Pick Us A Cannes Lions 2026 Winner (Part 1)

Cannes Lions is around the corner for yet another year, so let’s take a look at some of the work from UK agencies that will be facing the scrutiny of jurors.

AMV BBDO

DVLA: 'Clampy'

The funny and slightly strange character that is 'Clampy' is the first work that the agency had done with DVLA. The campaign highlights the disruptive reality of not properly paying vehicle tax.

Having a vehicle clamped is a significant consequence and the campaign aims to show how easy it is for people to tax their vehicle online and acts as a hopeful reminder.

Directed by Florence Poppy Deary through Biscuit, the campaign ran across social media including Meta and Reddit, YouTube and other online video platforms, out-of-home, and audio. The campaign premiered on audio and out-of-home on 26 January, followed by social and online video on 10 February.

Read more here.

Guinness: 'Good Things Are Coming'

The create awareness of the brands Open Gate Brewery opening at the end of last year in Convent Garden, a series of OOH campaigns spread across London showcasing stripped back and editorial designs with the iconic black and white colours.

The brewery offered a number of unique experiences including a guided tour with a tasting experience, restaurants, retail stores and a courtyard bar.

His Majesty The King made a welcoming visit in the month that it opened and had over half a million visitor in its first weekend, deepening engagement with new consumers and loyal Guinness fans.

Read more here.

Maltesers: 'Look On The Light Side'

Shining a humorous light on the everyday annoyances that women face, the film plays out these familiar scenes with a shared ‘if you know, you know’ smile.

Developed in line with Mars Snacking’s transformative vision for brand building, the campaign brings its long-standing Look On The Light Side platform to life through a seamlessly connected consumer journey across Paid, Earned, Shared and Owned. Running across cinema, TV, OOH and social, the new campaign forms part of a broader £10m investment in Maltesers across 2026.

Additionally, the milestone campaign is backed by Maltesers’ dedication to women, both creatively and practically through their partnership with Comic Relief. The campaign delivers a humorous moment of escapism while celebrating women who defy expectations and live unapologetically on their own terms.

Read more here.

Snickers: 'Animal Heads: You’re Not You When You’re Hungry'

This OOH series captures the unfiltered emotions when hunger strikes, showcasing the feeling that truly becomes out-of-character.

Read more here.

Edelman

Xbox: ‘Expected Jinx’

The video gaming brand created a new platform that tackles the superstitions fans face when gaming. The data-driven platform, called xJ, calculated whether supporters were secretly causing their teams to lose. By analysing fan-submitted match histories against real team performance data, Xbox turned football superstition into a participatory cultural experience, with thousands of fans calculating, debating and sharing their own “jinx score.”

The campaign generated more than 9,000 xJ calculations, 138 million impressions and a 15 per cent increase in unit sales, proving how data itself can become the creative idea.

Read more here.

Hellmann’s: Official Mayo of Sandwich

A moment in history was made in the small coastal town of Sandwich, Kent. The campaign was set out to recreate the original dish with some interesting fillings, believing that even an 18th-century style lunch can taste even better with Hellmann's mayonnaise.

After a ceremonial cutting of the sandwich in the town's Guildhall, The Crispin Inn became filled with residents of the coastal town to enjoy the recreation being served up for lunch along with a brass brand symphony. Each table was set out with Hellmann's napkins, menu, and of course an iconic bottle of mayo, for extra dipping. The pub sold out of the initial 150 promotional sandwiches, while selling another 60 that weekend.

With the guidance of historians and a chef-led recreation, the initiative created live, community-driven ceremony in the town.

Read more here.

Grey London

PETA: 'Christmassacre'

A dark, humorous tone is brought to this Christmas campaign film for PETA, highlighting the hidden violence against animals during the festive periods with streams of fake blood splattering across a typical family dinner. The films powerful message also encourages to try being vegan in the jolly season and to make more conscious choices.

The full campaign rolled out across cinema, social and OOH channels throughout the 2025 holiday season. The hero film appeared in UK cinemas and on global digital platforms, with Germany, the UK and the US as key social markets. OOH executions appeared nationwide in the UK, with guerilla style fly postings across London in particular.

The campaign invited viewers to pause and reflect on traditions that most people turn a blind eye to and how the food really ends up on the dinner table.

Read more here.