France
Cannes Lions to Honour Susan Credle with Prestigious Lion of St Mark Award: The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity has announced that it will honour Susan Credle with its highest lifetime achievement recognition, the Lion of St Mark, celebrating a career that has shaped the global advertising industry for over four decades.
The award recognises Credle’s extraordinary journey, which began with an internship at BBDO New York and evolved into a distinguished leadership role across some of the world’s most influential creative networks.
A Trailblazer in Global Advertising
Announcing the honour, Simon Cook, CEO of LIONS, described Credle as “a trailblazer and a creative force,” highlighting her ability to build environments where creativity thrives while consistently delivering iconic campaigns.
Throughout her career, Credle has served on Cannes Lions juries eight times, including three terms as Jury President. Her influence has extended beyond award-winning work to mentoring generations of creative professionals and advocating for diversity and inclusion within the industry.
Iconic Campaigns and Creative Legacy
Credle’s portfolio includes some of the most memorable campaigns in modern advertising. In 1996, alongside art director Steve Rutter, she helped launch the now-famous M&M’s character franchise, a campaign that became a cultural phenomenon.
She has also played a pivotal role in shaping campaigns such as Allstate’s “Mayhem,” Secret Deodorant’s “Mean Stinks” anti-bullying initiative, and McDonald’s Happy Meal literacy programs.
Her work spans leadership roles at three of the industry’s most storied agencies—BBDO, Leo Burnett, and FCB—where she not only delivered award-winning campaigns but also helped define creative standards and culture.
Driving Creative Excellence
During her tenure as Global Chief Creative Officer at FCB, the network achieved significant milestones, including being named Cannes Lions North America Agency of the Year for six consecutive years and securing the Global Network of the Year title in 2020/21. In 2023, FCB was also ranked the world’s top creative agency for effectiveness in the WARC Effective 100.
Reflecting on her journey, Credle recalled an early inspiration from a Cannes Lions Grand Prix-winning Pepsi campaign, noting how it shaped her belief in ideas that go beyond immediate success to create lasting impact.
Celebration at Cannes
Credle will receive the Lion of St Mark at this year’s festival, scheduled from 22 to 26 June in Cannes. She will also headline the Lion of St Mark seminar on June 22, where she is expected to share insights from her illustrious career.
The recognition underscores Cannes Lions’ continued commitment to celebrating creative leaders whose work not only drives business success but also contributes to cultural and societal progress.
