Cannes Lions Takeaways: From AI and Creators to Misinformation and Cool Cabanas

Cannes Lions is coming to an end on Thursday, and trust me, attendees will be ready for some rest and cool weather. During a whirlwind visit, I’ve heard the question “What day is today?!” bandied about by attendees more than once on the Croisette during this year’s fest.

And, no, it’s not just because Aperol Spritz and rosé flow freely during the festival known for being a brand marketer meetup. It is also due to the countless keynotes, panels, appearances and “activations” at the Palais des Festivals and beyond, plus the barrage of parties, soirées and special events that keep people schmoozing into the morning hours.

Beyond the exchange of ideas, business pitches and social affairs, folks are likely to leave Cannes Lions with all sorts food for thought. If you missed it – or aren’t sure anymore if you actually heard or saw it due to lack of sleep, here is The Hollywood Reporter‘s look at key takeaways and experiences from Cannes Lions’ this year.

The Name Is More Fitting Than Ever

Yes, the annual gathering morphed from an advertising event, dominated by agencies and media giants, into the somewhat amorphous “International Festival of Creativity.” And as one first-time attendee pointed out early in the week, the huge wave of events, people and companies taking over the French seaside town for a few days feels daunting. “I worry I’ll miss five big things or speakers that I am not even aware of yet,” this attendee shared with THR.

But on the upside, the sheer magnitude of people and brands on the Croisette during Cannes Lions opens up opportunities for dialogue and potential collaboration across traditional silos. The Cannes Film Festival is for — obviously — film. MIPCOM is for TV folks. But Cannes Lions is for everyone and anyone, really.

I remember the bad old days of the ill-fated AOL-Time Warner merger when the industry was suddenly buzzing about the “convergence” of media and tech. Well, Cannes Lions is the convergence of people and brands from the worlds of film, traditional and digital media, music, comedy, fashion, sports, technology and all sorts of other industries. And many folks THR met this week highlighted just how efficient the time on the ground is because you can meet so many people you may never get to otherwise within such a short timeframe.

The financial efficiency is a different question, and it feels like cost is no real concern for many here, just looking at the immense structures, endless VIP guestlists and money they bring to the Croisette for just a few days. The bottom line may not be for most of us to gauge. But the bottom line is that Cannes Lions is a fitting name, maybe more so than ever before. After all, the event nowadays feels like the clear king of the Cannes jungle.

The Definition of Fame Has Changed

If you’re middle-aged like this writer, you may think that the biggest star visiting the Croisette for Cannes Lions this year was Oprah Winfrey, this year’s Cannes LionHeart honoree. Or Apple senior vp of services Eddy Cue, this year’s Entertainment Person of the Year, who graced the stage with Jerry Bruckheimer. Or maybe Priyanka Chopra Jonas.

If you’re into sports, you may have been drawn to events featuring the likes of Jaylen Brown, Lindsey Vonn, A-Rod, Shaun White or Shaquille O’Neal.

But creators are just as much part of the A-list at Cannes Lions and beyond these days. So, Steven Bartlett, the twin sisters behind the fast-rising loungewear brand Phe Phe, Bran Flakezz, Mel Robbins, Jay Shetty and other creators drew buzz and excitement on the Croisette.

THR even experienced an unknown couple who suddenly turned their heads on the Croisette and excitedly chased after a young man to ask him for a selfie, to which he obliged. The incident led to a range of people asking each other who the young man was. None of them knew, but it didn’t matter – because he mattered to this couple. He may not be as widely recognized as Tom Cruise (yet?), but it seems he has made an impact nonetheless.

The AI Talk Is Everywhere

Just like in the real world, you simply couldn’t escape talk about AI in the Cannes Lions bubble. OpenAI executives appeared in keynote conversations, panels were questioned about AI, and chats over ice coffee or wine mentioned planned AI IPOs. Especially “agentic AI,” which was a recurring theme. Case in point, a press announcement by Adobe on the opening day, which was entitled “Adobe Accelerates Agentic AI Adoption Through New Agency and Technology Partnerships.”

What the heck is agentic AI, you ask? Well, many people currently use AI chatbots for various tasks, in the looming “age of agentic AI,” AI systems operate autonomously, independently setting goals, drawing up plans, and executing tasks to achieve objectives without the need for constant human guidance, if not desired. Some find this exciting, while others will find it scary.

Amazon this week unveiled Alexa+ Agentic Ads, “the first ad format that takes a customer from seeing an ad to completing a purchase entirely within the conversation, without ever leaving the ad.” Said the company: “Order food, buy concert tickets, complete the task — all through a natural conversation with Alexa+.” Said Charlotte Maines, vp, content and advertising for Alexa: “Alexa+ Agentic Ads close the gap between intent and action — a customer can go from curiosity to a completed purchase in a single conversation. This is a simple and useful experience for customers and a great opportunity for advertisers to drive engagement and immediate purchase.”

OpenAI chief revenue officer Denise Dresser said in a keynote that the firm celebrated its Cannes Lions debut this year and that AI was the tool for an age that had moved “from an awareness to the intelligence economy.” AI is a key “societal change,” she offered.

Meanwhile, media universe “cartographer” Evan Shapiro put a spotlight on microdramas and the general rise of vertical content on mobile phones at a time when streamers like Disney+, Paramount+, Peacock and others are adding vertical feeds.

Said Shapiro: “You’re going to see more and more brands talk about it. I think vertical is going to be one of the most used phrases this week. Hopefully, it will overtake AI.”

A Doom Scrolling Note

At least one session during Cannes Lions zoomed in on the dangers of social media, AI and other technologies, calling out doom scrolling and mis- and dis-information as global challenges at a time when various countries are exploring or introducing social media bans for children.

“About a year ago, the UN put out our first-ever global risk report,” shared Charlotte Scaddan, senior advisor on information integrity in United Nations Global Communications. “What that report found confirmed for us what we knew for a long time: that mis- and disinformation is a top global vulnerability, and it’s a vulnerability for which the international community is insufficiently prepared.”

Rupen Desai, the chief marketing officer at Una Terra, also had choice words with a focus on social mediw. “We are no longer in the attention economy,” he offered. “We are actually in the addiction economy.”

And he expressed concern not so much about AI itself but about who controls it and its future, which he suggested would be the same small group of tech bros who are already the richest and most powerful people on the planet.

Top Cabanas, Stunts and Activations

The Cannes Lions is handing out a slew of their own awards, so no need for us to do the same. But THR will share its take on some of the standout presences on the Croisette.

Of course, there were such popular large hubs as Meta Beach, Amazon Port, UTA Beach, the YouTube Drive-In and Spotify Beach.

But one of the particularly popular and central activation hubs — it’s right next to the Palais — was the Reddit Community Deli. Some people came for business meetings; others wanted to simply see what the attention-grabbing building had to offer. Many came to grab a free iced coffee and a sweet treat or cool off for a bit next to one of the big fans outside the venue. All this made Reddit, which calls itself “The Heart of the Internet,” also one of the hearts of the Croisette during Cannes Lions.

Streaming service Tubi is set to get company in the form of the Roku Channel once the recently unveiled Fox acquisition of Roku closes. Just days later on the Croisette, the Tubi presence turned heads, especially with a design feature in the form of hands rolling up a curtain.

I didn’t have LGBTQ+ networking and dating platform Grndr on my bingo card of brands to have a loud and proud presence next to the Palais. But its team brought the energy and the fun every day. Not only the app’s core target audience could be seen spinning the wheel for prizes, taking a look inside the party bus and snapping photos. Fun and playfulness definitely trumped the grind here.