Cannes 2025: We bring home Spain's first Innovation Lion with ‘PainVisible’, a story of science, technology, and creativity
Creativity was celebrated last June at the 72nd Cannes Lions Festival. An edition marked by global diversity, technological innovation and, above all, the human factor.
"Cannes Lions made it clear that brands explore new ways to connect with people from the human. Humor shone again, especially in the Film category, reminding us that smile remains a universal tool for generating empathy and emotional connection. 'The last birthday' by Association Valentin Haüy and 'The best place in the world to have herpes' by New Zealand Herpes Foundation are clear examples."
Natxo Díaz, Global Head of Craft at VML Health.
In this context, VML THE COCKTAIL marked a milestone for Spanish creativity by becoming the first company in the country to be awarded with a Lion in the "Innovation" category, thanks to the work of the VML Health team.
The recognition came thanks to 'PainVisible', a campaign developed for Aritium that presents an innovative tool capable of objectively assessing pain, especially in non-verbal patients, using thermal imaging and artificial intelligence. The fusion between science, technology and creativity led us to win two Bronze Lions, in the "Innovation" and "Pharma" categories, reaffirming our commitment to projects that generate real impact on people’s lives.
'PainVisible' is the first medical tool that makes the pain of non-verbal patients visible and avoids the biases of traditional methods. It uses a small thermal camera that can be easily attached to doctors' smartphones, and an AI app to detect the thermal changes caused by pain on the body surface. This non-invasive technology detects these patterns and creates a thermal map that compares to studies of thousands of patients. In doing so, the AI model analyzes the data and provides accurate assessments of pain location and intensity.
This achievement not only celebrates an exceptional campaign, but represents the essence of VML THE COCKTAIL: a company that understands creativity as a force able to connect data, design, science, technology and purpose to solve complex problems with positive impact. 'PainVisible' is the reflection of who we are and what we believe: that creativity makes sense when it transforms.
"It also became clear that brands purpose is no longer supported by words alone: actions are expected. Cases such as AXA’s 'Three words' or Kimberly-Clark’s 'Drops of hope' demonstrated this, reinforcing trust through concrete actions. Innovation continues to soar, integrating technology, creativity and science, as in 'Caption with intention' by the Chicago Hearing Society or our 'PainVisible' campaign for Aritium. This intersection of emotion, commitment and progress seems to mark the way for the sector."
Natxo Díaz, Global Head of Craft at VML Health.
Six trends that will shape the future of creativity
After analyzing the most relevant ideas, conversations and campaigns of the Cannes Lions 2025 Festival, we extract the six key trends that are shaping the present and future of creativity, marketing and communication.
AI vs humanity
Amid the rise of artificial intelligence, it became clear that while these tools will transform and democratize the creative landscape, emotion and human courage will still bring the soul and magic of ideas.
"Humanity is not our limitation, it’s our superpower," said Esi Eggleston-Lacey, director of growth and marketing at Unilever.
Artificial intelligence was the protagonist in Cannes, but voices also emerged that demanded a critical look. Debbi Vandeven, general creative director of VML Global, put it clearly "I know everyone is talking about AI and it’s a big part of Cannes this year, and probably our whole world right now, but no matter what we do, we must remember that one person is at the center of what we’re creating". Looking ahead, this is fundamental to "being authentic," especially for brands. "All the tools that are around are awesome, but not at the expense of creativity".
Emotive storytelling
In a technology-saturated environment, human storytelling remains the most powerful thing. Whether from personal nostalgia or social causes, well-told emotion generates desire, connection and memory.
"The best marketing makes people feel, laugh, cry, wonder, or fall in love with a person, idea or brand. We all want to feel. And there is no technology or algorithm, or artificial intelligence that works in the world more capable of making us feel than the human mind," Tor Myhren, Apple’s global CMO.
Creator supremacy
Content creators are consolidating as new cultural voices and strategic allies for brands. Platforms like YouTube and TikTok are the new arena where authenticity rules, and audiences value genuine connections over perfection.
"In a world where half the people say they don’t like ads... we have to do better... let creativity guide us", Sofía Hernández, global marketing director at TikTok.
Fandoms shape culture
The growing power of creators is also reinforcing the relevance of fandoms to brands. The fan phenomenon has gone from being a niche consumer to a cultural engine with its own power.
"Fandom is no longer just about consumption. It’s a powerful force-driving culture," YouTube’s Neal Mohan
More brands are finding ways to connect with authentic communities and their "passion points," generating a stronger, longer-lasting bond.
Female frontiers
As women's rights face unprecedented rollbacks globally, Cannes Lions 2025 brought female empowerment back to the center of the stage, Showing the voices, investments and creative forces determined to make up for lost ground and break new boundaries for women and girls.
Creative inclusion
The conversation around inclusion moved from accessibility and provision to one that celebrated the unique and powerful benefits of elevating diverse creators. Neurodivergence, far from being an obstacle, is positioned as a creative advantage.
More than 50% of Generation Z is identified as neurodiverse. It is no longer a niche, this is "a critical business imperative at the moment," commented Yannick Bolloré, CEO of Havas. But in a world where "originality is the brand’s most valuable asset," there is value in taking advantage of different ways of thinking.
Cannes Lions 2025 sends a clear message: the future of creativity is more human, diverse and collaborative. Technology advances, but emotions remain the most powerful language to build meaningful brands.