By R. Larsson, Advertising Week
As the global creative community prepares to descend on the French Riviera, Cannes Lions 2025 is shaping up to be one of the most thought-provoking editions yet. With the industry at a tipping point — where the dust is settling around AI hype, global shifts are pressing marketers to redefine their strategies, and creative storytelling is being recalibrated for commerce — this year’s festival is less about spectacle and more about smart transformation.
Expect beachside panels and late-night terrace talks to go deep on themes like the practical deployment of AI, data-fueled creativity, curation strategies, evolving storytelling formats, and renewed urgency around execution. From emerging platforms to ethics in digital marketing, leaders across the ecosystem are arriving in Cannes with clarity, curiosity, and purpose.
AI: Beyond the buzz, into the business
It’s no surprise that artificial intelligence is set to dominate the Croisette once again. But this year, the tone is different. Less about experimentation and more about real-world impact, AI is emerging as the connective tissue across media, creative, and measurement.
Ossie Bayram, UK Vice President – Outcomes at Adlook, is clear on what’s changed:
“While attention, creative innovation, and media efficiency will all be key themes this year, AI is set to be the driving force behind them. I expect it to dominate the conversation, but unlike in previous years, where legacy tech was often rebranded as AI, we’re now seeing genuine innovation that’s delivering real performance gains across the board. That shift will be a major talking point in Cannes!”
That sentiment is echoed by Jason Downie, Global CRO of AI Technology at Making Science, who points to the challenges marketers face amid rapid advances:
“AI is going to be front and centre at Cannes this year, especially with Google’s recent Marketing Live releases having a huge influence on momentum for AI Search, particularly around creative impact on performance. I anticipate that the biggest challenge at the forefront of advertisers’ minds will be how to make sense of the rapid advances of AI and apply them to business for performance and efficiency. I’m expecting lots of discussions around how marketers can harness this without losing sight of creativity and impact.”
Davide Rosamilia, VP of Product at ID5, adds a critical distinction that will shape many conversations:
“In the past couple of years, we’ve seen many companies bolt ‘AI’ onto existing products—more of a marketing play than true innovation. But that’s changing. With real investment flowing into foundational development, we’re entering a phase where AI is powering genuinely new products, not just dressing up old ones. This evolution will be a major talking point at Cannes, where the focus is shifting from AI-washing to AI-built.”
And from a macro-industry view, Ogury’s CEO Geoffroy Martin expects deeper reflection:
“As economic headwinds are reshaping the industry’s budgets (and their priorities), I expect Cannes this year to focus on the ‘artificial’ elephant in the room – AI. The media ecosystem finds itself at a turning point, with zero-click searches and custom-generated pages on the fly having a significant impact on publisher traffic and ad revenue.
“I anticipate the buzz of Cannes this year will fuel business engines and refocus the conversations around the proliferation and tangible value of AI. We’re now in an era of moving beyond the hype, the buzzwords, the quick wins, in favour of long-term results.”
Data, curation, and creative accountability
With budgets under scrutiny and performance pressure mounting, this year’s Cannes will go beyond strategy to execution. Leaders expect conversations to focus on how brands can activate smarter and more accountable campaigns across fragmented media landscapes.
Fabio De Bernardi, VP Business Development at Adverity, underscores the role of AI-powered data in unlocking purpose-driven creativity:
“Cannes has always been reflective of the industry’s priorities, its concerns, and attitudes, and with as we’ve seen AI become less of a shiny ‘nice-to-have’ new toy to a more essential tool, I expect conversations at this year’s festival to be focused even more on how data and AI can fuel the advertising and creative industries.
“I’m looking forward to discussing how making data accessible, comprehensible, and actionable across the business using AI can be a key driver of creativity and purposeful decision-making. Giving everyone – from finance to marketing to design – a real seat at the table is crucial to strategic creativity that is fuelled by data and meaningful insights.”
James Leaver, CEO of Multilocal, sees curation taking centre stage in media strategy:
“I expect conversations at Cannes to be dominated by similar topics to the other industry events we’ve attended this year – think AI, CTV, and how marketers can maximise their budgets with more effective and sustainable ad campaigns.
“When it comes to the latter, we’re expecting deeper dialogues around the next evolution of curation in the reshaping of programmatic strategy – for example, how curation will impact the future of media agencies, what curation looks like in CTV, and what it brings to retail media. Unlike previous years, where the spotlight was on innovation, this year will be more grounded in both execution and accountability.”
