2024 Cannes Lions:
What did we see?

Cannes Lions, the hub of creativity and marketing, is the place for brands to be.  

Over the years, the festival has evolved, with brand experiences taking centre stage along the Croisette. Brands come out in force, year on year, pushing the boundaries of innovation and creativity, taking advantage of the thousands c-suite advertisers and marketeers in attendance. 

In a recent article for Little Black Book, our managing director Louisa O’Connor touched on this topic further, explaining, ‘The brand activations along the Croisette, around the port and up in Super Cannes have started to somewhat overshadow the awards, with press articles and column inches focused on how and where brands show up year on year’. 

Whilst on site delivering our very own activation for Netflix, our team took some time out to see how some of the most renowned tech brands turned up at the festival this year: 

Reddit – The Key to Context 

 
Based on the insight that, every second over 100 people append Reddit to their Google searches, the brand created ‘The Key to Context’; a bold orange space which stood out on the Prom with its two-story build and iconic messaging driving home how ‘All roads lead through Reddit’.  

 
To showcase how brands can reach Redditor’s wherever they are on their purchase journey the Reddit team incorporated user-generated content for guests to discover tips and recommendations in real-time.  

 
Information was delivered in an engaging and accessible format with plenty of interactive touch points to break down what could be complex marketing messages to showcase how impactful Redditors engagement is throughout this process.  
 
To elevate the playfulness of the experience guests were offered the chance to take part in a game of crazy golf for a chance to win an official reddit recommended product from their chosen category.  
 
As a last stop in the experience attendees were given the chance to become a Redditor by creating a personalised engraved pin with their username on it.  
 
This activation brilliantly captured the essence of the community and engagement that defines Reddit. The edutaining format showcased Reddit as a vibrant platform where users can find personalised, authentic recommendations while emphasising the joy the platform offers. 

Agency Credit – Giant Spoon 

Pinterest - Manifestival  

 
Walking into the Pinterest space, situated at The Carlton Beach Club, immediately sparked joy in attendees. For the second time, they crafted a colourful, creative activation which felt like stepping into Pinterest in real life. 

Inspired by Gen Z trends, this space offered something for everyone, bringing to life some of the top trending creativity on the platform. Some of the standout areas included: 

• The Charm Bar hosted by BONBONWHIMS® club allowed attendees to craft unique bracelets from an array of materials, beads, charms, and chains. 

• Upcycling is a big trend now, and with the upcoming summer of sport, the space hosted by artist Sophie Hird provided an opportunity to create custom items using repurposed football tops and sports paraphernalia. 

• Personal colour analysis was offered in one space, with an expert on hand with a multitude of swatches to help attendees discover which colour tones worked best with their hair and skin colours.  

• The Croc customisation station tapped into the trend for marble dipping, allowing participants to personalise a pair of the iconic shoes by choosing their own colourways of the most-loved summer staple. 

• The Tattoo Parlour, in partnership with artist ‘One by One Tattoo’ offered attendees a chance to get inked with one-of-a-kind designs inspired by worldwide Pinterest trends. The queues for this space spoke volumes about its popularity! 

Pinterest’s Manifestival embodied everything that is right about the platform – it was inspiring, it encouraged exploration and largely focused on unique creativity. It was a playful space that truly put personalisation at the heart of the experience. 

 Agency Credit - Amplify 

Amazon – A’Maison  

 
This year Amazon changed their format and created an impressive new space for attendees. A’Maison, located near the Port of Cannes, was an exciting journey through Amazon’s key platforms, offering a unique and engaging experience. Playing into the French Maison theme, the space was covered in detailed awnings and florals galore. Some of the highlights included:  

• Twitch QR codes that unlocked an AR filter to reveal key facts and bring areas of discovery to life.  

• Amazon Web Services (AWS) invited guests to take a photo on a giant ‘easel’ that used AI to quickly transform them into a stunning painting in front of an iconic Cannes background.  

• Amazon Prime Sports created interactive sports props linked to TV screens, which played highlight reels as guests interacted with each corresponding sport item.  

• The Amazon Port Plaza Stage Spotlight featured sessions from leading names, including Gwyneth Paltrow and Lauren Anderson, throughout the week. 

• A plethora of relaxation and networking areas were available, including branded table tennis, foosball tables and Le café which served up a range of refreshments. 

A’Maison effectively showcased Amazon's innovation and diverse offerings while creating a memorable and engaging experience for attendees. This multi-faceted approach not only reinforced brand loyalty but also attracted new customers by demonstrating the exciting possibilities within the Amazon ecosystem.   

 Agency Credit - Salt Productions  

Meta Beach  

Taking over La Plage Barrière, Meta created a sensational beach experience which celebrated their latest advancements and gave attendees a glimpse into the future of the platform. 

• Attendees explored the power of Reels through Es Devlin’s immersive film “There Is No Other” and had the opportunity to let AI create their own 'Es-inspired' reels. 

• After cooling off with a refreshing WhatsApp ice cream from the bar, guests ventured into the glass maze room to try out the Ray-Ban x Meta glasses. This tech was particularly impressive, especially the integrated sound, which allowed for snapping photos, playing music, and more with simple voice commands. 

• Next, guests explored the potential of Meta Quest 3 by trying out the iconic VR headset which translated voices into different languages using the AI-generated microphone booth, highlighting the future of communication technology. 
   

With interactivity and innovation at the heart of their brand, Meta brought their platform to life by encouraging attendees to interact with their pioneering technology for themselves. 

Agency Credit – Jack Morton 

These activations brilliantly underscore the significance of brand experience. Despite their distinct identities, each brand adopted a similar approach in how they showed up to Cannes Lions. They brought creativity to the forefront, taking the opportunity to show up in a big and impactful way, enabling attendees to step inside their platform to tangibly explore their digital worlds. These brands showcased themselves in an edutaining and personalised format providing a premium, authentic experience which left a lasting impression on attendees and potential new clients.  

We’re excited to see how these brands evolve and continue to push creative boundaries in 2025 and beyond!