CANNES, FRANCE – While judging the Outdoor Lions at the 2025 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, Publicis Groupe Malaysia Chief Creative Officer Emir Shafri observed a powerful shift in how brands are using the medium.
This year’s standout work didn’t rely on spectacle alone — it found strength in simplicity, drawing from real, everyday human stories to craft bold, relatable narratives that resonate far beyond the billboard.
Read on for Emir’s reflections and the key trends shaping the future of outdoor creativity:
Unearthing the extraordinary in the ordinary
This year’s standout work moved beyond grandeur to find beauty in everyday human experiences, ultimately distilling complex human behaviours into simple yet compelling outdoor narratives.
KitKat’s Grand-Prix winning “Phone Break” and Heineken’s “Hidden Message” were commentaries on the spirit of the times. Other brands explored relatable tensions, like a runner’s love-hate relationship with running with Nike’s “Winning Isn’t Comfortable,” or that feeling of navigating a crowded bar with Stella Artois’ Claustrobars.
The best outdoor work helps brands build real connections with people
Beyond just aesthetics or tech gimmicks, the best work prioritized what good communication is supposed to do: help brands build genuine connections with people.
Burger King showcased the raw yet beautiful first postpartum meals. Others spoke deeply to specific communities and subcultures, be it tapping into music fans to celebrate Puerto Rican culture via “Tracking Bad Bunny” or putting a twist to English football fans’ iconic chant with ‘Til I Died for the British Heart Foundation.
We also saw some brands take daring approaches to connect, like Musée de l’Armée’s hijack of top Parisian museums’ most iconic artwork to promote their own collection to art lovers.
From one-size-fits-all to deeply personal
Moving beyond using outdoor as a one-size-fits-all broadcast medium, this year saw brands embracing the lived experiences of a specific community, even if it meant risking irrelevance with people outside the target.
Medalla Light ran an English campaign that only Puerto Ricans could understand in its “Found in Translation” campaign, while Coca-Cola delivered some “Balikbayan Magic” to Filipinos in Toronto. This personalised approach not only resonated deeply within these communities, but also demonstrated a willingness to champion cultural identities and values on a global stage — whether it’s France’s bold celebration of its values during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony, or Tecate cheekily championing the national identity of Mexicans with their “Gulf of Mexico Bar.”
About the Writer
As Publicis Groupe Malaysia’s CCO, Emir works with a talented bunch of misfits from Leo, Digitas, Prodigious and Publicis Media. The team was Malaysia’s top agency at Cannes Lions in 2024, alongside being named Malaysia’s creative agency of the year at Campaign Asia AOY, EFFIE Awards, Kancil Awards, plus Malaysia’s #1 agency at the Campaign Brief Creative Rankings 2023–2024.
What drives Emir is his love for the crazy, exciting ‘what ifs’ on the intersection of tech, creativity and humanity. Some of these ‘what ifs’ have earned recognition at shows including Cannes Lions (including nominations in Innovation and Titanium Lions and a Chimera Lion), SXSW Interactive Innovation Award, London International Awards, New York Festivals, EFFIES, WARC Global and APAC, ADC Tomorrow Awards, Spikes Asia, ADFEST, One Show and MAD STARS.
Emir currently co-chairs the 4As Malaysia Creative Council, and has judged at shows including NY Festivals, ADFEST, Spikes Asia, EFFIES, Dubai Lynx and MAD STARS. Emir also served as the Kancil Awards Jury Chairperson (2019–2022), where he worked with industry leaders to revamp Malaysia’s premier creative award show, including building the most diverse gender, expertise, and independent outfit jury representation in the show’s history.
