Marcello Serpa led AlmapBBDO with Jose Luiz Madeira for more than twenty years until the pair stepped down in August 2015.

With Serpa as chief creative officer, the agency won three Cannes Agency of the Year awards, two Clio Agency of the Year awards, seven FIAP awards and was named the Gunn Report’s most awarded creative agency in the world three times.

“The Lion of St. Mark recognises individuals who have made significant and outstanding contributions to creativity across our industry,” noted Philip Thomas, chief executive officer of Cannes Lions.

“Marcello’s achievements are known the world over, but perhaps most notably he was responsible for taking home Latin America’s first Grand Prix in 1993. He’s since served on juries four times, twice as president, and during his tenure, AlmapBBDO won Agency of the Year three times.”

Serpa stated, “My life and career would be completely different, and probably a bit boring, if Cannes Lions did not exist. Those small stairs to the stage are connected to me and I have always watched with envy and admiration some creative legends stand at the top of them. I feel honoured, dizzy and extremely happy to be recognised as a stand-out within the industry. This award is like giving a shot of adrenaline directly into the ego of anyone in the business.”

After successes at GGK, DPZ and DM9, Serpa moved to AlmapBBDO in 1993, when the agency joined Omnicom Group’s BBDO on the eve of its fortieth anniversary. Serpa and Madeira then built the agency that had plunged into decline into one of the most successful agencies in São Paulo.

Twenty-two years later, Serpa is recognised as the most awarded art director in Brazil, having won more than 160 Lions. His Grand Prix winning work has included the 1993 print campaign for Guarana and the 2010 print campaign for Billboard, ‘Britney’, ‘Eminem’, ‘Marilyn’, ‘Bono’ and ‘Amy’.

“My strongest memory of Marcello is when he was President of the Press Jury in 2013 – as the Jury introduced themselves one by one, they were clearly more honoured to have him as their leader than they were even to have been chosen for the Jury in the first place. He truly epitomises what this award stands for,” Thomas recalled.

Serpa will be presented with the Lion of St. Mark during the awards ceremony on Saturday June 25.