Event revenue generated by the Cannes Lions Festival 2019-2023

In 2023, Ascential plc's Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity generated nearly 102 million British pounds in revenue, up almost 140 percent from less than 43 million pounds a year earlier. In 2020 and 2021, when the event took place online as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the annual figure barely surpassed five million pounds.

The Cannes Lions top three

Initially established in the 1950s as the International Advertising Festival, the event took place in Monte Carlo, Monaco, Venice, Italy, and Cannes, France – the latter only became its host city three decades later, solidifying the current name. In 2023, the United States was, by far, the recipient of the highest number of awards at the Cannes Lions, with more than 230 trophies. The United Kingdom and Brazil rounded the top three with 82 and 78 awards, respectively.

Does the Cannes Lions have a paywall?

The company that would become Ascential bought the festival in 2004. More than distributing awards to what the market considers the best and most innovative in advertising, marketing, and public relations (PR), the event is critical for networking as the biggest in that industry. However, the costs to participate in the ceremony go beyond flight tickets and stays at hotels across the French Riviera. 2024 Cannes Lions' entry fees oscillated between 650 and 2.68 thousand euros, depending on the category and the date of the application.