The Cannes Lions Festival has named 62 finalists for the Entertainment Lions 2026 shortlist. The list covers 21 subcategories and was released on 21 June 2026, ahead of the winners ceremony in France.
The Entertainment Lions celebrate brands that create content people choose to watch. The category rewards work that competes with real entertainment for people’s attention. That means films, TV shows, music, live events, and online video. The award was created to push brands to think more like content creators.
Chris Beresford-Hill, Worldwide Chief Creative Officer at BBDO Worldwide, is the 2026 Jury President. He led the jury that selected 62 entries from hundreds of global submissions. The work spans fiction film, non-fiction film, brand integration, live entertainment, new realities, and more.
Apple placed six campaigns on the 2026 shortlist. Three of them are ‘A Critter Carol’, ‘Big Man, Shot on iPhone’, and ‘CNY Glad I Met You’. The other three are ‘F1 Haptic Trailer’, ‘Bad Bunny Halftime Show Campaign’, and ‘I’m Not Remarkable’. The brand appears across fiction film, non-fiction, promotional content, partnerships, diversity, and social behaviour. Apple’s entries show how the brand uses storytelling and technology as parts of its broader creative identity.
Heineken’s ‘The Pub That Refused to Die’ made the shortlist in both Non-Fiction Film and Cultural Engagement. The campaign tells the story of a community fighting to keep a local pub open. Coca-Cola’s ‘The Last Coke in the Desert’ also made the non-fiction section. McDonald’s ‘A Minecraft Movie Meal’ made Brand Integration, tied to the Minecraft film released in 2026.
The shortlist covers a wide mix of creative formats. Key entries across the main subcategories include:
- Fiction Film up to 5 minutes: ‘Unloved’ by Intermarché and ‘Look Behind You’ by Verizon
- Non-Fiction Film up to 5 minutes: ‘Art’s Missing Period’ by Kotex and ‘Goodbye RX-7’ by Mazda
- Brand Integration: ‘Tiffany & Co. x Netflix’s Frankenstein’ and ‘Expensify x F1’
- Live Entertainment: ‘Expensive Sh*t’ by Huggies and ‘Live Más Live’ by Taco Bell
- New Realities and Emerging Tech: ‘The Wizard of Oz at Sphere’ by Sphere Studios
- Humour: ‘For Papa!’ by Instacart and ‘Melisa’ by E.L.F. Cosmetics
South Africa is among the 23 countries with work on the Entertainment Lions 2026 shortlist. Other represented countries include the United States, United Kingdom, Mexico, Brazil, France, Japan, Australia, and Germany. The global mix shows that branded entertainment has become a worldwide creative discipline.
Several campaigns competed across more than one subcategory. ‘The Wizard of Oz at Sphere’ earned a place in New Realities and Innovation in Branded Content. Tiffany & Co. partnered with Netflix to enter ‘Frankenstein’ work in Brand Integration and Partnerships with Talent. Lay’s ‘The Most Epic Watch Party Group’ appeared in both Partnerships with Talent and Audience Engagement. Campaigns that appear across multiple subcategories show how strong the underlying idea is.
Entertainment Lions winners will be named at the Cannes Lions Festival in France in June 2026. Gold, Silver, and Bronze Lions will be awarded across the 21 subcategories. A Grand Prix will go to the strongest single entry from the 62-strong shortlist.
The Entertainment Lions 2026 shortlist features 62 entries from 23 countries. Work comes from the United States, United Kingdom, Mexico, South Africa, Brazil, Australia, Japan, and Germany, across 21 subcategories of creative entertainment.
Mia Carter is Mzansi Online’s entertainment correspondent covering South Africa’s vibrant cultural scene. From the rise of amapiano and Afrobeats to local film, television and celebrity news, Mia keeps readers in the loop on what’s trending. She covers SAMA Awards, SA Fashion Week and the stories behind the country’s biggest artists, actors and influencers. Mia is passionate about celebrating the creativity and talent that makes South Africa’s entertainment industry one of Africa’s most exciting.