The heaping spectacle of commercial creativity that is known as the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity is a boozy, sun-soaked, money-drenched, head-spinning week-long event in the south of France whose confluence of art and commerce is a tsunami for the senses.
As co-founder of the creative agency, D/CAL, I have longed to attend this festival as it has traditionally represented the pinnacle of achievement in the field of advertising. Winning a Cannes Lion award is on par with winning an Oscar, and it can change the trajectory of a career or an entire company. Though my agency did not have any projects in the running for an award, my partners and I decided to attend the festival because beyond merely celebrating past work, the event increasingly represents where the future of the industry is headed. We needed to get in the mix and see if we could read the tea leaves.
What started back in the 50s as an awards show for “advertising cinema” has today exploded to reflect the countless ways that brands interact with consumers. With 13,000+ attendees from over 90+ countries, 2000+ events, and representation from countless brands, agencies, creators, platforms, networks, media companies and technology providers, it’s a constant struggle to prioritize and make sense of what to do, who to meet, where to go and what to say, not to mention how to stay hydrated, presentable, and un-drunk.
When it comes to networking and business-building, the best-laid plans, reservations, and intentions are quickly shattered due to strict gatekeepers, un-secured credentials, unexpected discoveries, over-capacity venues, relentless traffic, and record-breaking heat. Even when throwing caution to the wind and going with the flow, it is difficult to identify themes worth leaning into.
All that being said, for anyone interested in some insider agency-speak, here’s a few observations and learnings…
WHAT THE IDEA IS SEEMS TO BE LESS IMPORTANT THAN HOW THE IDEA GETS OUT THERE.
If you are looking to get inspired by big ideas, you’ll have to look hard because those have been buried in the unglorious basement of the event center and are showcased like projects at school science fair. The festival still awards creativity across multiple categories each evening, but overall, the conversations on the stages, in the activation booths and on the street seem to be less about campaign ideas and more about idea distribution. How clever or breakthrough or insightful that idea is seems to be besides the point. It’s less about one single big idea, and more about a brand’s ability to express many things over time in a way that connects with various communities.
COMMERCIAL CREATORS ARE THE NEW STARS.
It’s notable that global talent agencies like CAA and UTA had a huge presence at the event as they have expanded their rosters beyond movies and sports to represent the emerging class of online creators and influencers. These people take many forms such as traditional A-list celebrities-turned-entrepreneurs, elite digital native creators, athlete-creators, and industry trailblazers, and they are increasingly working directly with brands. Mr. Beast, Paris Hilton, Kevin Durant, Mel Robbins, Colin Jost, Hoda Kotb, Chrissy Teigen, JB Smoove, Ludacris, Questlove, Mike D, Magic Johnson, Shaq, and Maria Sharapova are just a few examples of the famous names I came across, and that is dwarfed by the countless up-and-comer creators and influencers such as Katie Fang, Durafest2, Adrian Per, and Brandon Baum, to name just a few. I couldn’t pick these people out of a police lineup, but its obvious that their ability to connect directly with an audience via social media or YouTube or a podcast or a newsletter is extremely valuable.
BRANDS AREN’T NECESSARILY LOOKING TO AGENCIES TO SOLVE THEIR MARKETING PROBLEMS.
It’s interesting to see how the former stars of the show—the advertising agencies—are mostly afterthoughts in this new landscape. The media platforms seem to dominate the conversation, likely because that is where the real money is being dedicated, and they are a more direct line to the end consumer. Snapchat, Tik Tok, Meta, Google, Spotify, Netflix, Reddit, Pinterest, Yahoo, IHeart, and LinkedIn, all had a huge presence. Amazon erected an entire “port village” at the base of the Cannes Port which showcased its many avenues for media integration including storefronts for Amazon Prime video, Fire TV, Alexa, Twitch, etc. Even PayPal had a “patisserie” for discussing ad buys. All of these companies are increasingly working directly with brands to create and distribute content directly to consumers. This doesn’t mean agencies are dead. But it’s abundantly clear that for an agency to survive in this climate it needs to be strategically sound, creatively nimble, media-savvy and prove that it can effectively steer their brand leader partners on where to place the best bets amidst the panoply of cultural, creator, media and tech choices.
