Cannes deux mille vingt-cinq

On a first-day tour of the Cannes Lions footprint by a delightfully knowledgeable staffer, I learned that the 2025 festival was supported by over two hundred and thirty (230) partners. That doesn’t surprise me as everywhere you turned, there was a free Wall Street Journal being offered your way, fresh squeeze juices being squirted for you, or a line up at beach activation that generated FOMO in your inner core. The sophistication and intensity of B2B partnerships at Cannes are sublimely executed. While old-timers bemoan the days when they stayed up all night and slept on the beach, those grains of sand are now golden real estate for platforms looking to connect with brands worldwide.

One thing about Cannes is universally accepted. You can’t do everything, even if you had access to everything, which most of us, not named Scott Galloway or Kara Swisher, do not have. However, you can try. 

So I did. 

Today, let me share with you a few of my learnings from the partner activities I experienced. In the coming weeks, maybe days, I will share my thoughts on some of the content and even more thoughts on a missed opportunity for the sponsorship community in the overall event. Today, let’s look at my activation learnings. 

MH3

Lesson # 1 - Prepared to be Disappointed

Not going to lie. The first couple of “you’re not good enough for our private event” emails stung. But as I filled out RSVP forms like my fingers were on speed dial, I quickly realized that there was a sweeter yes waiting around the corner for every no I received. (This is the most polite way to vent that the Wall Street Journal, which I have subscribed to for twenty-five years, kept turning me down.) Then again, how can I complain about anything in the south of France?

Lesson # 2 - A Great Year to Be Canadian

Whether sailing with TikTok Canada, meeting some of the hottest young creative talent our country has to offer, or attending the 200-plus Globe & Mail Canada Night, the Canadian contingent was anything but a group of folks muttering “sorry”. Elbows up, loud and proud along the Croissette and on the award-winning stages, red and white patriotism was on full display. 

Lesson # 3 - Smart Collaborations Attract Smart People

Ever had an invite you accepted and almost skipped? That would have been my loss if I missed the Adweek, C2, and Not A Consultancy event featuring a private breakfast, an exclusive panel at TikTok, and a curated activation tour at the Pinterest activation. All of which was great, made even greater by my meeting a half dozen outstanding marketers from around the globe as the school trip format of the morning, including “strict” orders to buddy up when we crossed the street, made meeting people as easy.

Lesson # 4 - TikTok Gifts Deserve TikToks

Ever hear that expression, "Don’t make ads, make TikToks?" Well, as part of the above-mentioned TikTok info session, all of us received a crazy good gift bag, including a portable espresso maker. Thanks for keeping my right index finger caffeinated for scrolling up. Not to be outdone, TikTok Canada’s gift bags for our catamaran trip were made from recycled sails. 

 Lesson # 5 - Pinterest Loves Its Lovers

Few brands understand their fans like Pinterest. You really feel it in their approach to live experiences. Every design feature, colour, activity, and celebrity that appeared in their activation came from their research, user behaviour, and fan feedback, and you could tell the fans felt it. 

Lesson # 6 - Women’s Sports Are Sailing

Whether it was at Deep Blue Women’s Sports Yacht Club, Stagwell’s Sport Beach, or any stage, there was a tremendous amount of content about the movement. What impressed me about Laura Correnti, founder and CEO of Deep Blue Sports + Entertainment’s effort, was not just her partnerships with JP MorganChase, Genius Sports, and iHeart Radio, but that every day started off with The Wellness Oasis mental health and wellness programs before diving into a full slate of speakers such as Allyson Felix and Candace Parker (above), iHeart Women’s Sports podcast recordings, and beach-adjacent dinners and receptions.

Lesson # 7 - Bury Me at Sport Beach

This lesson might have been titled differently after I was rejected in my application to attend Satgwell’s magical stadium of content and play. Still, thanks to the kind folks at Relo Metrics (thanks, Hannah), I was rescued and granted a pass. Sport Beach combined a world-class content stage, a pick-up basketball court, pickleball events, a private restaurant, name-dropping behind-the-scenes areas, and wove all their agency brands into a seamless program serenaded by the ocean’s nearby waves. This was a masterclass and the type of activation cemetery I wish to spend my afterlife in when my time comes.

Lesson # 8 - LinkedIn Deserves an A for B2B

I am not adding LinkedIn to this list due to either my obsession with the platform or the fact that they are a top Cannes partner. They are on this list because they went deep on B2B with Cannes with a massive scale and personalized delivery integration, much like their platform. They headlined an exclusive half-day B2B summit, curated a B2B takeover at the hard-to-get-into Carlton hotel, and hosted cutting-edge content all week tailored to various creators in the art and science of B2B marketing.