Under the sweltering heat of the French Riviera, the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity stands as the undisputed pinnacle of the advertising industry’s annual calendar. For many of our clients, this year’s festival proved to be a pivotal platform, positioning them at the very vanguard of critical discussions that are actively shaping the future trajectory of both media and advertising.
Among the notable voices, Jamie Barnard, the seasoned Cannes veteran and CEO of Compliant, offered his perspective in Digiday’s “Cannes Briefing: A sunburned reckoning.” His contribution shed light on the anticipated trends and developments that would define the festival, providing a crucial guide for attendees navigating the intense atmosphere.
Aboard the Sharethrough x Equativ Yacht, Brendan Norman, the visionary CEO and Co-Founder of Classify, lent his expertise to a panel discussion centered on the future of AI. He was joined by Brian O’Kelly, CEO and Co-founder of Scope 3, and Curt Larson, Equativ’s Chief Innovation Officer. This distinguished setting highlighted the importance of the dialogue surrounding AI’s transformative potential within the industry. This earned speaking opportunity was strategically timed following the success of Classify’s launch out of stealth mode.
A Few Top Takeaways
Beyond individual brand and agency wins, the event served as a barometer for where the media and advertising industry is headed. We kept our ear to the ground on the biggest conversations and headline-making announcements, tracking the shifts that are actively reshaping the broader media landscape in real time.
- AI as an Indispensable Partner, Not a Replacement: Every conversation continues to revolve around AI (shocker!), though the latest buzz has shifted to agentic AI and its performance implications.
- Monetization of Previously Untapped Platforms: Meta’s announcement to introduce advertising on WhatsApp marked a pivotal moment in performance marketing, signaling a broader shift in how messaging platforms are leveraged for brand reach. While our clients were on the ground navigating back-to-back meetings, we moved fast to insert their point of view into coverage of the news in Performance Marketing World. This move by Meta opens up new, previously untapped inventory with massive scale, but also underscores the need for thoughtful, non-intrusive ad formats that respect the user experience while delivering ROI.
- Creators are the Startups of Hollywood: This takeaway was directly from YouTube’s presentation, which also served as a celebration for their 20-year anniversary. The creator economy continued to be a conversation at Cannes. Of course, AI’s impact was a part of that talk track.
With strategic guidance and a well-executed integrated communications plan, your company can make a powerful impact at major industry events. From crafting compelling narratives and securing key media interviews to driving thought leadership and maximizing digital reach, tentpole events offer a prime opportunity to amplify your message and deliver meaningful ROI.
The Impact of PR
What’s the impact of PR for an event that is this big? It is a mix of the tangibles and slightly intangibles. We helped clients:
- Secure speaking engagements and get in front of the right rooms (this year, it was about smaller, intimate and high-level crowds as opposed to big stages)
- Garner press ahead of Cannes Lions. We know that sometimes the right strategy is to break through the noise, and other times we need to get ahead of it.
- Drive awareness ahead of the event, so that when our founders for new adtech companies were there, they had a warm intro and a familiar greeting, “Oh you’re that company – I’ve heard of you!”
Need help maximizing your investment in a big industry event like Cannes? Get in touch at hello@kitehillpr.com to learn how our strategic guidance can help you make the most of major industry events.
– Tiffany Guarnaccia, CEO & Founder