DDB Worldwide Secures Back-to-Back Cannes Lions Network of the Year Title in 2025

Omnicom’s DDB Network Soars to New Heights, Clinches Cannes Lions Network of the Year Title for Second Time, Under New Leadership

CANNES, France, June 20, 2025 – In a stunning display of creative prowess, DDB Worldwide, a key part of the Omnicom portfolio, has once again been crowned Network of the Year at the 2025 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. This marks a historic second win for the network in just three years, following its breakthrough victory in 2023. Showcasing a year of unprecedented achievement, DDB surpassed its previous award haul, collecting a remarkable 112 Lions and solidifying its position at the forefront of the global creative scene.

DDB’s continued ascent comes just one year after the leadership of Global CEO Alex Lubar and President & Global Chief Creative Officer, Chaka Sobhani. The dynamic duo has charted a course into a new era for the network, defined by deeper integration, emotionally driven creative strategies, and a laser-focused commitment to work that creates both cultural resonance and tangible business impact.

Chaka Sobhani expressed her enthusiasm: “Words fail me. This is an incredible moment for us. I couldn’t be prouder of our DDB network and the passion, dedication, and love that has gone into achieving this. Immense gratitude to our outstanding clients for their trust and partnership – we couldn’t celebrate this without you, and I hope we’ve consistently made you proud. We’re hopefully seeing the start of even more successes for DDB – and on a personal note, this past year has been absolutely amazing!”

“2023 was a watershed year for DDB, but we viewed it as the beginning,” noted Alex Lubar. “The momentum we’re seeing now is the culmination of a global network united by a core belief: creativity is the most potent force in commerce. I’m immensely proud of our exceptional teams and our client partners for their collective efforts.”

Key Highlights from the 2025 Cannes Lions:

Regional Network of the Year – Latin America
Regional Network of the Year – Pacific
Classic Track Agency of the Year – Africa Creative DDB
Good Track Agency of the Year – Africa Creative DDB
Experience Track Agency of the Year – DM9
Africa Creative DDB ranked No. 1 agency in Brazil, and No. 2 Agency of the Year
DDB secured four Grands Prix across various brands for the first time since 2016, including:
- Audio & Radio: “One Second Ads” (Budweiser, Africa Creative DDB)
- Music: “Tracking Bad Bunny” (Rimas Entertainment, DDB Latina Puerto Rico)
- Creative Data: “Efficient Way to Pay” (Consul, DM9)
- Sustainable Development Goals: “The Amazon Greenventory” (Natura, Africa Creative DDB)
A total of 20 Gold Lions
37 Silver Lions in total
51 Bronze Lions in total
320 shortlists in total
First Gold Cannes Lion in Finland for Nordea, Parental Leave Mortgage
First Grand Prix for DDB Latina Puerto Rico, and Puerto Rico’s second in history
First Gold for DDB Warsaw for McDonald’s Winter Takes on Color in Brand Experience & Activation
Record-breaking achievements for DDB Latina, with 78 trophies, surpassing the previous mark of 44
Most awarded network in Brand Experience & Activation with 20 trophies
The network with the most awards on behalf of McDonald’s

Fueling this creative resurgence is the DDB Global Creative Council, “Bullseye,” spearheaded by Global Chief Creative Operations Officer, Susie Walker, which continues to push the creative envelope across regions. This year, the program expanded to include emerging creative talent, who meaningfully contributed to DDB’s award-winning work.

DDB’s success has also been driven by the rising influence of its most innovative agencies, including DDB Paris, Africa Creative DDB, alma, DM9, and NORD DDB. The daring, culturally resonant work of these agencies continues to elevate global creative standards.

As creativity evolves into an even more critical business differentiator, DDB’s triumphant performance at Cannes underscores its belief that powerful storytelling has the ability to move both people and markets. The winning campaigns this year have not only garnered prestigious awards but have also delivered demonstrable growth for the network’s clients, across a diverse range of sectors.

ABOUT DDB WORLDWIDE

DDB (www.ddb.com) is The Emotional Advantage Agency.

The firm emphasizes that, driven by the belief that, “When people feel, they act—and when they act, brands grow”. This is known as the emotional advantage. This advantage is harnessed to deliver intimacy at scale, unlock brand growth, and craft ideas that move people, businesses, and culture forward.

As a leading advertising and marketing network worldwide, DDB combines creative excellence with strategic effectiveness to achieve measurable outcomes. Present across 60+ countries with 140 offices, it partners with iconic brands such as MARS, McDonald’s, Molson Coors, Volkswagen, Amazon, Unilever, JetBlue, Adidas, PlayStation, and the U.S. Army.

Its impact is documented in the fact that they were named the #1 Most Awarded Agency Network in the 2024 Effie Global Best of the Best, as well as Global Network of the Year by Cannes Lions (2023 and 2025), and D&AD Network of the Year for three consecutive years (2021–2023). Additionally, it has secured a Top 3 Global Network ranking on WARC for 13 of the last 16 years.

Founded in 1949, DDB is a part of Omnicom (NYSE: OMC).

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