As I walked onto the buzzing streets of Cannes for the first time, my senses were immediately captivated by the energy that filled the air. I’d heard plenty about Cannes Lions, the globally revered International Festival of Creativity, but being in the midst of it all was an entirely different ballgame.
1. A visual extravaganza
From the moment I woke up from my two-hour nap, (Seattle was a long way to travel to Cannes), I was awestruck by the grandeur of the festival. Usually known for its tranquil beauty, the city was alive and brimming with imagination. Massive installations, eye-catching billboards, and immersive media experiences were scattered over the two-kilometer stretch of La Croisette, transforming the city into a canvas of creativity. I saw firsthand how abstract concepts could be turned into palpable realities, especially those of Spotify, Yahoo!, and Stagwell’s Sport Beach with their basketball court with stadium seating setup.
2. Nuggets of wisdom shared in panels
The festival’s days were jam-packed with thought leadership panels – each a masterclass in the ever-evolving universe of AdTech. Fortunately, as a member of the Experian team, I didn’t have to travel far for unique panels; we hosted four panels throughout the week, and I was immersed in dynamic discussions about new trends, groundbreaking ideas, and the challenges ahead.
One recurring theme that resonated with me was the intricacies of authentically connecting with consumers. Finding genuine human connections amidst digital chaos can be challenging in today’s tech-driven world. These dialogues provided incredible insights into how we could maintain the delicate balance between personalization and privacy and effectively use artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance customer engagement without compromising the human essence in advertising.
3. Connect with your peers
If Cannes Lions is known for anything apart from its creative inspiration, it’s the unparalleled networking opportunities. The festival allowed me to interact with professionals from all corners of the world. Each exchange was not merely about exchanging contact details but building meaningful relationships. Will these first arcs lead to meaningful friendships? I sure hope so.
4. A comprehensive learning opportunity
The most crucial aspect of the festival was the immense opportunity it offered for learning. I found myself constantly absorbing new information and insights from the panels, every conversation, and every chance meeting.
5. Juggle your time
Effective time management was crucial for maximizing my Cannes experience, with many things happening concurrently. I would give myself a B- for this. During the day, when I had some downtime, I could have ventured to another panel, attended a networking event, or taken in a view of the city I didn’t get. That’s the biggest challenge, and the beauty of Cannes Lions is its unique blend of professional learning opportunities set against the backdrop of a picturesque seaside town, but how do you do it all?
6. Relish the experience
My week at Cannes was filled with intense learning, insightful conversations, and eye-opening experiences, leaving me mentally drained and intellectually stimulated (I think those can happen concurrently). The festival left me with a renewed appreciation of why we do what we do in the AdTech industry: supporting the pursuit of creativity, the drive for innovation, and the desire to forge meaningful connections.
Cannes Lions was more than just a festival – it was a week of stepping out of my comfort zone, gaining deep insights, and establishing relationships that I hope will last a lifetime. As I boarded my flight out of Nice, surrounded by adults with layers of event access bracelets, I was inspired and stacked with knowledge and ideas that will help drive meaningful marketing opportunities with our content and partnerships.
The grandeur, the learning sessions, the networking, and the profound lessons exceeded all my expectations. My week at Cannes Lions was unique, intense, insightful, and unforgettable. It was an experience I can’t wait to repeat!
Follow us on LinkedIn or sign up for our email newsletter for more informative content on the latest industry insights and data-driven marketing.
Get in touch
Latest posts
AI is working its way into all aspects of marketing. AI will soon be used to personalize ads for viewers while optimizing based on data.
Discover the importance of navigating the post-cookie world and learn how UID2 can enhance sustainable advertising.
Magnite and Experian have formed a strategic integration to enhance cross-device audience targeting in the advertising industry. Magnite, the largest independent sell-side platform, and Experian, a leader in consumer data and identity solutions, aim to optimize advertising capabilities by activating Experian's Consumer View in Magnite Access, an omnichannel audience product suite. This marks one of Experian’s first forays into a direct sell-side integration, a crucial step for the cookieless era. This collaboration offers targeting and efficiency across digital channels, providing advertisers and agencies with a more effective way to reach consumers. With Experian's robust deterministic offline data, generated from consumer purchase activity, enriched with insights on over 250 million U.S. consumers and 126 million U.S. households, advertisers can look forward to a new benchmark in targeted advertising available through Magnite Access. Thriving in a cookieless world With the looming deprecation of third-party cookies, audience, and identity solutions using first-party data are shifting to the sell-side. To that end, Magnite developed Magnite Access, a suite of omnichannel audience products that make it easier for media owners and their advertising partners to maximize the value of their first-party data assets. Access is adept at thriving in a post-cookie world through its effective utilization of sell-side first-party data, including within Magnite Streaming and SpringServe. Magnite Access’ deterministic and probabilistic tools provide sellers and buyers with a comprehensive solution to leverage their first-party data for audience targeting and insights. Experian's solutions are built to work efficiently in offline environments, making them well-equipped to thrive in a cookieless world. Brands can benefit from Experian's deep integrations within the ecosystem, providing data and audience solutions designed to perform in cookieless environments. "We're excited about the collaborative approach between Magnite and Experian. This off-the-shelf integration of Experian's syndicated audiences and the streamlined ability to receive custom audiences will provide a more accurate and cohesive consumer view, allowing us to reach our target audience and enhance campaign performance seamlessly."sam bloom, ceo, camelot Reach and impact As companies continue to rely on data-driven insights to make smarter, more efficient business decisions, partnerships between leading data and technology providers are becoming increasingly valuable. "Integrating with Magnite allows us to translate our extensive offline and online data into actionable, intelligent solutions for making smarter, more efficient business decisions. With Magnite's expertise in the omnichannel sell-side environment, this partnership is poised to empower businesses with the tools they need to succeed in today's data-driven landscape."chris feo, svp, sales & partnerships, experian Strengthening foundations within streaming Magnite's cutting-edge streaming solutions, integrated with Experian's robust data, facilitate a connection between data and inventory, providing enhanced targeting capabilities and consumer insights. "By integrating Experian's Consumer View capabilities into our platform, we are enabling advertisers to unlock improved targeting capabilities while benefiting from Experian's wealth of consumer insights. Our collaboration with Experian amplifies the value of our streaming solutions and enhances the overall advertising ecosystem by seamlessly connecting data, identity, and inventory."kristen williams, svp, strategic partnerships, magnite Precision and innovation: A new advertising era The synergistic partnership between Magnite and Experian is paving the way for a new era in advertising, offering targeting efficiency across digital channels. This collaboration is not merely a confluence of technologies but a testament to both companies' relentless pursuit of excellence in creating a consumer-conscious advertising ecosystem. By harnessing the wealth of consumer insights and integrating state-of-the-art technologies, Magnite and Experian are contributing to shaping the future of advertising, emphasizing accuracy and efficiency. It's a revolutionary stride toward understanding and reaching the consumer in more meaningful and impactful ways, setting new benchmarks in the advertising world. In a rapidly evolving digital landscape, this collaboration stands as a beacon, guiding brands toward intelligent, informed, and innovative advertising solutions, redefining the possibilities in targeted advertising and audience solutions. Connect with us to learn more about how you can access Experian’s Consumer View data solutions in Magnite Access. To learn more about our partner Magnite, visit their website. Latest posts