Purpose is no longer a category, it's a creative standard

Last year's Cannes Lions showcased a global creative event, where purpose wasn't a separate category but the baseline. Campaigns that stood out weren't just emotionally resonant; they drove policy change and called for behavioral shifts.

- JOSY PAUL, CHAIRMAN & CCO, BBDO INDIA AND JURY PRESIDENT AT CANNES LIONS 2025

Josy Paul, chairman & CCO, BBDO India and jury president at Cannes Lions 2025, spoke to Netika Srivastava about how empathy-led and intersectional narratives are shaping up advertising. Excerpts:

Jury president, what stood out to you about the global creative landscape in 2025?

The work that rose to the top wasn't just emotionally resonant; it was accountable. Some campaigns demonstrated real outcomes: policy change, behavioral shifts, tangible improvements in people's lives. That level of impact, backed by credible data, made a huge impression on the jury. There was a strong focus on SDGs (sustainable development goals); there was also a noticeable shift toward community-led storytelling.