Some Cannes case study boards
Drone Show
A company called Kargo stole the show with their massive, mesmerizing drone light shows. At least twice a night, as many as 1,400 drones would swarm from their nest and assemble within spitting distance of the Croissette to mesmerize everyone on the shore with an everchanging array of messages, objects and figures. Similar in scale and depth to a grandiose fireworks display, these scenes were far more powerful because they revealed themselves at a pace that allowed your brain time to process the bigness and detail. One could imagine this technology over a stadium halftime or post game show, amongst a city skyline at landmark events, or simply becoming an entire new form of rock concert where the choreographed drones are the stars.
My new obsession - Bigorneaux
I’m a fan of escargot, and i’m used to it being served in one of those piping hot escargot plates with all the wells where the shell-less snails simmer in wonderful pools of butter. In France, they seem to embrace a more “au naturel” state of serving the snails that are still hibernating in their shells, and one must do some digging before they can enjoy their morsels.
This experience reached a new level when a restaurant began our meal by serving us a complimentary plate of ultra tiny snails called bigorneaux, which are surely the “popcorn shrimp” of the mollusk world.
Smaller than a marble, they require their own custom cutlery in the form of a plastic-handled needle to perform the dissection. Once you coax those buggers out, they are definitely not pleasing to look at, but they are more flavorful than one would expect, as they are slightly truffle-ish in their taste.
Apparently bigorneaux are a Cajun delicacy and outside of coastal France they can be found in parts of Louisiana which will make for a fun adventure the next time I roam the Gulf Coast.
Places to eat, drink and do stuff in Cannes
Astoux & Brun - Excellent seafood, great patio, great people watching.
Le Bistrot de l’Ecailler - Great spot tucked away in a cozy back street.
Da Bouttau - Wonderful restaurant on one of the most atmospheric streets in Old Cannes.
Marley’s - The crispy onions and signature mustardy, mayonnaise-y sauce distinguish this late night dog.
McDonald’s - Worth trying “Le Royale Cheese” just to see how the french beef compares to the original.
Hemisphere Cafe - Easy spot to duck into for a beer or catch a soccer match that is not far from the water.
The Carlton Hotel - Elegant old school hotel with high end bars and dining that is situated at the center of the Croisette.
Utile Market - Good all around market with an impressive wall of refrigerated rosé.
Ceneri Fromagerie - Nice shop to sample some stinky good cheese.
La Croisette - This term refers to the glorious stretch of beachfront that is at the heart of Cannes and features a promenade for strolling as well as many high-end private beach clubs.
Plage Macé - A solid public beach at the western end of the Croisette not far from plenty of restaurants and shops.
Joutes Provençales - If you hang out in the northwest corner of the Old Port, you might witness this obscure—and absured—nautical event.
Pétanque - Public courts where you might be able to talk your way into a game with some locals.
Maison Callaloo - Shop where you can find some wonderful homeware that is handcrafted in the area.
Notable odds and ends from Cannes
Maltese Falcon - This behemoth of a boat was seen bobbing out at sea and can be all yours for about $600,000 per week (plus fuel, food, and local taxes)
Le Royal Cheese - Ever since Pulp Fiction, I have had a soft spot for the “Royale with Cheese” as it was quoted by Samuel Jackson, and I ordered one at the 24 hour McDonald’s in the port near Cannes. It’s France’s version of a Quarter Pounder and uses all the same ingredients with the exception of the beef which is 100% sourced from France and gives it a slightly different, yet still pleasing, taste from one US version.
Joutes Provençales - Hard to believe this still exists—or ever existed—but there is a sport that is still played in the south of France which is a traditional form of nautical combat where two man joust at each other from approaching boats.
D/CAL Shout Out
A special shout out to my D/CAL crew who helped me navigate this wild, wonderful and ever-changing marketing landscape in Cannes. We wined, dined, and schmoozed. We shared notes, toothpaste, sunscreen, and, er, pillows. We interviewed. We Zoomed, We posted. How many of your coworkers would you still be on speaking terms with after spending a week together in cramped quarters with spotty AC and a 150 foot walk to the nearest bathroom? For years to come, we shall be recalling tales from the time we spent together on the Stormy JAZ.
I'm looking to book a voyage on the MaconoYacht for Cannes 2027! Let me know when the tickets drop. This is a Gold Lion award-winning write up here. Keep up the good fight.
Amazing. I really appreciated the case studies. Idea distribution. Hmm. That bodes well for media people like me.