There are few events in the advertising calendar like Cannes Lions. A hub of creativity, connections, and future-thinking ideas, we were lucky enough to make it along to Cannes 2024.
Between conversations with some of the industry leading lights, catching up with old friends – and the occasional glass of rosé – we settled down to hear from some of the industries’ most interesting thought leaders at panel sessions all along the Croisette and beyond.
Trend One: AI is here to stay
Discussions around artificial intelligence were unavoidable during this year’s Cannes. It’s clear this technology is going to integrate itself into every part of the advertising industry. But, according to Sir Martin Sorrell, this is a revolution from below that is making it impossible for top-funnel individuals to control the information stream. Vidmob CEO Alex Collmer similarly stressed the importance of educating teams from the bottom up, ensuring everyone is passionate about bringing the true value of AI to all areas of the industry.
While the potential for AI to maximise effectiveness and creativity throughout business operations is clear, as we heard from a session hosted by Francesca Cassidy, Managing Editor at Raconteur, there also needs to be caution. Elsewhere, a powerful panel discussion with Alissa Hansen, Micheal Rocca, Tony Hobley, and Carl Willoughby highlighted the need for increasing best practices around AI. The panel explored the intersection of AI, wellbeing, inclusion, and equity in marketing, highlighting the potential impact of AI-driven campaigns on diverse identities.
Finally, we heard that while AI can provide the heavy lifting for laborious tasks, human intelligence will still be essential – especially in areas such as brand safety. Natasha Wallace from Jellyfish added that while AI is cost-efficient, brands should reinvest their savings into human-driven operations.
Trend Two: Sustainability is everyone’s priority
There was a greater drive to be greener at Cannes 2024 than before. Brands aiming to prioritise purpose alongside profit must create an aligned corporate vision and ensure they walk the walk, not just talk the talk. It’s everyone’s responsibility to bring this conversation to clients and partners to ensure we do better.
Investment in sustainability is also key. In a panel hosted by Scope3, GARM’s Robert Rakowitz and Ad Net Zero’s Anthony Falco discussed the flexibility and customisation of their new sustainability framework, aiming to foster industry-wide adoption. They hope it will provide tools to change behaviours and promote a movement toward a more sustainable industry.
Trend Three: Diversity and inclusion are still taking centre stage
We saw several inspiring panels discussing diversity and inclusion within advertising. Actor Kingsley Ben-Adir discussed the importance of embracing humanity and bridging differences, from acting to advertising, at Google’s panel on inclusive storytelling at Inkwell Beach. With tightening budgets leading to many cutting back their DE&I efforts, it was heartening to hear so many people speak so passionately on the issue.
Similarly panels held by The Female Quotient and the Digital Leading Ladies Lunch brought together a phenomenal number of female trailblazers to give their insights about thinking differently and supporting diverse perspectives. Seeing the impact that women are having on the advertising space today was incredibly inspiring, and we can’t wait to see more of the same next Cannes.
Missed us this year or want to discuss insights you have from Cannes 2024? Get in touch.