This year’s Cannes Lions Festival is sure to be buzzing with lots of energy—thanks in part to the sunny weather and flowing rosé. Despite the torrent of press that claims Cannes is “so out”, advertising’s biggest event still has us coming back for more. Whether you’re attending, sitting this one out, or just interested in what’s trending along the French Riviera, here are our predictions for this year’s festival.
Cannes Lions is going back to the basics
Sure, there will always be parties and celebrities, but with agencies pulling budget away from Cannes Lions, expect more people who do get to go to actually attend the content and award show. After all, this is the festival of creativity! Plus, with delegates spending more of their time at the Palais, GroundTruth has partnered with Cannes Lions to provide free WI-FI to delegates. You may even be lucky enough to win a paid* visit to Cannes Lions 2019 by opting in to receive more information from GroundTruth.
Gender equality is at the forefront of conversations
There’s no way around it: advertising still remains a male-dominated industry and this year we saw this conversation carry over into other industries too. Unlike its January counterpart, CES, Cannes Lions has filled its stage with powerhouse female speakers. Sessions include Chief Brand Officer of Uber, Bozoma Saint John, Emmy Award-winning creator, writer, actress, and it girl, Lena Waithe, and Founder & CEO of the GirlBoss movement, Sophia Amoruso—just to name a few.
Virtual reality takes a backseat to storytelling
A few years ago, you couldn’t avoid VR at Cannes. However, today, consumer adoption has been “virtually” non-existent, and this theme will likely be reflected in this year’s talk track. Expect content to go much deeper emotionally, with a focus on brand purpose and storytelling. A few standout sessions include “How to un-fake it” and tell surprising, fundamental human stories, and “A window into the depth of death and creativity” in which Google’s Umma Saini will share how a near-death experience taught her about creativity and finding purpose.
Attending Cannes Lions this year? Email events@groundtruth.com today to schedule a meeting with one of our location experts onsite.
