Ascential – Part of the Informa Group’s Post

Creativity is our common language. Creativity is a force for change. People may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them 'feel'. Is my work driving 'me'. If you're creating alone, you're creating wrong. So many good messages in this clip for #canneslions2024. What brand has made you feel something through their story-telling? It most likely was memorable - whether it was a feeling of enlightenment, joy, sadness, pride, admiration, inspiration, motivation, maybe even anger (hopefully not confusion) - then it probably worked to build an impression, make you think, act, or feel something that you'll remember when you go to purchase, or alleviate tension if service was poor one day. #makeemotionalconnections #creativemarketing #takerisks #followyourexperience #followyourgut #insightsdrivecreativity #culturaldifferences #loyaltystillmatters

Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, we need to talk… Year after year you have challenged me to be bold, be creative, be effective, be efficient. Immerse myself in the business, build strong agency partnerships, and fuel my strategic thinking. For a long time, I believed that self-improvement was the key to joining the elite conversations at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. After years of learning from industry giants like Peter Field, Mark Ritson Byron Sharp Orlando Wood James Hurman I felt ready to be part of that dialogue. But Cannes, we seriously need to talk. The reality is that attending to the “Athens of marketing and creative effectiveness” remains a distant dream for many of us as the cost of participation is prohibitively expensive. To my fellow marketers who feel the same: I HEAR YOU! We are expected to push the boundaries of creativity and effectiveness, yet we are often left out when it matters most. And to Cannes, you are truly an inspiration for many of us, but when talking about consumer centricity, you need to revisit your business model to give us some entry level. Common, be creative 😊! Until we can meet physically, I will continue to advocate from the distance the spirit of Cannes Lions—effectiveness’s, boldness, creativity—as a state of mind. Looking forward to meet in the upcoming years, Gaby #MarketingLife #CannesLions #CreativeExcellence #IndustryChallenges #StayConnected #MarketingCommunity

🌟 My Post-Cannes Reflections 🌟 I love Cannes. It’s a week of conversation, connection, and collaboration - a ‘creative mecca’ if you will. But now that the dust has settled and everyone is posting their top takeaways, I’ve been doing some reflecting. And I think something was missing from Cannes this year. In amongst all the awards and big name talks, our industry’s ability to do good got lost. So, here are my top takeaways from Cannes 2024: 🤖 Everyone is obsessed with AI. It’s no surprise that AI dominated the conversation again this year. As an industry, we’re still obsessed with chasing the latest shiny thing, especially if it makes us money. Sustainability has been completely deprioritised. A smattering of brands and agencies made nominal gestures in the right direction, and (embarrassingly) few took the train instead of flying. But aside from that, there was barely anything of note on sustainability at all. 😔 Change has arrived, but not on the main stage. The whole festival felt more diverse and inclusive than ever - WACL (Women in Advertising & Communications Leadership ) had its first real presence in its 101-year history, and lots of interesting conversations took place outside the Palais. But it was a conversation that mainly took place in back streets and small cafés. Meanwhile, the line to watch Elon Musk snaked around the block. 🤑 We need a reframe. AI took centre stage because it has been framed as a driver of growth. Sustainability and D&I remain fringe conversations because they have not. The exception might be women’s sport, which (quite rightly) received a lot of airtime this year because of its demonstrable commercial value. Growth is how you get attention at Cannes.   💚 You can do good and make money. The new Alt Text awards category next year (created by Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in partnership with RNIB and MullenLowe UK) is a great example. The inclusive practice allows brands to target an additional 2.2 billion blind and partially sighted people globally. So next year, let’s make doing good while making money a Cannes priority on and off the main stages. ✊🏼   #CannesLions #Sustainability #DiversityandInclusion #AI #WomenInSport #CreativeIndustry #Advertising

