I’ve worked in and around Cannes for well over a decade but this was my first year on the ground. And honestly? I’m glad I waited. Because Cannes wasn’t what I thought it would be; it was better.
The expected elements were all there: the yachts, the rosé, the celebrity and influencer sightings. But what stood out wasn’t the parties. It was the people—and the candid, unfiltered conversations that cut across titles, industries and egos.
The walls were down. It felt like everyone was on a level playing field. Creative, tech, brand, agency, startup leaders—everyone was there to dig in and talk about what’s hard right now and what’s actually working.
It was a shift you don’t see at most industry events, where the polish often overshadows the point. And it was refreshing.
Quality Over Quantity in the Land of Excess
With so many events, panels, and parties competing for attention, the SalientMG team made a conscious decision not to overschedule. We needed to support our clients, stay present, and leave room for the magic that happens in the in-between—the impromptu meetups, the small-group dinners, the walk-and-talks between sessions. That white space turned out to be some of the most valuable time we had. We met investors looking for proverbial needles in haystacks and brand-side marketers trying to cut through the noise and meet with true solution providers. We chatted with other agency leaders about the trends they are seeing and we spent quality time with our global agency partner, The Bluestripe Group, and some of their clients.
Some of the best sessions I attended had about 15-20 people in the room. And that was a good thing. It made space for real dialogue. People weren’t just speaking and leaving; they were leaning in, asking follow-ups, and staying for the conversation after the panel.
The accessibility was real. You could walk up to the CMO of a major brand and have an honest exchange, because everyone was there to learn.
Even the celebrities were integrated into the programming in a meaningful way. An A-list comedian and actor was at a dinner I attended—just about ten of us around the table—talking about the future of women’s sports. She wasn’t there as a token celebrity. She was there to spotlight how visibility, investment, and storytelling are finally converging to shift the game of women’s sports—both on the field and in the culture.
Tech Is the New Creative Partner
For years, tech hovered at the edges of Cannes, present but not central. This year, it was the undercurrent of everything, the scaffolding beneath many sessions.
And the tone was different. There was no pearl-clutching about AI taking over. CMOs and brand leaders were leaning in and asking smart, pointed questions: Should they be focused on agentic AI or generative AI? What are the use cases that actually move the needle for their business? And no, they don’t have time to go take courses—who can help them cut through the noise?
That shift from “Is AI going to replace us and destroy creativity in the process?” to “Which AI and how do I operationalize it?” represents real progress. For once, we’re not talking about tech and creativity as opposing forces. We’re finally having the right conversations about how they work together.
And it’s the startups that are setting the example, adopting AI quickly, applying it practically, and learning as they go.
Startups Setting the Pace
One thing that came up again and again: enterprise leaders are watching how quickly innovative startups move—and they’re taking notes. The pace of change, especially around AI, is something that bigger brands are trying to wrap their arms around.
They know they can’t move like that, but they’re listening, and they’re learning. And more importantly, they’re starting to ask how they can apply that mindset within the reality of their own organizations.
What made this Cannes different wasn’t the yachts or the parties or even Diplo. It was the quality of conversations and the humility everyone brought to them. The future of marketing won’t come from a mainstage keynote or a perfectly polished presentation. It’ll be shaped in the side rooms and rooftops, where people show up authentically, ask smarter questions, and work through the unknowns together. Those are the kind of rooms we need more of.
For my first time on the ground, Cannes delivered more than I expected, and I’m already in for 2026.