The Future of Advertising: Lessons from Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity

💫 Our First Time at Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity and I am still in the rush of an incredible creative week.

Attending Cannes Lions for the first time has been one of the most exciting events of my career. Being close to the creative minds behind our industry emphasized the responsibility we have to bridge data and consumer insights into their processes.
I observed how creative excellence is being challenged by the complexity of today’s media landscape. The difference between a good Cannes campaign and a campaign that succeeds in the market was not always clear. Judges emphasized the need for data to validate campaign effectiveness and transparency in AI usage. The anticipation of next year’s trends was palpable.

Here are my core learnings:

🤖 AI Integration: AI is omnipresent in the ad world and, as Sir Martin Sorrell said, it will change everything—or it already has. Discussions centered around infrastructure capabilities, tools integration, first-party data and creative ownership.

📽 Video Dominance: Every platform is going video-first, with platforms like X and LinkedIn joining strongly. The era of text and images is behind us.

👥 Influencer Evolution: Influencers remain key to targeting younger generations, yet there’s a disconnect between brands and them. Many influencers are now creating their own products, competing with the brands they used to collaborate with.

💻 Digital Normalization: Digital is now a standard part of every campaign, evidenced by the lack of a separate digital award this year.

🏅 Sports Focus: Major sports events like FIFA, the International Olympic Committee – IOC, National Football League (NFL), and National Basketball Association (NBA) are driving brand conversations.

🌎 Diversity Spotlight: The focus on women and minorities (Latino, Black, LGBTQ+) in the industry is stronger than ever. It truly feels like our moment!

Reflecting on these insights, I’m more committed than ever to enhancing the synergy between data and creativity. The future of advertising is incredibly dynamic, and I’m excited to be part of it.