Summary:

At the beginning of the week I had seen that the CMO of Levi Strauss. (one of my favorite brands) was going to be at the festival and hosting a breakfast talk, so this was how I started my day. Kenny talked a lot about the importance of being at the center of culture, and that means showing up in iconic moments & partners. Being in subculture through fashion, music, sports. When he first arrived at LEVI’s he knew he had to “fix the foundation to raise the roof” and achieve everything he wanted the brand to achieve. They realized that for generations, if you are someone moving culture, LEVI'S has been an outfitter for you (& they had the receipts to prove it). This was partly what drove their iconic Super Bowl butt ad. They found a way to pay homage to their heritage while also moving forward. They have created a team and found a way to activate quickly and seize opportunities, as seen with Beyonce’s Cowboy Carter Album when they say the setlist and a song called “LEVI”. As well as with the World Cup LEVIs stadium.

I asked Kenny after the talk about what advice he might have for me if dreamer is to work at Levi’s. He said to stalk the brand; when he was doing his work for Gatorade, he became obsessed with the brand, found out everything they were doing, and then looked to find any opportunity that could get him there. Even if it’s an internship, whatever it may be, even if it’s not exactly what you wanna do, it can get you there.

Dr. Marcus Collins was also a great interviewer and it was one of the only talks in the festival where he literally asked every question I was wondering. It really seemed like an authentic conversation.

After breakfast, I headed over to the LinkedIn because they were giving out Nespresso cups that I had my eye on. I grabbed my cup and was about to leave when I glanced up at the screen displaying the live talk happening on the rooftop. I recognized Alan Bersten and Emma Slater from Dancing with the Stars and immediately thought it would be a missed opportunity not to go upstairs and listen.

Their conversation centered around mental health, authenticity, and the pressure to be perfect. One quote that really stuck with me was, "If you're trying to be perfect, you can't be real." They talked about focusing on enjoying the process instead of chasing perfection because people connect with authenticity, not flawlessness. It reminded me of the Polaroid session earlier in the week, which emphasized many of the same ideas.

Alan has also done a great deal of work supporting Jewish advocacy, so after the session I stayed behind simply to thank him. I wasn't looking for a photo or an autograph—I genuinely wanted to express my appreciation for the work he's been doing.

That moment became another reminder of what made Cannes Lions so special. I could have walked in, grabbed my cup, and left. If I had been looking down at my phone, I probably never would have noticed the talk happening overhead. Staying present allowed me to stumble upon an experience I never planned for.

At 11:15, I headed over to the ADhouse for a conversation with Anthony Ramos. As a longtime fan of Hamilton and In the Heights, I knew I didn't want to miss hearing him speak. When I arrived, the previous session was still wrapping up, so I stood around waiting. As I casually looked to my right, I realized Anthony Ramos was standing right next to me.

I introduced myself, told him how much I admired his work, and even got a quick video of him saying hello to my brother. It was such an unexpected moment, and once again it reinforced the same lesson: had I been distracted by my phone or not paying attention to my surroundings, I never would have realized he was there. Before the crowd even noticed him, I had the chance to have a genuine one-on-one conversation.

During his talk, Anthony spoke about his transition into producing and the importance of creating meaningful work. One of the ideas that resonated most with me was that consumers care more about compelling stories than simply who's attached to them. It echoed a theme I had been hearing throughout the week in sessions from brands like Coach and Patagonia: strong storytelling will always outlast celebrity.

Afterward, I stopped by a presentation from Rich Silverstein exploring the intersection of AI and storytelling through a Broadway musical. It was fascinating to watch AI generate fully animated characters, choreography, and original songs. At the same time, it was really freaky lol.

The final session of the day—and one of my favorites of the entire week—was Fernando Machado's talk, Creativity Has to Strike Back. It was funny, energetic, and packed with practical advice for creatives.

One idea I loved was his reminder that marketing lives at the intersection of creativity and logic. Another line that drew laughs but also made a strong point was, "Shit that arrives at the speed of light is still shit." Faster tools don't automatically produce better ideas.

He also shared five principles for protecting creativity. Some of my favorites were:

1. Don't let fear stop you. Machado admitted that he felt nervous before every major campaign he launched. Uncertainty is part of the creative process, but if you abandon every idea simply because it's risky, you'll never create anything remarkable.

2. Grow thick skin. As he put it, if you don't want to be criticized, do something irrelevant. Meaningful work will always attract opinions, and that's a sign you're creating something that matters. This reminded me of Alex Schultz's Patagonia session earlier in the week, where he encouraged creatives to stop fearing judgment.