MILAN, JUNE 26, 2026 – On the final day of the 73rd edition of the Cannes Lions Festival, the Agency of the Year title caps an outstanding week for LePub Milan, who also reached a historic milestone, winning two Grand Prix for the first time in its history, awarded to work that sets the benchmark for innovation, craft, cultural relevance, and effectiveness within its category.
Heineken® is honored with the Creative Brand of the Year accolade for the first time in its history, powered by a body of work led by Could Have Been a Heineken and The Pub That Refused to Die projects. Could Have Been a Heineken (LePub Milan & LePub São Paulo), secured the Grand Prix in Social & Creator by transforming a contemporary social behavior into an authentic expression of the brand’s values of connection and sociability; and The Pub That Refused to Die (LePub Milan & Publicis Dublin), which revived a historic Irish pub and transformed it into a powerful symbol of resilience and community, earned the Grand Prix in Creative Strategy.
Together, these two projects also earned 12 additional metals across 10 categories. Could Have Been a Heineken achieved 5 Gold (Media, Direct, Brand Experience & Activation, Outdoor), 2 Silver (Direct, Audio & Radio), and 1 Bronze (Brand Experience & Activation). The Pub That Refused to Die added 4 Bronze (PR, Direct, Entertainment, Creative B2B).
Reflecting on the achievement and thanking LePub’s clients and teams for their trust and collaboration, Bruno Bertelli, CEO and CCO of LePub Worldwide, said: “Today is much more than a celebration of an award. It is the recognition of a journey built over years by people who chose to believe that creativity can become a true business model. This moment would not have been possible without Heineken and the extraordinary partnership we had built together. Bram Westenbrink and his team gave us something every creative agency hopes for: trust. They opened the brand to us, encouraged us to challenge conventions, and shared our belief that the best ideas are born when clients and agencies are willing to take risks together. Since 2020, when the world suddenly changed, we stopped thinking in terms of briefs and started thinking in terms of possibilities. Together, we created a different way of working – one rooted in
curiosity, cultural relevance, and the ambition to build ideas that move seamlessly between global vision and local truth. Ideas that don’t interrupt culture but become part of it. Seeing Heineken® recognized as Creative Brand of the Year while LePub is named Agency of the Year makes this achievement even more meaningful because these victories belong together. They are proof that the strongest creative work is never built alone.
Other Heineken campaigns contributing to this success include Tocayos (LePub Milan), which transforms a shared identity into a network that helps independent bars thrive while preserving their role at the heart of local communities, Rooftop Revival (LePub Singapore & LePub Milan), an initiative that transforms urban rooftops into new spaces for social interaction, and Dark Mode Ads (LePub Milan for Plenitude), which brings sustainability into digital advertising by leveraging dark mode to reduce screen energy consumption.
An outstanding edition for the LePub network, led by Bruno Bertelli (CEO & CCO LePub WW), Cristiana Boccassini, and Mihnea Gheorghiu (Global CCO LePub WW).
Bruno Bertelli, CEO and CCO of LePub Worldwide, added: “On this special occasion I also want to thank Arthur Sadoun and Publicis Groupe for believing in our ambition from the very beginning. They gave us the freedom to build something unconventional, to challenge the traditional agency model, and to create a new brand unlike any other. That trust allowed us to dream bigger than we thought possible. This recognition celebrates what we have built, but it also reminds us of what comes next. Our industry is transforming faster than ever. Creativity today cannot exist without innovation, technology, and new ways of thinking. Yet those tools only matter when they serve an idea. Our responsibility is to continue raising the bar – combining technological innovation with human creativity, while remaining uncompromising about craft, excellence and the premium standards that define everything we do. Because the future won’t belong to those who simply adopt new technologies, but to those who use them to create work that people genuinely care about. Today, standing on this stage, it feels like a dream we built together has become reality. Tomorrow, it becomes the foundation for everything we have yet to create.”
