Dentsu’s pioneering media network, Carat, has been named Cannes Lions 2026 Media Network of the Year, earning one of the industry’s highest honours following an exceptional performance across this year’s Media Lions awards.
Carat secured the title with a standout showing at the festival, which delivered:
• 3 Gold Lions
• 1 Silver Lion
• 2 Bronze Lions
• 3 Shortlists
The result reflects Carat’s ability as a true scaled agent, to connect brands and people through media experiences grounded in human understanding and powered by the collective expertise of its 12,000 specialists across more than 100 countries.
The recognition also demonstrates the strength of its client partnerships, for whom standout campaigns have included "Could Have Been a Heineken," which won two Gold Lions, and "Dark Mode Ads for Plenitude," which also won gold.
Will Swayne, Global Practice President - Media & Integrated Solutions, dentsu, said: “This recognition is powerful validation of what Carat does best – bringing together creativity, data and technology to deliver the most impactful outcomes for clients. Behind each shortlist, and every Lions award won this year, is a client challenge, a team obsessed with solving it, and work designed to make a difference.
At a time when our industry is being reshaped by AI, algorithms and fragmented attention, being named Media Network of the Year is evidence of what’s possible when exceptional talent, deep human understanding, market-leading agentic capabilities and trusted partnerships come together. I’m incredibly proud and grateful to our teams and our clients around the world. This award belongs to all of them.”
