The Cannes Lions Festival returns at a moment of profound uncertainty – and opportunity – for the global marketing business. AI has moved from theoretical disruption to everyday reality, sparking intense debate about the future of creative work, while the rise of online creators continues to reshape how brands connect with audiences. More than 500 speakers will participate from across the fields of advertising, technology, entertainment and media, including notable names such as Uber producer Jerry Bruckheimer, Traitors Host Alan Cumming, Indian superstar Priyanka Chopra Jonas, iconic actress Hannah Stocking, fashion designer Stella McCartney, and the “Queen of All Media” Oprah Winfrey, who will receive the LionHeart Award from the Cannes Lions Festival in recognition of their decades-long impact on culture and social change. Among the top technology and advertising executives scheduled to attend are Apple senior vice president Eddy Cue, Instagram head Adam Mosseri, P&G chief brand officer Marc Pritchard, and Unilever global marketing officer Leandro Barreto.
CEO of Cannes Lions Simon Cook Talk to THR Ahead of this year’s event on the challenge of harnessing AI as “a creativity booster, not a negative force,” how online creatives are transforming the advertising business and why Oprah embodies the Black spirit.
You have been CEO of Cannes Lions since 2019. How has the creative industry changed over that time?
If we go back to the pandemic, what we’ve seen is a lot of companies are accelerating their plans and strategies, and we’ve seen real innovation and creativity coming out of that. If we fast forward to now, we find that the industry is grappling with disruption to its ecosystem, economic uncertainty, and global instability, which has led to an intense focus on returns on creative investment. We are witnessing an industry evolving at an unprecedented pace. Marketing managers deal with more complexity and scrutiny than ever before, with expectations to deliver immediate results while building brands that last.
It looks like artificial intelligence will dominate the conversations at Cannes this year. What do you see as the biggest concerns for the industry?
AI continues to rise as a force in our industry, but how we harness it as a tool to enhance human-led creativity will be crucial. AI plays a role in the creative process, but I think it will eventually get to a place where it becomes a creativity booster rather than a negative force. For example, we introduced AI Craft subcategories across our Craft-Led Lions to recognize the work where human creativity and AI come together to create ideas that neither could achieve alone. The focus here is on learning about the craft, artistry and true intention, with artificial intelligence working in service of the idea.
What is a current trend in the industry that you would like to see go away?
It’s not so much a trend as it is a phase, but we are currently in a world defined by mediocrity, and the acceleration of sameness. As AI continues to become a powerful force, with highly personalized and highly targeted messages, we have to be careful not to dilute the distinctiveness, meaning, emotional significance and stories that spread.
What keeps you up at night?
Preoccupation with the new. It’s a fleeting and trend-setting industry, and we tend to focus on the shiny new thing rather than the basics that have served us for many years. The key is to strike the right balance – embracing the new and combining it with practices and principles that still support the effectiveness of our craft.
What interests you most?
The opportunity for new talent to shape and develop the future of our industry is very exciting. I always look forward to meeting our young people, our students and the next generation of leaders who attend Cannes Lions School for exactly this reason.
This story appeared in the June 16 issue of The Hollywood Reporter. Click here to subscribe.
