LePub has taken disciplinary motion in opposition to accountable staff after concluding an inner investigation right into a Cannes Lion–profitable marketing campaign that drew controversy for allegedly misrepresenting outcomes, ADWEEK has discovered.
The Bronze Lion–profitable “Followers Retailer,” for New Stability and São Paulo FC, got here underneath fireplace final month for presenting deceptive and unverified outcomes and missing shopper approval. The case video claimed the marketing campaign offered 45,000 jerseys in a single day utilizing geo-targeted push notifications—however an unbiased reporting solid doubt on these claims, and New Stability denied authorizing the submission.
“After an intensive investigation, we’ve discovered that the case in query, which concerned our LePub São Paulo workplace, fell wanting our excessive requirements,” a LePub spokesperson informed ADWEEK. “We have now taken robust disciplinary motion with these accountable. At LePub, we’ve made our popularity on delivering actual work for main purchasers, and are dedicated to persevering with to take action.”
LePub declined to elaborate on the precise actions taken or identify these impacted.
The controversy started when Brazilian journalist Demétrio Vecchioli revealed a LinkedIn investigation alleging that a number of components of the case research—together with gross sales knowledge, press protection, and influencer content material—had been unverifiable, deceptive, or taken out of context. New Stability informed Vecchioli it had no prior data of the submission and didn’t approve it.
LePub responded by pledging a “swift and thorough investigation.”
The case research has since been faraway from the Cannes Lions archive, however organizers haven’t but commented on the standing of LePub’s award.
The investigation closed simply as Cannes Lions launched new integrity requirements for 2026, geared toward restoring belief within the competition’s awards course of. The brand new guidelines embody dual-layer fact-checking by each AI and human reviewers and necessary senior sign-offs from each company and model executives. Businesses that knowingly submit false work face a doable ban of as much as three years.
LePub is one in every of a number of businesses to face scrutiny within the wake of the 2025 competition.
Cannes Lions revoked a Grand Prix and two extra awards from DM9, a part of Omnicom’s DDB community, after it was discovered to have used AI-generated footage to pretend a CNN Brasil phase. DM9 chief artistic officer Icaro Doria stepped down from his position because of the scandal.
Different campaigns—by businesses together with Intestine Amsterdam, Gifted India, and FCB India—have additionally been referred to as into query for allegedly overstating company contributions, greenwashing, or submitting work with out correct shopper sign-off.
