The Cannes Lions logo, representing the international festival of creativity in advertising and marketing, depicts a lion with a flowing mane and an outstretched front paw. In the horizontal version, a thin vertical line separates the symbol from the festival name, set in large capital letters. Light gaps between the lines preserve the details of the mane and face in the dark version. The lion connects the identity to the festival's awards: the trophy was inspired by the winged lion in St Mark's Square in Venice, where the first competition took place. The name combines the city of Cannes with lions, which is also the name given to the festival's awards. The logo can appear in black or white, depending on the background.
The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity takes place in Cannes, France, bringing together professionals in advertising, marketing, design and communications. Its history began in 1954 with the International Advertising Film Festival, established by the cinema advertising industry association SAWA. The first competition was held in Venice, and Cannes became its permanent home in 1984. Since then, the programme has expanded far beyond cinema advertising: today's juries assess creative ideas and campaigns across different media, as well as work in design, technology and communications effectiveness. Alongside the awards, the festival hosts talks, discussions and educational sessions for the creative industries.
