DDB Worldwide Named Cannes Lions 2025 Network of the Year for the Second Time in Two Years

Rhea-AI Summary

DDB Worldwide, an Omnicom agency, has secured the Cannes Lions Network of the Year title for 2025, marking their second win in two years. Under the new leadership of Global CEO Alex Lubar and CCO Chaka Sobhani, DDB achieved a record-breaking 112 Lions, including 4 Grand Prix, 20 Gold, 37 Silver, and 51 Bronze Lions across various categories. Notable achievements include Regional Network of the Year titles in Latin America and Pacific, multiple Agency of the Year awards for Africa Creative DDB, and groundbreaking wins across different regions. The network's success spans multiple brands and categories, with significant victories for clients like Budweiser, McDonald's, and Natura. DDB's creative excellence has been driven by their Global Creative Council, Bullseye, and standout performances from agencies including DDB Paris, Africa Creative DDB, alma, DM9, and NORD DDB.

Positive

• Second consecutive Cannes Lions Network of the Year title demonstrates consistent creative excellence
• Record-breaking performance with 112 Lions, showing strong growth from 2023
• First-time achievements in multiple regions including Finland and Puerto Rico indicate expanding global influence
• Strong performance across multiple major clients including McDonald's, Budweiser, and Natura shows diverse portfolio success

Negative

• None.

Omnicom Network Achieves Record Number of Wins in 76-Year History Under Recently Appointed Global Leadership

CANNES, France, June 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- DDB Worldwide, part of Omnicom, has once again claimed the prestigious title of Network of the Year at the 2025 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. This marks the second time the network has secured the honor, following its historic first win in 2023. In a record-breaking year, DDB surpassed its 2023 award tally with a total of 112 Lions, further cementing its place at the forefront of the global creative industry.

DDB's continued rise comes just one year into the leadership of Global CEO Alex Lubar and President & Global Chief Creative Officer, Chaka Sobhani. Since taking the reins, the duo has steered the network into a new era; one defined by tighter integration, emotionally-led creativity, and a sharpened focus on work that delivers both cultural impact and real business results.

Chaka Sobhani commented: "I literally don't have the words. This means the absolute world to us. I couldn't be prouder of our DDB network and the passion, commitment, and love that has gone behind us getting here. A huge thank you also to our amazing clients for their trust and partnership - we wouldn't be here without you and I hope we've made you proud. Hopefully, this is the start of much more to come from DDB - and on a personal note, I can only say it's been the most incredible first year!"

"2023 was a landmark year for DDB, but we saw it as the beginning," said Alex Lubar. "The momentum you're seeing now is the result of a global network aligned around a simple belief: creativity is the most powerful force in business. I'm incredibly proud of our exceptional teams and client partners on this collective effort."

2025 Cannes Lions highlights:

• 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 is the 1st ranked agency in Brazil, 2nd in Agency of the Year
• The first time DDB won four Grands Prix across different brands 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)
• 20 total Gold Lions
• 37 total Silver Lions
• 51 total Bronze Lions
• 320 total shortlists
• 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
• Most Lions and Grands Prix won by DDB Latina ever, with 78 trophies vs their previous record of 44
• Most awarded network in Brand Experience & Activation with 20 trophies
• Most awards on behalf of McDonald's than any other agency network

This creative surge has been powered by the DDB Global Creative Council, Bullseye, which is led by Global Chief Creative Operations Officer, Susie Walker, and continues to push boundaries across regions. This year, the program has been expanded to include rising creative talent, who have actively shaped DDB's award-winning creative work.

DDB's rise has also been fueled by the growing influence of some of its most dynamic agencies, including DDB Paris, Africa Creative DDB, alma, DM9, and NORD DDB, whose bold, culturally resonant work continues to redefine the standard of global creative excellence.

As creativity becomes an increasingly vital business differentiator, DDB's Cannes success proves its belief that emotional storytelling not only moves people, it moves markets. This year's winning campaigns have not only earned accolades but delivered measurable growth for clients across categories.

ABOUT DDB WORLDWIDE

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

We believe when people feel, they act—and when they act, brands grow. That's the emotional advantage. We use it to deliver intimacy at scale, unlock brand growth, and craft ideas that move people, business, and culture forward.

As one of the world's leading advertising and marketing networks, DDB blends creative excellence with strategic effectiveness to drive measurable results. With 140 offices in 60+ countries, we partner with iconic brands like MARS, McDonald's, Molson Coors, Volkswagen, Amazon, Unilever, JetBlue, Adidas, PlayStation, and the U.S. Army.

Our impact is proven: we were named the #1 Most Awarded Agency Network in the 2024 Effie Global Best of the Best, Global Network of the Year by Cannes Lions (2023 and 2025), and D&AD Network of the Year for three consecutive years (2021–2023). We've also ranked as a Top 3 Global Network on WARC for 13 of the last 16 years.

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

Media Contact
Press@ddb.com

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SOURCE DDB Worldwide

FAQ

What awards did DDB Worldwide win at Cannes Lions 2025?

DDB Worldwide won Network of the Year with 112 Lions total, including 4 Grand Prix, 20 Gold, 37 Silver, and 51 Bronze Lions, plus Regional Network of the Year in Latin America and Pacific.

How many Lions did DDB Worldwide (OMC) win in 2025 compared to previous years?

DDB Worldwide won 112 Lions in 2025, surpassing their 2023 total when they first won Network of the Year. DDB Latina alone won 78 trophies, compared to their previous record of 44.

Who are the current leaders of DDB Worldwide?

DDB Worldwide is led by Global CEO Alex Lubar and President & Global Chief Creative Officer Chaka Sobhani, who took leadership positions approximately one year ago.

Which brands contributed to DDB's Cannes Lions 2025 success?

Key winning brands included Budweiser with 'One Second Ads', Rimas Entertainment, Consul, Natura with 'The Amazon Greenventory', Nordea, and McDonald's.

What were DDB's Grand Prix winners at Cannes 2025?

DDB won four Grand Prix: Audio & Radio for Budweiser's 'One Second Ads', Music for 'Tracking Bad Bunny', Creative Data for Consul's 'Efficient Way to Pay', and Sustainable Development Goals for Natura's 'The Amazon Greenventory'.