.jpg)
India’s creative brilliance shone bright at the 72nd Cannes Lions with two prestigious Gold Lions, marking a moment of pride and purpose for the nation’s advertising industry.
FCB India claimed gold in the Outdoor category for its transformative "Lucky Yatra" campaign for Indian Railways. Tackling the long-standing issue of ticketless travel, the campaign ingeniously turned train tickets into daily lottery tickets, using the nation's love for luck to drive behavioural change. Through a seamless blend of on-ground and digital execution, "Lucky Yatra" made every valid ticket feel like a winning opportunity, redefining public service engagement.
"Winning at Cannes is always special — it means your work has cut through on the world's biggest creative stage. To bring home a Gold and Bronze for Lucky Yatra and a Silver for Too Yumm! is a proud moment for all of us at FCB India. What makes it even more meaningful is that these wins span businesses and categories — a true reflection of the creative momentum we’re building across the board. It’s not just about individual campaigns; it’s about a culture of creativity that encourages bold thinking and real impact. Congratulations to our teams and our incredible clients for making this possible," shares Dheeraj Sinha, Group CEO, FCB India and South Asia.
Havas India clinched the second Gold Lion in the Print & Publishing category for "Ink of Democracy," a powerful statement on civic participation. Created in partnership with The Times of India and the Election Commission, the campaign turned voter apathy into visual impact by printing entire newspapers in unused electoral ink. Each purple front page became a call to action, urging readers to value their vote and never waste the ink that symbolises democracy. With stunning symbolism and data-driven storytelling, the campaign made headlines that mattered.
Rana Barua, Group CEO, Havas India, South East Asia and North Asia said, “Winning a Cannes Lions for Ink of Democracy is a moment of immense pride, for the work, the people behind it, and what it stands for. At our core, we’ve always believed in the power of creativity. We truly believe it has the power to shape conversations and spark change. I’m incredibly proud of Anupama, Ravinder, Soham and our team that brought this idea to life. Also, a huge shoutout to Team TOI, Joji, and our global team for their belief in the idea and all the support. Here’s to a team that continues to raise the bar, pushing boundaries with integrity, heart, and fearless creativity.
Anupama Ramaswamy, Joint MD & Chief Creative Officer, Havas Creative India said, “From the moment we thought of Ink of Democracy, I knew in my gut this idea needed to be made and needed to be seen by the world. It wasn’t loud or flashy, but it had truth, purpose, and heart. One thing I held onto was patience. And a quiet tenacity to see it through, no matter how long it took. What makes this Cannes Lions win truly special is my young team that brought it to life — Soham, Ravinder, and Annie — who poured everything into it. They carried the idea with courage and craft, and I couldn’t be prouder.
A big thank you to Rana and the global team at Havas for believing in the work and helping us take it beyond borders. This is a shared win, and a reminder of what’s possible when we trust our instincts and support one another.”
Sagnik Ghosh, Head Creative Strategy, Innovations, Trade Marketing and Brand Solutions, The Times of India said, “We are extremely happy to partner with Havas for this extraordinary project. It was very difficult to execute and bring to life. The teams at The Times of India and at Havas were extremely diligent in getting everything together and make this happen. A Big congratulations to all those who worked on the Ink of Democracy project.”
Alongside the gold glory, India brought home four Silver Lions and three Bronze Lions across Outdoor, Health & Wellness, and Pharma categories. Work from agencies like Talented, FCB Kinnect, Lowe Lintas, Ogilvy, and Godrej Creative Lab showcased India's growing edge in crafting ideas that are not only creatively compelling but also socially and culturally resonant. Cannes Lions 2025 proved that Indian creativity isn’t just winning awards, it’s shaping conversations.
Metal Tally for Day 1 Across Categories
Day 1 – 2 GOLD, 4 SILVER, 3 BRONZE
OUTDOOR – 1 GOLD, 2 SILVER, 3 BRONZE
- LUCKY YATRA FOR INDIAN RAILWAYS BY FCB INDIA – GOLD
- NATURE SHAPES BRITANNIA FOR BRITANNIA INDUSTRIES LTD BY TALENTED – SILVER
- TOO YUMM TO CHEER! FOR TOO YUMM! BY FCB KINNECT – SILVER
- CHAI BANSURI - THE TEA FLUTE FOR UNILEVER BROOKE BOND TAJ MAHAL TEA BY OGILVY – BRONZE
- LUCKY YATRA FOR INDIAN RAILWAYS BY FCB INDIA – BRONZE
- VI GUARDIAN BEADS FOR VI (VODAFONE IDEA) BY OGILVY – BRONZE
AUDIO & RADIO – NO SHORTLISTS
HEALTH & WELLNESS – 1 SILVER
- NAGA SAINT EYE TEST FOR EYEBETES FOUNDATION BY GODREJ CREATIVE LAB – SILVER
PHARMA - 1 SILVER
- DAWAI READER FOR ALKEM LABORATORIES BY LOWE LINTAS – SILVER
PRINT & PUBLISHING – 1 GOLD
- INK OF DEMOCRACY FOR THE TIMES OF INDIA BY HAVAS INDIA – GOLD
.jpg)
