Insights from Cannes Lions Festival 2024 to elevate your marketing strategy

Hello, fellow marketers! I’m Tiffany Hardin, CEO of Gild Creative Group, an end-to-end influencer marketing creative agency, and I’m excited to share my experience from this year’s Cannes Lions Festival. This annual pilgrimage for the marketing and creative industries was nothing short of transformative, offering invaluable insights that I believe will significantly impact our marketing strategies moving forward.

If you came to the festival not knowing what was popular for advertisers, you certainly left knowing that brands are betting big on sports, creators and artificial intelligence. Here are the key themes that dominated this year’s conversations and how we can incorporate them into our own marketing efforts.

AI is a rocketship in marketing

AI was at the forefront of Cannes discussions, and for good reason: it’s revolutionizing how we understand and engage with our audiences. Here are a few takeaways:

• Personalization at scale: AI enables us to create highly personalized content and experiences for consumers. By analyzing data and consumer behavior, AI can help tailor messages that resonate on an individual level. Even Linkedin is using AI to help users generate and place ads more effectively.
• Efficiency in operations: AI-driven tools can automate repetitive tasks, allowing our teams to focus on more strategic initiatives. From content creation to customer service, AI can enhance productivity and efficiency. Descript is already dominating with users leveraging their AI text to voice features (which are handy for podcast ad narration.)
• Predictive analytics: Leveraging AI to predict trends and consumer needs can give us a competitive edge. By understanding what our audience wants before they even know it, we can create more targeted and effective campaigns. This is a huge win for adtech.

Yes, DEI, Is very much still alive

Diversity and inclusion were pivotal themes at Cannes. Though not as prevalent as in years prior, this year’s programming reflects a growing recognition of DEI’s importance in marketing. This year, I spoke on a panel sponsored by Paramount’s Content for Change hosted at the Cannes Can: Diversity Collective stage produced by Adrienne Smith, who is a diversity leader and paved the way for POC leaders to have a “home” at the festival.

Here’s how we can incorporate these values into our strategies:

• Authentic representation: Ensure that our campaigns represent diverse groups authentically. This means not only featuring diverse faces but also telling stories that resonate with different cultures and communities. Ensuring cultural nuances are represented in everything from your briefs to the final creative builds trust amongst audiences.
• Inclusive marketing: Create marketing materials that are accessible to all. This includes considering language, visuals and platforms to reach a broader audience.
• Investing in internal practices: Genuine DEI starts from within. Building a diverse and inclusive team will naturally translate into more diverse and inclusive marketing strategies. Ensuring that diverse suppliers, who are typically smaller, are able to get paid faster is one way to create systemic shifts.

Creators are key to authentic engagement and growth

The role of creators in marketing has never been more significant. This year’s festival highlighted how collaborating with creators can drive authentic engagement and sizable reach:

• Genuine connections: Creators have built trust with their audiences. Partnering with them allows brands to tap into this trust and connect with consumers in a more genuine and relatable way. So managing those relationships well…matters.
• Content diversity: Working with creators allows us to diversify our content. Creators bring unique perspectives and styles that can enrich our marketing materials. Even nano influencers—who don’t have massive followings—can deliver quality content and offer new opportunities for experimentation. AI influencer-generated content are some areas to look forward to as well.
• Agility and innovation: Creators are often at the cutting edge of trends, but don’t often get a seat at the table to grow their own brands. There is a white space here for brands who have the infrastructure to offer interesting, innovative deal structures beyond branded content (e.g., product co-creation).

The power of sports marketing

Sports continue to be a powerful platform for reaching and engaging audiences. According to Alexis Ohanian during his panel at Sports Beach, sports is the last bastion of humanity. Honestly, no one wants to see robots playing sports. This year, it was a big theme for brands who leverage the fandom and the athlete in their marketing. Here’s how we can leverage sports in our marketing plans:

• Emotional connection: Sports evoke strong emotions and loyalties. Aligning our brands with these emotions can create deep connections with our audience. People like winners, and want to be associated with the underlying tenacity athletes demonstrate on and off the field.
• Broad cultural momentum: Sports events draw large, diverse audiences. Sponsorships, advertisements and partnerships in the sports arena can significantly expand the scope of who you’re able to reach.
• Engagement opportunities: Sports offer numerous opportunities for brand activations, from live events to social media interactions. Leveraging these moments can drive real-time affinity and build community around our brand.

The business benefits of attending Cannes Lions Festival

For creative entrepreneurs and independent agencies, attending Cannes Lions Festival can yield substantial returns on investment. And, yes, this is a big investment. Here’s why you should consider making the trip next year:

• Premium networking: Effortlessly connect with senior industry leaders, potential clients and collaborators. The festival is a hub for networking and forging valuable relationships. Just make sure to do that follow up! If you have the budget, create intimate moments like a dinner for key players in your business.
• Trendspotting, education and inspiration: Gain insights from the world’s top marketers and creatives. The knowledge shared at Cannes (not to mention exposure to cutting-edge campaigns) can inspire and inform your strategies. Stay ahead of industry trends and understand where the market is heading. This foresight can position your agency as a forward-thinking leader.
• Visibility: Showcasing your work at Cannes can elevate your brand or agency’s profile, attracting new business opportunities. Personally, having a speaking engagement on a main branded beach was supportive.

Attending the Cannes Lions Festival is more than just an educational experience; it’s a strategic investment in your business’s future. By embracing the themes and insights shared this year, we can all strive to create more impactful, inclusive and innovative marketing campaigns.

Let’s continue to push boundaries and redefine what’s possible in marketing. Here’s to a year of creativity and growth!

Check out our Post Performance Report series for more examples of brands tapping into some of these timely themes.