The Croisette is calling, and soon the creative world will descend on the Riviera for the annual pilgrimage that is the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. But with all the buzzwords, sponsored beaches and rosé-fueled networking, it's easy to lose sight of what really matters: standout creative work that delivers results and inspires. Whether you're attending the festival this year or, like me, back home watching the action from the virtual sidelines, I believe it's important to approach Cannes with intentionality. The week is noisy, and it's easy to get distracted. (IYKYK.) But this event is still about spotlighting the best creative output of the past year. At the end of the day, we ought to rise above the racket and focus on the work—work that pushes boundaries, sparks dialogue and connects with people on an emotional level. Of course, the top minds in the business will be there, and as always, I look forward to hearing what they've got to say. With all the conferences that have sprung up in our business, Cannes remains an unparalleled platform for addressing the most urgent issues facing marketing, media, tech and the culture. For one week every June, you can bet all eyes and ears are trained on this town. Cannes is ultimately what you take away from it. As for me, I plan to follow all the coverage I can devour and come away a little smarter and a whole lot more inspired. #CannesLions #Creativity #Innovation #Marketing #Advertising #Media #Tech #Inspiration #Impact

You are what you eat. And also the information (and inspiration) you consume. For me, Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity is a rich, nourishing feast that feeds both mind and spirit. It does little good for my body, though — but hey, we all walk a lot here, and that makes my Apple Watch happy. Anyway, Cannes isn't exactly a budget-friendly affair. Years ago, a great boss I had gave me this excellent piece of advice: if you're at a good point in your career and have the chance to invest in yourself, consider Cannes. Don't wait for your agency to foot the bill. The competition for those internal budgets is fierce — creative leads with specific KPIs, long-standing employees, and, let's be honest, a bit of office politics. Getting sponsored isn't exactly a guaranteed outcome. So, if you're serious about propelling yourself forward, about rewarding yourself for a year of hard work, invest some of your hard-earned Euros in this experience. After all, your personal growth is mostly your responsibility, not your employer's. Take charge of your own journey. Be the leader of your own creative evolution. There are so many options available: student passes, young professional options, special passes, and quite convenient digital passes if traveling is not your thing. Great efforts from the organizers to make the festival more accessible. Can they do more? Let's see. For me, most of the good things that have happened professionally are connected to Cannes — friends old and new from all over the world, jobs landed, promotions earned, awards received, the big frustrations, the awards not won (and the lessons I've learnt)– it's all somehow been related to that one week in June, year after year. Cannes teaches you things that are not taught anywhere else. This is like my 12th Cannes... And if you ask me where I'll be next year the third week of June... #CannesLions2024 #CannesLions #InvestInYourself #LifelongLearning #CareerDevelopment #LeadershipMindset #CreativeGrowth #CannesLessons

ICYMI: Cannes may be over, but the Adland is still buzzing with insights and debriefs on the groundbreaking work showcased at the festival this year. Ben Essen has shared some thoughts on how creativity thrives on reimagining the past, featured in his piece for Campaign. He states, "...all the ground-breaking Grand Prix winners contain recognisable fragments of great ideas that have come before." He continues, "A [better] question for any creative review is: "We know this worked before, so how do we twist it for a new context?" This lets us leverage the proven effectiveness of past campaigns while infusing them with contemporary relevance." Read his analysis and explore the trends and winning work that filled the Croisette conversation: https://lnkd.in/ecYZXVfn #CannesLions #Creativity #Adland

🎯 "We don't run an event in Cannes. We help marketers win in the boardroom." In this exclusive interview that I conducted in London with Philip Thomas, CEO of Ascential and now Chairman of the newly formed Informa Festivals division following their recent $1.6bn acquisition, Philip shares a powerful perspective on the true mission behind Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. It's not just about the glamorous and largest gathering in the creative marketing community on the French Riviera – it's about solving a fundamental challenge for CMOs globally: proving marketing's value to skeptical CEOs and CFOs. Thomas explains how Cannes Lions has evolved from annual event to become an essential 365 partner for CMOs, providing the data, insights, and validation they need to secure investment, demonstrate impact and excel in their careers. 💡 Key insight: Marketing success often takes years to materialize, but budgets must be justified immediately. This tension is at the heart of what Cannes Lions helps solve. Want to hear more of Philip's insights on building global communities, navigating industry transformation, the rationale behind the acquisition by Informa, and the new value being created through the formation of Informa Festivals? The full interview will be available exclusively to #RevvedUP attendees - 2/25-2/27- first. Link to register is in the comments. This interview is phenomenal and an absolute highlight of my career. I can't wait to share more. #CannesLions #Marketing #Leadership #EventIndustry #CMO #revvedup #datadrivengrowth #valuecreation Video production credits: Gno Media Tyler Harris

