LIONS released its State of Creativity report for 2025, the fifth annual edition, which revealed that creative confidence is waning. Surveying over 1,000 marketers and creatives worldwide between November 2024 and January 2025, the report shows that only 13% of companies consider themselves creative risk-friendly, painting a sobering picture of a global industry grappling with hesitation, insight gaps, and cultural inertia.
LIONS’ State of Creativity Report 2025
LIONS is the global authority on creative excellence and effectiveness. Best known for the prestigious Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, LIONS serves as a comprehensive platform that champions creativity as a force for business, change, and growth. Through its four pillars, The Awards, The Festival, LIONS Advisory & Partnerships, and The LIONS Academy, the organization connects brands, agencies, marketers, and emerging talent from across the globe.
“Our purpose is to drive progress through creativity and support our community on their creative journeys, day in, day out. Our goal is to provide support for everyone in the business of creativity, wherever you are and whatever the shape of your journey. We want to create more opportunities to get involved too – on our stages – both physical and digital, on our social channels and in the increasing amount of expert content we are providing. We know that creative excellence can come from anywhere and we want our platforms to be open to as many voices as possible to come in.” the platform wrote on its website.
Where Has the Boldness Gone?
Despite data from WARC & Kantar’s research showing that brands who are willing to take creative risks enjoy up to four times higher profit margins, and Deloitte’s report on a 33% greater likelihood of long-term revenue growth, the majority of businesses still choose caution. Just 13% of respondents to LIONS’ State of Creativity 2025 survey describe themselves as creative risk-takers, while nearly a third openly admit to being highly risk-averse.
Patrick Jeffrey, VP of LIONS Advisory said: “The State of Creativity report is a unique window into the global creative landscape. The findings from this latest research show that largely due to a lack of solid insights and cultural relevance, we are seeing less ‘creative risk-taking’, which involves stepping outside traditional boundaries and surpassing category conventions. Addressing these two key barriers will unlock creative confidence and drive better long-term business results.”
Insight Famine and Cultural Lag: The Twin Threats
At the heart of this creative slowdown lie two major culprits: weak insights and cultural lag. 51% of surveyed brands confessed that their insights are “too weak” to fuel bold, breakthrough campaigns and only 13% rated their insight development capabilities as strong.
Additionally, over 57% of brands struggle to react swiftly to cultural moments, an alarming statistic in a world that demands real-time relevance. Bureaucratic approval layers, misaligned strategies, and underinvestment are named among the top hurdles keeping brands stuck in slow motion.
The Need to Rebuild Creative Confidence
63% of brands are leaning into short-term marketing tactics in 2025, which has increased from 53% in 2023. While these may yield quick wins, the report warns that true agility and cultural impact come from long-term brand building.
To reclaim creative courage in 2025, LIONS Advisory’s Patrick Jeffery added: “To boost creative confidence, we advise to invest in additional training to enhance teams’ skills and capability. As teams upskill and confidence grows, so will the appetite for bigger, bolder work.”
In Summary
With over 1,000 voices weighing in, the State of Creativity 2025 gives a clear picture of where creativity stands today and what it’ll take to unlock bigger, bolder ideas moving forward. To read the full report, visit lovethework.com