The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity has announced that Brazil will be honored as the inaugural recipient of the newly established Creative Country of the Year award. The annual accolade recognizes a country’s sustained contribution to creativity as a driver of progress and growth.
In recognition of this honor, the 2025 Cannes Lions Festival will feature a series of Brazil-focused initiatives, including creative showcases, stage talks, celebratory events, and activations across the city. FilmBrazil will return to host a networking event that unites the Brazilian and global creative communities.
The Creative Country of the Year award for Brazil is supported by Estadão, which celebrates its 150th anniversary this year and has served as the official Cannes Lions representative in Brazil for nearly 25 years.
“The Creative Country of the Year will honour countries that have demonstrated consistent success at the Festival,” said Simon Cook, CEO, LIONS.”As a global community of over 90 countries, we aim to recognise those who have shown an ongoing commitment to creativity as an economic growth driver, offering borderless inspiration through their creative leadership.We thank Estadão for their impact, passion and dedication that has been felt throughout the industry and the Festival over nearly 25 years. Together, we celebrate Brazil’s impressive record of Lion wins and its consistent performance at Cannes Lions, which is reflective of a nation that has creativity ingrained in its culture.”
According to WARC data, Brazil’s advertising spend is projected to grow by 7.9% to BRL 93 billion in 2025. The Ministry of Culture’s “Brasil Criativo” guidelines further underscore the country’s strategic investment in its creative economy.
“Creativity is a fundamental force for innovation and transformation, essential for finding solutions, inspiring change, and building a more just and sustainable future. It stems from our ability to think beyond boundaries and reinvent realities,” said Marilia Marton, Secretary of Culture, Creative Economy, and Industry for the State of São Paulo.
“As Washington Olivetto, a prominent figure in Brazilian advertising who has won over 50 Lions in his career, once said: ‘There is no creativity without passion.’In Brazil, this passion is even more powerful, reflecting our cultural diversity and the unique way we face challenges. The country, with its ability to turn adversity into opportunity, has become fertile ground for bold and impactful ideas that not only shape our identity but also influence the world.”
“The Creative Country of the Year honours Brazil’s exceptional track record at Cannes Lions, and its ability to spark inspiration that resonates worldwide,” said Thea Skelton, VP Festivals, LIONS.”As part of our ongoing commitment to bring fresh voices to the global creative conversation, Brazilian delegates will have the opportunity to gift one complimentary Festival pass to a Brazilian-based colleague who has never attended the Festival before – allowing new talent to experience the inspiration and long-lasting impact of Cannes Lions for the first time.”
Brazil won its first Lions at the 1971 Festival, with two Bronze Lions in Cinema and a Silver Lion in Television. In 1975, it earned its first Gold Lions, and in 1993, its first Grand Prix for the “Guarana Diet Campaign” by Dm9 Publicidade. To date, Brazil has collected 1,911 Lions, including 20 Grands Prix.
