While one of the newer additions to the Cannes Lions awards program, the Creative Data Lions has quickly become a showcase for ideas where data fuels creativity rather than simply measuring it. Since its introduction in 2015, the category has honored campaigns that turn information into innovation, business growth, and real-world impact.
Taking home this year’s Grand Prix was “SOS POS” for BCP (Banco de Crédito del Perú), created by Circus Grey Lima. The campaign repurposed everyday payment terminals into emergency protection points by using complaint and location data, transforming a routine banking touchpoint into a potentially life-saving service.
Creative Data Lions 2026 Jury President Anupriya Acharya said the winning work stood out for its elegant simplicity and inventive application of data.
“The Grand Prix winner stood apart for the beautiful simplicity of its idea and the imaginative use of data – data used to protect data! It turned an everyday payment terminal into a lifeline at a moment of real vulnerability. It solved a human problem, strengthened trust in a difficult-to-differentiate banking category, and showed how Creative Data can drive business impact while scaling meaningful protection for people and society.”
Acharya also identified three clear themes that emerged across this year’s Creative Data winners, reflecting how brands are increasingly using data not simply as an analytical tool, but as a creative medium.
The first trend was the ambitious use of sophisticated datasets to solve real-world problems. Among the standout examples were Haven by Leo Australia for Suncorp Insurance, which transformed climate, property and hazard data into personalized home resilience plans; Fantasy Herd by McCann New Zealand, which turned live farm data into entertainment for dairy consumers; The Philipstown WireCar Grand Prix, which used mapping and race data to bring a local South African children’s tradition to a global audience; and 600K Network by Rainbow Lobster for Comando Con Venezuela, which converted QR codes and smartphones into a real-time, verifiable election monitoring network.
The second trend highlighted work where relatively simple datasets were elevated through creative thinking. Alongside SOS POS, Acharya pointed to Škoda’s DuoBell, which used acoustic data to address a road safety issue. The projects demonstrated that award-winning Creative Data isn’t defined by the volume or complexity of information, but by the ingenuity behind its application.
The third trend focused on making hidden issues visible through data and building systems that create lasting change. Here to Stay for Mastercard transformed migrant underemployment data into career opportunities, Forests Without Names for Hyundai created a shared environmental mapping standard using fragmented kelp data, while Dying Reviews for Hospice New Zealand revealed the needs of end-of-life care through public review platforms. Rather than merely highlighting problems, these campaigns created practical pathways toward action.
This year’s Creative Data Lions underscored a continuing evolution in data-led creativity. The strongest work demonstrated that the most impactful ideas are not necessarily powered by the largest datasets, but by creative thinking that turns information into solutions with tangible value.
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