places a Chicago agency directly in one of Cannes’ most future-facing entertainment categories, where brands are being judged on how they connect with audiences through gameplay, participation, and gaming culture.
In the Entertainment Lions for Music category, Cannes awarded two Grands Prix. Alongside adidas’ “Original Forever,” the top honor also went to “Rosalía ft. Björk, Yves Tumor, Berghain,” for Rosalía, by CANADA, Barcelona, and Rosalia, Barcelona.
Matt Murphy, global chief creative officer at 72andSunny and Entertainment Lions for Music Jury President, said the category rewarded music that drives storytelling and cultural commitment. “This Award is about music driving the storytelling experience, where the brand endorses the artist, as much as the artist endorses the brand,” Murphy said. “Ultimately, it came down to commitment. Going all in on an idea.”
The Entertainment Lions for Sport Grand Prix went to “The Thousand Sponsors of Muni,” for Club Deportivo Municipal, by McCann, Lima. The campaign turned football supporters into sponsors, creating a sponsorship platform built around fan loyalty and community ownership at a moment when the club was in crisis.
In Design, the Grand Prix went to “Apple TV Rebrand,” for Apple, by TBWA\Media Arts Lab, Los Angeles, and Apple, Cupertino. The Jury honored the rebrand for its cinematic craft and brand system, positioning the identity as a visual expression of the content it represents. No Chicago agencies appear among the Design winners reviewed.
In Digital Craft, Google won the Grand Prix for “Project Genie,” from Google, Mountain View. The work applies the Genie 3 model through a functional consumer interface, bridging frontier AI research and creative application.
The Film Craft Grand Prix went to “Your Way Out,” for Coinbase, by Isle of Any, New York. The film uses video game aesthetics and original craft to challenge perceptions of the modern financial system.
In Industry Craft, the Grand Prix was awarded to “Tiny Coffee Shops” for De’Longhi, by LOLA, Madrid. The brand transformed five iconic coffee machines into handcrafted miniature cafés, using meticulous craft to shift perceptions around coffee at home.
Across the Entertainment and Craft winners, Cannes Lions 2026 continued to reward work built around participation, fandom, community, and craft.
For Chicago, the takeaway is stronger than before: TBWA\Chiat\Day Chicago has a Silver Lion in Gaming, BBDO Chicago is attached to a Bronze Lion for Instacart, and several local McDonald ’s-related partners appear in the Bronze-winning “A Minecraft Movie Meal.”
As Cannes Week continues, Chicago’s creative community now has multiple Entertainment and Craft track wins and credits on the board.
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