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The U.S. Navy has earned top honors at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, receiving both a Gold Lion and Silver Lion for its innovative “Sub(Reddit) Hunter” campaign. The prestigious awards—considered the highest accolade in global marketing and advertising—recognize the campaign’s creative excellence in engaging next-generation Sailors through a first-of-its-kind interactive experience on Reddit.
The Navy won a Gold Lion in the Social & Creator / Innovative Audience/Community Engagement category and a Silver Lion in the Media / Use of Social Platforms category. Developed in partnership with VML, the Navy’s ad agency, the campaign exemplifies how modern military recruiting is evolving to meet digital-native audiences with authenticity, ingenuity, and challenge.
“It truly is an honor to work with Navy Recruiting Command and to collaborate with bold Navy leaders who embrace marketing innovation,” said Chris Edmondson, Executive Director, VML. “Recruiting the next generation of exceptional Sailors is work that really matters, and while mission success is always the top priority, it has been thrilling to see our work recognized at such a high level.”
“We’re incredibly proud to see ‘Sub(Reddit) Hunter’ recognized at Cannes Lions, one of the most elite stages in the advertising world,” said Allen Owens, Marketing Director for Navy Recruiting Command. “This campaign broke new ground in how we connect with talent—immersing audiences in a world of cryptic missions, teamwork, and discovery. These awards validate that when we meet future warfighters where they are, with creativity and purpose, the impact is powerful.”
A Campaign Built to Challenge
Launched in fall 2024, the “Sub(Reddit) Hunter” campaign was designed to find individuals with the rare blend of intellect, curiosity, and analytical thinking needed to succeed in the Navy’s elite nuclear submarine force. The campaign leveraged Reddit’s niche communities to drop participants into an interactive, five-week digital scavenger hunt, where users had to crack puzzles, decode audio, analyze cryptic videos, and uncover hidden messages rooted in submarine history and naval technology.
Each “directive” released weekly required Redditors to:
• Dive into redacted coordinates to identify historic naval headings
• Decode silent audio messages embedded in sonar tracks
• Solve intricate puzzles hidden in gigapixel photographs
• Scrub archival video for covert intelligence
• Analyze submarine propulsion blueprints for embedded clues
Participants submitted answers directly to r/AmericasNavy, where the most persistent and perceptive Redditors advanced through the challenge—mirroring the focus and problem-solving required of real Navy submariners.
Global Recognition for Innovation
Out of tens of thousands of global entries, only 10% of campaigns are shortlisted at Cannes. The U.S. Navy’s campaign earned six shortlist nominations, including:
• Creative Data / Social Behavior
• Digital Craft / Personalized Storytelling
• Media / Use of Social Platforms
• Social & Creator / Audience Targeting
• Social & Creator / Innovative Audience/Community Engagement
• Social & Creator / Content Placement
Ultimately, less than 1% of all entries are awarded a Gold Lion, placing the Navy’s achievement in elite company on the global creative stage.
“To ensure we attract the best and brightest future Sailors—including those for our most technical communities—we must continuously evolve,” said Rear Adm. James P. Waters, Commander, Navy Recruiting Command. “This recognition reaffirms our commitment to using bold, strategic storytelling to inspire the next generation of America’s Navy.”
The “Sub(Reddit) Hunter” campaign is part of a broader Navy recruiting strategy focused on connecting with Gen Z audiences through innovative, authentic, and challenge-driven engagement across digital platforms.
| Date Taken: | 07.09.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 07.09.2025 09:58 |
| Story ID: | 542295 |
| Location: | MILLINGTON, TENNESSEE, US |
| Web Views: | 142 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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