Apple’s renowned “Shot on iPhone” advertising series has just received one of the pinnacle accolades in the advertising world: the Grand Prix in the Creative Effectiveness Lions category at this year’s Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. Quite impressive for a campaign that originated ten years ago.
The Creative Effectiveness Lions are particularly aimed at recognizing campaigns that demonstrate long-term business success through creativity. This year saw the fourth consecutive increase in submissions for this category, rising by 6.5% compared to 2024.
Nevertheless, out of over 300 entries received, only 17 were honored: three Gold, six Silver, seven Bronze, and the sole Grand Prix, which was awarded to Apple and its agency TBWAMedia Arts Lab.
### Apple’s most enduring campaign receives Cannes’ highest accolade
“Shot on iPhone,” which launched ten years ago, has evolved into one of Apple’s most recognized marketing initiatives, capitalizing on one of the iPhone’s essential selling features. As highlighted in Cannes’ official press release featuring the winners, Counterpoint Research data from 2025 reinforces the camera’s significance in propelling the iPhone to its status as the world’s best-selling smartphone.
Andrea Diquez, Global CEO of GUT and this year’s Jury President for the category, commended the campaign’s ability to merge art with everyday experiences:
> “‘Shot on iPhone’ was granted the Grand Prix for its revolutionary capacity to democratize creativity, transforming ordinary moments into artistic expressions. The campaign distinguished itself as a masterclass in enhancing user-generated content to establish a long-term platform with remarkable execution. When a client dedicates themselves to a long-term initiative rooted in highly creative work that resonates both globally and locally, it becomes magic – this exceptional combination makes it truly worthy of the industry’s highest accolade.”
For Apple, this recognition marks the culmination of a decade of innovative efforts inviting everyday users to demonstrate the potential of the iPhone camera, transforming simple snapshots into a worldwide advertising platform.