On Cannes, Part One. I'm not attending Cannes this year (we've won some huge accounts quite recently and have arms full at the moment, in a good way). But I've attended in the past, countless times, and spoken/keynoted on several occasions. Career highlights, for sure. It's an amazing festival of creativity, run and managed by incredibly talented, kind humans (Philip Thomas Paul Kemp-Robertson Steve Latham and many more). Leading up to next week, I aim to post a few tips for ensuring a highly successful week, for those who plan to attend. Tip #1 - make sure you connect with the giants of our industry. They, like you, are there to listen and learn. Don't be shy. They have a treasure trove of knowledge and if you time it just right, they might even be willing to share. Here's just a few of our industry's giants, and a few personal heroes, that I had the pleasure to spend time with during a few stints at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity: Sir John Hegarty (a dear friend and former colleague, and the most brilliant thinker I know) Sir Martin Sorrel (a new introduction. was worth it) Michael Conrad (a former Burnett colleague, genius creative and the finest human alive) David Bell (a friend and colleague, and the most strategic, and decent, person you'll ever meet) SOCIALDEVIANT #connections #creativity #lessons

It's almost Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity time and I am PUMPED! Growing up, so many people used to tell me to surround yourself with smarter and better people than you. And I didn't fully understand what that meant until I started building a business. When you're around people who challenge you, that's where you grow the most. By going to Cannes, I know it'll be exactly that - being challenged by some of the best people in the industry. That's what you need to be better every single day. That's why we're so ready to put ourselves in an environment where everything around you is better than what you're currently doing - the people, their approach to work and the type of work they produce. I'm looking forward to soaking it all up like a sponge or a lion cub... And I think there's really three big categories in the workforce that you can change quickly and see results from: mindset, skill set and tool set. By being at Cannes, I'm confident that we'll be exposing and opening up our mindset. Not to mention, the people who go to these events are philanthropic and work on social causes. They see problems in the world and want to actively help solve them. I can't wait to build deeper, meaningful connections with these people, it's not often you get to be around those who make a real difference. The work our team is doing now around brand strategy, creative and messaging absolutely feels like we're getting closer to producing the kind of work that gets submitted for Cannes. And I'm so proud of that. So, overall super excited. The agenda is out and we've already planned our days minute by minute. 😉 #NobleStudios #CannesLions #MeaningfulConnections

T minus a few days until I'm heading to the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity! This event has become an annual adventure filled with business, creativity, media, and marketing.     For the second year in a row, my family is coming along, and I'm super excited to see other executives also bringing their young adult children. It's such a fantastic opportunity for them to see the world through our lens of networking and idea exchange on a global scale. The "Each one teach one" philosophy really shines here. My kids, now high schoolers, learned so much last year as creators, young investors, and curious minds. They attended talks and brand experiences while I was busy working—it was the perfect setup!    The Cannes Lions Festival is incredibly significant as it brings together the most creative minds and influential leaders in media and marketing. My goal is to dive deep into the latest trends, make meaningful connections, and bring fresh, innovative ideas back to my work.    Balancing work and family during this trip is really important to me; just as it is when I'm at home. A goal of mine in 2024 was to be consistent with my routine and how present I am for my family whether traveling or working from home. While I'll be wrapped up in professional activities, my family will get to explore and soak in the festival's diverse offerings. It's a win-win, creating a memorable and enriching experience for all of us.    #CannesLions #WomenInMarketing #MarketingSolutions #BusinessGrowth #BusinessGoals #BrandBuilding #WorkingMom #WomenInMedia #ThePathRedefined