The Platforms Won Cannes (And Everyone Missed It)
Why the biggest story of Cannes Lions 2025 wasn't about creators at all
There are plenty of hot takes around Cannes Lions. And as usual, almost all of them are incorrect.
Creators didn't "dominate" the festival. Creators aren't going to "replace" agencies. And most creators are not "professionals" and should not spend the money to attend next year.
The reason these one-liners take off is because they're provocative and so many people want them to be true. But the reality is this is a very siloed industry that requires 360 strategy to be truly successful, and most people can't turn left.
Let's get into it.
The Geography of Power: Palais vs. Croisette
Cannes is really divided into two worlds, and understanding this divide is crucial to understanding what actually happened.
The Palais (where you need an official badge to attend every session) hosted Reese Witherspoon, Jimmy Fallon, Serena Williams, and amazing talks about storytelling, branding, and the future of connecting with consumers through advertising. This is where the creator rooftop was hosted with cool activations and events by LTK, Passes, YouTube, and more.
It's also home to the Cannes Lions – the award everyone is trying to win. It's essentially like winning one of the EGOT awards, but for creatives. I have always been a fan of great advertising and loved seeing the best creative from around the world. But if you make a brilliant piece of content and no one sees it, does it really have any impact?
Enter the Croisette (where you need the right barcode, wristband, or WhatsApp group to go to the best activations and parties). Home of Meta Beach, YouTube/Google Beach, Pinterest Beach, TikTok Garden, LinkedIn Studios/Rooftop, Adweek House, Spotify Beach, Amazon Port, Reddit and more.
Notice a trend here? These are all distribution networks.
If the Palais was home to the people who created the content, then the Croisette is home to the people who make sure it gets seen. That Cardi B, 50 Cent, Timbaland, Jason Derulo concert? On the beach. Those wristband shots taking over your feed and making it look like a Swiftie meetup? Entry to activations on the beach. Where most marketers spent their time? On the beach and in hotel suites across the street.
This analysis is made for my fellow industry professionals. What does this mean for creators? Upgrade to get my Cannes strategic next steps later this week.
Myth #1: "Creators Dominated the Festival"
Who really dominated the festival? The platforms.
The same group that dominates how we think about content strategy, connecting with target demographics, and generating revenue. If you didn't learn what each platform is focused on for the next 18 months and how that will affect your brand and your business, you missed the plot.
Myth #2: "Creators Are Going to Replace Agencies"
Many creators have excellent content that will do wonders for a brand. Fewer have distribution networks brands would kill for. And even fewer have the type of insight and business acumen that makes them a superstar.
So while yes, brands are absolutely waking up to the fact that creators are no longer a nice-to-have, but an essential part of their marketing strategy, agencies and SaaS companies will still be needed. As the platforms make it easier for creators to connect with brands for campaigns, you'll still need the entities that brief these creators, serve as the bridge between content creation and distribution, and analyze the ROI and ROAS.
Myth #3: "Most Creators Should Try To Attend Next Year"
Will the creator side of Cannes Lions grow next year? Of course. We have to remember this is only the second year there has been a creator track. They are a growing part of the conversation and we should expect to see more creators and the companies that support this economy next year.
But we can't forget that the creators who were invited by brands and the ones who can afford to fly out to Cannes for a week are the creator upper class.
I always say we operate in a bubble of excellence because creators can only get on our radar if they are really good. This makes us think that creators earning $10K+ per post is the norm when really only 4% of creators make more than $100,000 per year, and I'm pretty sure that is not enough to get you to Cannes.
The Forbes top 50 creators made $853 million between them. Alix Earle, Kai Cenat, and Jake Shane (who I met and is lovely) turned as many heads as the athletes on the panels at Stagwell Beach. The list is full of entertainers who have cracked every platform and have more than one revenue stream.
If a creator aspires to make it on that list one day and has a solid plan for getting there, then yes, they should 100% attend Cannes next year.
But what about the other 96%? When INFLUENCER was published in 2018, very few people had any idea what an influencer was or how to navigate this industry. Fast forward seven years and the platforms are trying to ensure anyone who wants in can earn a livable wage regardless of follower count or engagement rate.
The Real Future: 360 Creator Strategy
So yes, while the platforms dominated the festival, they would not exist without the 200 million+ people who create content for them. That's why even though you'll hear about the Croisette (because if there's one thing marketers are going to do, it's market), all roads lead to the Palais where the best in world-class creativity is on display.
We are entering the era of 360 creator strategy. You're going to need to understand content, analytics, paid media, events, and more.
Casting as your superpower? Not enough. Maybe it was pre-pandemic, but that industry as we know it is dead.
Analysis as your superpower? AI was the most talked about topic at the festival and knowing the right prompts is the new must-have skillset.
Relationships as your superpower? How much is that worth if you can't connect the right people, places and things?
What's Next
I am extremely optimistic about the future of our industry. What concerns me is how many people won't make the jump to this new version of the creator economy. The world around us is changing. Make sure you can turn left.
Brittany
Thank you for this excellent recap and breakdown Brittany!