Sarah Robertson, Chief Product Officer at Experian Marketing Services, captures the broader imperative:
“At Cannes, the conversation continues to evolve — from targeting precision to broader questions of responsibility, relevance, and respect. As marketers and agencies alike confront shifts in identity, regulation, and consumer trust, its clear data will remain crucial for success, However, they will need to leverage a broader range of data to stay competitive and supplement their first-party data with privacy-centric audience extension and curated media strategies. Innovation, collaboration, and interoperability quickly become the new creative enablers. We’re looking forward to discussing how these foundations can shape a more sustainable future for brands, agencies, publishers and tech vendors.”
Reimagining creative storytelling
As agencies and brands rethink what it means to be creative in a tech-saturated world, Cannes will once again be a canvas for imagining the future of storytelling — across platforms, formats, and emotional dimensions.
Meg Haley, SVP of Global Client Partnerships at Vidmob, anticipates a pivot in how creativity is approached:
“I’m expecting a resurgence of power players on the beach, with a less platform-centric feel and a larger focus on evolving Ad Tech around AI tools, solutions, and measurement.
“As the agency landscape continues to shift with media and creative rejoining, discussions at Cannes will look at the implications this will have on how marketers think about creativity and connect with consumers. There will also be conversations about the continued evolution of storytelling, and how to balance scaled content creation – amidst the abundance of AI solutions – with the power and grounding of the brand story and purpose.”
Rob Blake, Managing Director UK and Ireland at Channel Factory, believes the focus is shifting from novelty to nuance:
“At Cannes this year, expect the conversation to move well beyond buzzwords and into the practical realities of how brands navigate today’s digital complexity. One key theme will be context. With so much change – from platform algorithms to consumer habits – brands are re-evaluating not just who they reach, but where those messages appear. Expect more focus on brand suitability, not as a safety measure, but as a driver of relevance and effectiveness.
“We also anticipate a shift in how marketers view YouTube. Long seen as a top-of-funnel channel, it’s now proving its value across the entire journey, especially with the rise of video podcasts and Shorts. These formats will likely be central to how brands build storytelling and performance in one place.”
The human side of innovation
In a year where technology dominates, many are calling for deeper discussions about the emotional and ethical dimensions of digital creativity.
Charlie Johnson, VP International at Digital Envoy, is one such voice:
“I’m curious to hear about AI celebrities and digital idols at Cannes this year. There are ethical issues in this area, and there will undoubtedly be head-scratching around what these trends mean for human connection in marketing.
“This relates to the broader topic that needs to be discussed more – the myth of true personalisation. More and more creative decisions are being influenced by synthetic data – so is personalisation really personalisation at all? And what does that mean for consumers on the hunt for authenticity in a sea of deepfakes?
“I’m intrigued to see if these deeper questions around truth, authenticity, and the evolving relationship between data, creativity, and emotion will take the stand this year.”
Cannes as a catalyst
Beyond the big ideas and industry-defining conversations, Cannes remains a place where relationships are strengthened and business gets done; and this year, that momentum may reach new heights.
Sarah Lawson Johnston, Managing Director, EMEA at Vudoo, puts it plainly:
“Cannes is usually about meeting new people and reinforcing existing relationships, with business decisions often saved for DMEXCO in September. This year, I think there will be a shift, with more deals closing in Cannes. With a higher sense of urgency and pressure building across the whole ecosystem, decision-making and rapid activation will be the differentiators for those looking to leap-frog the competition.
“In terms of themes on the ground, there’s no doubt that AI and its impact on the industry will continue to be a huge discussion topic. Specifically, I expect commerce media and shoppable creativity to be high on the agenda. The intersection between creative work and conversion is no longer niche, so we can expect to hear about campaigns that deliver both emotional resonance and measurable sales.”
And for many, Cannes is a creative pilgrimage; a chance to reimagine the future of the craft itself. James Booth, Founder & CEO of Scoota, captures that spirit:
“The essence of Cannes has a strong Sliding Doors vibe, carrying the sense that any chance encounter has the potential to trigger new horizons and opportunities. Certainly, as a major industry event, it still warrants planning. Time at the festival takes on a different meaning, flowing in unusual ways and often extending to long days with heavy footstep counts. The wise will plan well by focusing on short meetings and clear agendas. Although I try my best, I’ve rarely managed to make it work perfectly, and I’m not alone.
This year will be the year of AI – no surprises there. Creativity is learning and working out its relationship with AI. My personal Cannes will focus on the importance of true creativity in a digital world, especially within the broadening programmatic ecosystem, and exploring its impact on retail media. Somewhat of an obsession for me but also an increasingly vital discussion for the industry.”
As Cannes Lions 2025 kicks off, one thing is certain: the conversations won’t just shape headlines, but help define the next chapter of advertising. From AI and authenticity to data, storytelling, and transformation, the industry is leaning into the future with eyes open, feet on the ground, and creativity at its core.
