Dentsu Supports NIKKA WHISKY’s Pop-up Bar at Cannes Lions

- Contributing to NIKKA WHISKY’s Gold, Silver and Bronze Wins -

Dentsu (Brand: dentsu; Headquarters: Dentsu Group Inc.; Location: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President & Global CEO: Takeshi Sano, hereinafter Dentsu Group Inc. and its group companies are collectively referred to as “dentsu”) supported, for the second consecutive year, the planning and operation of a Cannes Lions-endorsed pop-up bar (hereinafter referred to as “THE NIKKA WHISKY TOKYO”) by THE NIKKA WHISKY DISTILLING CO., LTD. (Head Office: Sumida-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Naoto Ono; hereinafter referred to as “NIKKA WHISKY”) in Cannes, France during the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity 2026, the world's largest creativity festival.

THE NIKKA WHISKY TOKYO, which was also highly acclaimed at Cannes Lions 2025, was designed not merely as a platform to promote a whisky brand, but as a space that embodies NIKKA WHISKY’s identity as a contemporary Japanese premium brand rooted in creativity, craftsmanship, and culture.

Marking its 90th anniversary in 2024, NIKKA WHISKY introduced a new brand communication concept, “Savour the joy of life.” This concept inherits founder Masataka Taketsuru’s belief that whisky should be enjoyed not for getting drunk, but as a way to appreciate life itself. This concept proposes a richer way of living through the diverse character and enjoyment of whisky. Based on this it, THE NIKKA WHISKY TOKYO created a space where different people, ideas and perspectives come together through whisky. Visitors were able to experience the appeal of whisky while enjoying signature cocktails, including the Cannes Lions-exclusive “dear difference.”

Guests enjoying
THE NIKKA WHISKY TOKYO

The Cannes Lions-exclusive
cocktail “dear difference”

At Cannes Lions 2026, NIKKA WHISKY’s advertising campaign “dear difference” won a Gold and a Bronze lion in the Industry Craft Lions, as well as a Silver in the Design Lions. In the Industry Craft category, the work was highly recognized for its creative artistry, talent, expertise, and vision in bringing a creative idea to life with a high level of execution. In the Design category, it was awarded for its excellence in visual expression and brand-led design.
Furthermore, at Cannes Lions 2025, NIKKA WHISKY’s “NO LABELS” won Gold in the Industry Craft Lions. With this year’s recognition, NIKKA WHISKY has become the only company to win Gold in this category for two consecutive years since the Industry Craft Lions was established as an independent category in 2018.

Building on these achievements, dentsu will continue to contribute to clients’ global growth by fostering long-term relationships based on its client-centric approach, which is positioned at the core of its business strategy.

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Contact:
Jumpei Kojima, Akiko Shimadzu, Emi Harada
Group Corporate Communications Office, Dentsu Group Inc.
Email: group-cc@dentsu.com