Photos by Joffray Jouve & Oleg P.
Cannes Lions sets the global standard for what exceptional marketing and creativity look like. The festival attracts over 12,000 attendees from nearly 100 countries, with a significant percentage of delegates holding senior roles. This density of decision-makers and industry influencers creates unparalleled networking opportunities.
Cannes Lions is considered essential for marketers and creatives because it represents the pinnacle of global recognition in the creative communications industry. Work recognized at Cannes is seen by a global audience, offering exposure that can lead to new opportunities, partnerships, and clients. Agencies and brands use Cannes Lions success as a tool to attract and retain top-tier creative talent. It’s a visible signal that they value and invest in groundbreaking ideas. Beyond the awards, Cannes Lions is a week-long summit of ideas. Workshops, panels, and talks from global thought leaders provide insight into emerging trends, technologies, and shifts in consumer behavior.
The festival recognizes not just artistic creativity but also strategic effectiveness (e.g., Creative Effectiveness Lions). It affirms that great creativity can also drive business results, making it easier for creatives to justify bold ideas to stakeholders. In a cluttered marketplace, creative excellence can be a major differentiator. Cannes Lions helps brands stand out by celebrating campaigns that cut through the noise.
In short, Cannes Lions is more than just an awards show – it’s a catalyst for creative evolution, business growth, and professional recognition. Cannes Lions gathers decision-makers from agencies, brands, media platforms, and tech companies that makes the event a prime environment for networking, partnerships, and deal-making.
Attending Cannes Lions 2025 offers a wealth of educational benefits that extend far beyond the awards themselves. Here’s why it’s essential for professionals at all career stages:
Education
Cannes Lions hosted over 200+ content sessions, featuring 500 speakers across five content streams on 11 stages, covering strategy, creativity, innovation, effectiveness, and more. This curated program allowed attendees to dive deeply into topics such as AI-powered creativity, cultural marketing, and real‐time consumer storytelling.
Cannes Lions’ LIONS Academies and School offered immersive, skill-building programs designed for both emerging talent and senior marketers . These included:
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Young Lions Competitions for under-30s to refine creative craft in a global context.
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CMO Accelerator for senior marketing leaders to strategize creatively at scale.
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Brand Marketing Academy: a selective, six-day program (for high-potential talent under 30), unlocking skills in creativity, AI tools, and brand leadership through peer learning and real-world case studies.
Cannes Lions 2025 was a powerhouse of learning—from inspired keynotes to applied education and extended hybrid programs—making it a must‑attend for anyone serious about staying ahead in marketing, creativity, and brand innovation.Education extends beyond the festival with LIONS e‑learning that offers creative and effective MBAs and digital courses, so attendees can continue learning post-event.
Networking
Networking at Cannes Lions 2025 was not just good—it was transformational. Cultures from all over the world, languages from all over the world. One thing was for sure in common, that’s intelligence. Everyone here was there for a reason, and that’s probably why the event felt so special. With over 15,000 delegates from 90+ countries including top-tier CMOs, agency leaders, film producers, creators, celebrities, athletes, and tech innovators, Cannes Lions remains the one place where the entire marketing ecosystem converges in person.
Insight and connection often happened while waiting in line or at unexpected moments— hallway chats, impromptu bar discussions, or shared transport. These serendipitous connections proved as powerful as formal sessions. Some lifelong connections were made at this festival.
Networking at Cannes Lions 2025 mattered because it:
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Brought together a global and diverse creative economy.
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Created authentic connection points through curated and casual programming.
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Enabled the formation of communities that fuel long-term collaboration and innovation.
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Catalyzed real business growth and brand-building from every interaction.
It wasn’t just who you met—it was how, where, and why you met them—and Cannes Lions delivered that marketing &creative ecosystem in a way no other event can if you ask us.
Brand Events
There’s too much to say here about the events and the experience the world’s biggest brands provided but we’ll sum it up.
TikTok’s Private Hotel Carlton Garden Party
TikTok transformed the Carlton Hotel Gardens into an interactive “TikTok Garden.” Attendees immersed themselves in creator demos, hands-on content creation stations, branded swag drops, and “Only on TikTok” surprises. The highlight was the invite‑only closing party. The energizing dance floor was driven by stellar musical talent and cultural flair, with sounds from DJ Shu. TikTok’s Hotel Carlton presence showcased strategic brilliance: a dynamic, immersive environment connecting creators, brands, and marketers warpped in social energy and cultural momentum.
ADWeek Activation At Le Majestic Hotel + Adobe’s Living Gallery
A dedicated branded house at ADWeek spanned multiple days (June 15–20), packed with fireside chats, group conversations, and panels covering retail media, AI, creator economy, brand-building, and more—co-hosted with partners like Teads, Zeta, Albertsons, Nativo, Nestlé, Accenture Song, GumGum, Acast, Tracksuit, among others.
Along with private brand experiences, Adobe had their own setup with live artwork creation using Adobe tools, personalized tote‑making, and artistic collaborations—bringing creativity to life in real time. Adobe doubled its Cannes presence in 2025 compared to 2024—expanding from Young Lions sponsorships into full-hotel immersion and high-visibility brand experiences like signage, cabanas, and partnerships.
DEPT’s Secret Garden’s Exclusive Paradise At J.W. Marriott
DEPT®’s Secret Garden was more than an activation—it was a thoughtfully orchestrated sanctuary of insight. By blending serene hospitality with cutting-edge ideas and real-world application, it elegantly cut through festival noise—making it one of Cannes Lions 2025’s most strategic and curated activations. The programming aimed to “bring the noise down and the level of conversation up,” delivering substance over spectacle with speakers in partnership with AfriCannes. The experience was no doubt one of the most memorable experiences throughout the festival.
“We know Cannes can be overwhelming. We wanted to create a space that brings the noise down and the level of conversation up.” – Dimi Albers, Global CEO, DEPT®
The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity is widely considered the pinnacle event for the global advertising and marketing industry. At its core, Cannes Lions is about celebrating and recognizing the best creative work from around the world. The coveted Lion trophies are a global benchmark for excellence in advertising, marketing, and creative communications. Agencies and brands aspire to win a Lion because it signifies a commitment to exceptional creativity that drives real business results. This desire for recognition elevates the quality of work produced globally.
As things wound down at Cannes Lions 2025, the overriding takeaway was a pragmatic yet optimistic view of creativity’s future. The festival served as a powerful reminder that the most compelling work is not merely technically brilliant, but deeply human-aware.
