Our Cannes Lions 2025 Recap

Speed read from the French Riviera

• Cannes Lions 2025 revealed major platform shifts worth early adoption

• AI infrastructure is no longer optional for competitive marketing

• Award-winning campaigns show proven growth strategies disguised as creativity

• Platform diversification timing could determine Q4 success

From Cannes: Why Showing Up Changes Everything

I'm just getting back from 3 packed days at Cannes Lions - the biggest global festival in advertising. Often called the Oscars of our industry.

I got a free last-minute ticket and decided to go. Wasn't sure what to expect, but I'm really glad I went.

I went there thinking it would be intimidating - everyone in suits, impossible meetings, no one wanting to talk to anyone. It was the exact opposite of that. Everybody wants to do business. It's super easy to network and talk.

The barrier to attending was mostly mental, but I was wrong about almost everything.

A few things stood out that will change how we think about this stuff:

Presence really matters. Multiple partners mentioned they didn't realize Acceler8 was Canadian or independent. Being one of the few mid-sized agencies from Canada made us stand out in ways I hadn't expected. People assumed we were much larger, which completely changed how they engaged with us.

AI is changing how creative gets made. Not just at platforms, but inside agencies too. I got to demo Google's ViGenAiR - an open-source tool that breaks down long-form video into multiple funnel-specific ad formats. It was fast, flexible, and really impressive. Stuff like this will speed up testing and cut production time.

Influencers are now core to modern advertising. The platforms are doubling down on creator tools and pushing the power of "moments." Influencer marketing is expected to hit $33B this year. Unilever's CEO said nearly 50% of their ad budget is going to influencers. This is a big shift away from traditional TV, radio, and print. Creators are no longer a nice-to-have - they're central to strategy.

What struck me most was the contrast between award-winning campaigns (focused on creativity and buzz) and platform activations (emphasizing direct business impact). Both matter, but the platforms themselves are clearly prioritizing measurable outcomes over creative recognition.

The energy was high and everyone was open to connecting. Tons of casual conversations led to real insights. DEI programming was also very noticeable and I think the Lions did a fantastic job sticking to their beliefs on diversity and inclusion.

Platform Updates: What Actually Matters for Q4

There were so many platform announcements, but honestly, most of it was noise. Six things stood out that actually matter for DTC brands thinking about Q4:

The Big Ones

Meta's WhatsApp Ads - They finally opened up Channels and Status to paid messages. 1.5 billion users. Early adopters are going to get reach while it's still cheap before everyone else shows up.

Pinterest and Instacart teamed up - Real shopping data feeding into shoppable Pins that can auto-fill carts. SKU-level ROAS without Amazon fees. That's pretty compelling.

Reddit's "Community Intelligence" - You can now query 100K+ subreddits for insights and pin the best user comments under your ads. Focus group research and social proof in one tool.

Worth Testing

Snap's Sponsored Snaps - Ads going directly into DMs. Early tests showing +18% purchase intent versus feed ads.

Google and Meta both launched creative scoring - AI that grades your creative on predicted lift before you spend. Built-in media planning for smaller teams.

Everything else - Snap's McDonald's reward integration, YouTube's new video AI, Spotify's creator programs. All pointing toward friction-free commerce and AI-powered content creation.

What We Learned from the Award Winners

The Grand Prix winners were actually pretty strategic when you break them down:

Apple's "Shot on iPhone" - Ten straight years of the same creative concept. One product truth, endless applications. If your brand asset doesn't age, your CAC shouldn't either.

Dove's "Real Beauty: AI Redefined" - They trained Pinterest's algorithm to surface authentic beauty content, driving sales without buying another Meta impression. Smart way to hijack algorithms with your own data.

Ziploc's "Preserved Promos" - Turned packaging into an inflation hedge by letting people save expired coupons. Tiny packaging change, huge value perception shift.

GoDaddy's "Act Like You Know" - Live-demoed their AI builder by launching a fake business during the presentation. 87% traffic increase. Sometimes showing beats telling.

Things to Think About

Based on what I saw at Cannes, here are some questions worth asking:

1. What data do you have that could influence how algorithms show your products?

2. Where can you demonstrate value instead of just claiming it?

3. What small change to your packaging or UX could generate press coverage?

4. Which AI tools could cut your creative production time in half?

The Real Takeaway

Platform diversification timing matters more than perfect execution. Early adopters lock in lower costs before everyone else shows up. Remember TikTok CPMs at $2 in 2019?

If platform testing isn't 15% of your budget yet, the Q4 window is closing.

But here's the thing - the platforms are prioritizing business outcomes over creative awards now. That's good news for performance marketers who focus on what actually drives results.

Showing up matters. Whether that's at Cannes, on new platforms, or just being present where your partners and customers are. It creates advantages that go way beyond the immediate investment.

Already planning to go back next year.

- Niket Shah

The Ad Insider is presented by Acceler8 Labs [Book your complimentary performance media audit today]