FESTIVAL DAY 1

Summary:

My first day at Cannes Lions immediately set the tone for the rest of the festival. The biggest theme I noticed throughout the day was the power of storytelling, authenticity, and finding ways for brands to become part of culture.

My favorite talk of the day was hearing Susie Cradle receive the Lion of St. Mark. Hearing someone behind some of advertising's most iconic work explain her creative process was incredibly inspiring. One moment that really stuck with me was when she was asked if she ever thought she would pursue performance after growing up doing theatre. She said, “Sometimes the things we enjoy the most are what lead us to what we do.” That quote really resonated with me because I’ve spent so many years wondering if I should have taken the performance route, but I’m starting to see how those skills have shaped me as a creative and made me a better art director.

I also loved hearing Fabiola Torres, GAP’s CMO, speak about transforming GAP from a nostalgic brand of the past into a brand that feels relevant today. What stood out to me most was her perspective on how her Latin American background influences her work. She spoke about how her heritage brings honesty, flavor, and perspective to the way she approaches creativity. As a Latina myself, that really made me reflect on how our backgrounds and experiences can become strengths in the work we create.

Throughout the other sessions, I kept noticing similar ideas coming up: brands need to listen to culture, build communities, and create stories that people actually want to be a part of. One quote that stuck with me from the Duolingo conversation was the idea that they are “in the business of retention; learning worth choosing.” and that the “culture is in the comments”. Their success comes from understanding what people care about and finding ways to connect with those moments.

Ending the day with the awards show was the perfect reminder of what makes this industry so exciting. The best campaigns don’t just advertise a product—they create conversations, build culture, and become something people remember.

AWARD SHOW

Favorite Campaigns:

  1. “Tocayos” Heineken; LePub, Milan & Antiestatico, Madrid

  2. “Viagra Blue Brands” Viatris Viagra; Ogilvy Shanghai

  3. “Beat Cancer Off” Fuck Cancer ; VML New York & Jamute|Dirty Work, São Paulo

  4. “Donate to Play” Grupo Pulsa ; Publicis Brasil, São Paulo & FUZZR, São Paulo

  5. “Look Familiar?” Heinz Ketchup; Rethink, Toronto

  6. “Tiny Coffee Shops” De’Longhi; LOLA, Madrid

  7. “Sunburnt Car” mica; TBWA\Sydney

  8. “The Last Coke in the Desert” Coca-Cola; VML, New York

  9. “Could Have Been a Heineken”; LePub, Milan & LePub, São Paulo

  10. “Sleep Talk Reviews” IKEA; Rethink, Toronto

  11. “Searching for Birds on the Wires” ABRADEE Institutional; Africa Creative, São Paulo

  12. “Coquí Alarmed” Hyundai Puerto Rico; BBDO Puerto Rico, Guayanabo

PRE-FESTIVAL
DAY 1
DAY 2
DAY 3
DAY 4
ADVICE

Schedule:

Lion of St.Mark- Susie Cradle

DEBUSSY

Key Takeaways:

  • A sense of humor goes a long way in advertising.

  • She grew up doing theatre like me, and when asked if she ever thought she was going to go down the path of performance growing up she answered that “Sometimes the things we enjoy the most are what lead us to what we do". This really resonated with me because I feel like I’ve spent so many years wondering if I should’ve taken the performance route but recently I have seen the ways that those skills have made me a better art director and creative. This really quote hit home for me.

  • She believes storytelling & creativity can save the world.

  • She was the brain behind the creation of the M&M characters. They managed to turn characters into a comedic ensemble. Since they had no money for TV, they started merchandising, and that ultimately led to the creation of the M&M stores. An amazing example of a creative ad becoming POP culture.

  • She was also behind the MAYHAM SALE creative —> “Consistency can lead to some of the most creative ideas because people get it, they feel smart”. I found this really interesting, especially because it explains why a series works.

The CMO Podcast with Faby Torres

Speakers- Fabiola Torres GAP CMO

TUBI CABANA

Key Takeaways:

  • Faby wanted to transform GAP into not just being the brand of the 90s, but being the brand of 2026. She didn't;t want GAP to have to “claim to be cool” instead she wanted GAP to re-earn that title.

  • Right now GAP is doing a lot with pop culture, music, and celerities. She music as a cultural unifier.

  • I asked her how her background as a Latina woman influenced your vision when it comes to music & entertainment mixing w/ GAP? Her answer: Latin American heritage makes her honest, brings the flavor, and gives her perspective.

  • Hearing a Mexican woman who is now the CMO of one of the most well known fashion companies was behind inspiring. In her answer to my question, I really resonated with what she said about honesty. Latin American culture is one that is very direct and honest, and while that has always been a norm for me, this conversation made me realize that is not always the case. And our unique perspective and cultural background can really play a role in the work we do down the line.

Sports through Music

SPORT BEACH

Speakers-

  • Kevin Chernett, EVP & Head of Global Media Partnerships at LIVE NATION

  • Rob Christensen, EVP Global Sales at VEVO

  • Scotty James, Olympic Medalist & Snowboarder

  • Don Mcguire, CMO Qualcomm Inc.

  • Moderator Erika Bennet, CMO REVOLT & Offscript Worldwide

Key Takeaways:

  • Think of fans as community

  • Have to think about how to compound community even when you’re not in your sport forever.

  • What impact can you make as an athlete with the brand? If it’s just about the money there is no longevity.

REWRITE THE RULES: CREATIVITY UNBOUND

FQ CABANA

Speakers-

  • Robyn Delmonte, Pop Culture Commentator aka GirlBossTown

  • Jill Hamilton, VP & Global Media at American Express

  • Lisa Holme, VP & Head of Content at Roku Media

  • Alexandria Sumner, from Snapchat

Key Takeaways:

  • Creators are more focused on monetization and not creativity, and they need to find a better way to still be creative while still monetizing.

  • Robyn talked about how when she started her social media journey she really trued to think about who was girlbosstown as a brand vs. Robyn as a creator. In doing this she was able to make more opportunities for herself.

  • Lisa helped bring Love Island UK to the US on Hulu. Thinking about audiences and impact.

The ROI of Social Listening

CANVA CABANA

Speakers-

  • Scott Morris, CMO at sprout social

  • Manu Orssaud, CMO at Duolingo

  • Rory Dolan, Head of Marketing Strategy at Canva

  • Chanelle Kaifas, VP Brand Marketing & Strategy at NYT

Key Takeaways:

  • Duolingo really focused on building the personality of the Duo the Owl. Their whole marketing strategy originated from memes about the owl being menacing, so they got in on the joke.

  • When they chose to kill him this year, it created a massive shock factor, and they only really built the storyline after listening to audience. They rode the story and found the culture in the comments.

  • Duolingo is in the business of retention; learning worth choosing. Because of this they have to find what people care about to tap into that culture, to inspire them.

I found all of this incredibly interesting because it also shows how Duolingo has really differentiated themselves as a brand and their approach to marketing. They listen to culture and take bold leaps to seize the current moments. That is what keeps people interested.