Jane Bainbridge

Full disclosure: this was my first Cannes and I was anxious. Cannes Lions is a festival of creativity, historically focused on advertising, so the idea of going as a research business has always felt like a leap. Will they want us there? Are we flashy/glitzy enough? I think even for those steeped in advertising it can feel like a lot, so for a novice, it felt downright overwhelming. The reason to go is however important.

The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity is many things: inspiring, overwhelming, sun-soaked, and at times surreal. It’s where the media, marketing, and tech worlds converge, and this year, I was proud to be in the middle of it. Our clients are increasingly seeking insight partners who understand the nuance, scale, and culture behind international audiences.

This year, the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity was as notable for what wasn’t said, as what was. It was as busy as ever. This is the ultimate in Fomo; it doesn’t matter where you are and who you’re seeing, something else is going on and someone will inevitably tell you that’s where you should have been. On the stages, beaches, yachts and hotels, the great and the good of the advertising and marketing world gathered to discuss how brands can thrive.