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A Gold Lion and 4 awards in total for Plenitude’s project combining creativity and reduced energy consumption in the Company’s LED urban visual communication.
The photographers’ flashes, the red carpet, the big screens of a place that, every year, becomes the center of the creative world. During the International Festival of Creativity, the Croisette is a triumph of lights and visions. The Cannes Lions are the global stage where the boldest ideas are celebrated - ideas destined to leave a mark on the future of communication.
It was here, where everything is placed under the spotlight, that an idea designed to switch off colors - not the message - captured attention, allowing energy efficiency to shine. Dark Mode Ads, a Plenitude project developed in collaboration with the creative agency LePub, successfully combined the visual impact of outdoor advertising - DOOH, Digital Out Of Home communication - with an approach focused on reducing consumption. This won over the jury of the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity 2026, which awarded the project a prestigious Gold Lion in the Media category, Market Disruption section, recognizing its ability to innovate communication strategies in response to global challenges1. This achievement was accompanied by a Silver Lion in the Outdoor2 category and two Bronze Lions, awarded respectively in the Creative B2B3 and Media categories, confirming the versatility and strength of the message4. Completing this edition’s list of recognitions, Plenitude was shortlisted in seven categories: Creative B2B (Market Disruption and Brand Experience), Outdoor (Displays and Technology), Innovation (Environmental Innovation), and Sustainable Development Goals (Sustainable Cities and Communities and Responsible Consumption and Production).
The technological core of Dark Mode Ads is based on a physical principle of modern LED screens: each sub-pixel - red, green and blue - emits light independently, with power consumption directly proportional to the required light intensity. The darker the color, the less energy each pixel needs. Starting from this principle, chromatic balancing makes it possible to preserve the strength of the advertising message without compromising energy efficiency.
A study by the Certimac institute confirmed the correlation between color design and power absorption through tests carried out in March 2026, in compliance with the international IPMVP protocol. By analyzing the APL parameter - Average Picture Level - it emerged that, when moving from standard images to darker creatives, the use of Dark Mode on LED screens - SMD technology - can enable energy savings of up to 74%.5
To turn this insight into action, the project relies on an intelligent platform capable of automatically switching creatives. The system converts them into low-brightness versions without compromising contrast. Developed by LePub, this tool enables brands and advertisers to join the project and automatically optimize their formats.
The launch campaign came to life from April 6 to 12 with a takeover - a simultaneous visual activation - of some of Europe’s most iconic digital screens. The activations involved Milan, Paris and Madrid, starting from Plaza Callao, one of the key locations for European digital communication. Through Dark Mode Ads, Plenitude converted the LED screens in its store windows in Italy, as well as its Digital Out of Home - DOOH - advertising spaces in France, Spain and Italy, countries where it is also present with its retail activities, into dark mode. The creatives featured a dedicated QR code, allowing everyone to discover the project and access the platform. Dark Mode Ads aims to trigger a cultural shift in the Digital Out of Home - DOOH - advertising space, inviting the advertising world to design campaigns natively in dark mode.
Energy efficiency thus becomes a new expressive horizon: a dark background does not dim the story, but provides the perfect contrast to make the message stand out. Sometimes, lowering the light is the best strategy to bring the brightest ideas into focus.
1 https://www.canneslions.com/awards/lions/media
2 https://www.canneslions.com/awards/lions/outdoor
3 https://www.canneslions.com/awards/lions/creative-b2b
4 https://www.canneslions.com/awards/lions/media
5 The energy savings associated with the use of Dark Mode were calculated based on tests carried out in March 2026 in compliance with the International Performance Measurement and Verification Protocol. The assessments involved 15 images, with different color schemes, relating to Plenitude advertising campaigns. Energy savings were measured by comparing the energy consumed to display the same set of images on LED screens - SMD technology - before and after the use of Dark Mode. For the full link, click here.
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The award, now in its ninth edition, recognises brands’ economic success, emotional and experiential reach based on a study involving 5,000 customers. This year, Plenitude topped the rankings as the highest-growth brand. The achievement was further cement
The innovative loyalty program was recognised for its ability to engage and reward customers, with a special mention in the “Rewards Catalogue” category.
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