Top Tips for Popping Your Cannes Lions Cherry
So, you’ve finally been given the green light to go to Cannes. Woohooo! The excitement is palpable. Yaaaas! Buy the dress, the shorts, the sunglasses, the hat, but what next? What is your plan of attack? Whether you have two days or a whole week, we can help you.
The International Festival of Creativity brings the world's biggest brands and most creative people together at a unique event in Cannes to learn, network and celebrate the power and effectiveness of creativity. The journey continues in 2019...
Here are some top tips from our sister company Conference Concierge.
If this is your first time to Cannes, remember it is a 'marathon NOT a sprint'. Take it easy the first few days to find your feet. There is SO much to see and do, and depending on whether you have access to the Palais, or you are simply strutting your stuff on La Croisette, you can easily get warn out if you overdo things.
Conference Concierge will be at Cannes, basing ourselves between the infamous LBB Beach and The Palais. Come and find us, drop us an email or a WhatsApp and can help you navigate the Festival.
TIPS:
- Getting There - Fly to NICE (NCE) and take the train/bus/uber to Cannes. OR take the Train from any major European city to Cannes direct.
- Industries – ADVERTISING! Brands, brands, brands, agencies, AdTech, production companies, post houses, vendors. So MANY PEOPLE.
- Networking Value – 100%.
- Trade Show Floor Tours - N/A Although a tour of The Palais isn't a bad idea. You can get official tours OR get a map of the venue and DIY.
- Delegate Fee – €1725 EUROS BUT you don't NEED a pass to participate. See below (There is ALSO a START UP pass available for €855 + TVA Euros).
- Sponsorships - CONTACT US.
- Exhibitor - CONTACT US.
- Currency – EUROS €.
- Uber/Lyft – YES/NO.
- Airbnb - YES - there are rooms and apartments (and Yachts!) all around the city.
- Language – FRENCH but this is an International Festival so English and MANY other languages are spoken EVERYWHERE. But, for all the Brits out there, this is your chance to practice your French GCSE skills.
WHO ATTENDS
Everyone who is anyone in the advertising world attends this event. Sure, Cannes is sometimes considered the Golden Child of the industry, and sometimes it is the Black Sheep. But whatever your opinion it is generally regarded as the New Years Eve for creatives. It celebrates previous years' campaigns and looks ahead to see what the next year will bring when it comes to creativity.
INDUSTRY LEADER SPEAKERS
There are SOOOOO many talks that happen, not just at the Palais. Check out the panels available at ALL the sponsored Beaches - most noteworthy from previous years are the FaceBook, YouTube/Google, LBBOnline and Spotify Beaches plus all the country specific beaches. Some of the published highlight speakers this year:
- Sheryl Sandberg, chief operating officer - Facebook
- Kenya Barris, writer and producer - Netflix
- Scott Galloway, founder / professor of marketing - Gartner L2 / NYU Stern
- Syl Saller, chief marketing officer - Diageo
- Trevor Robinson OBE, founder & CEO - Quiet Storm
- Raja Rajamannar, chief marketing and communications officer - Mastercard
TOPICS
- How can you infiltrate popular culture and stay relevant at scale?
- How do we strike the right balance between purpose and profit?
- How can creative strategy build brands to drive performance & growth?
- How can modern technologies improve the art of storytelling?
- How do we use creativity to drive exceptional consumer experiences?
- What creative business models thrive in a direct to consumer world?
- How can we drive diversity of thought to deliver more positive and better work?
- How can creativity deliver competitive advantage in the long & the short term?
- How can we meet consumers wherever they are in both the physical & digital world?
- How do we fix the issue of trust, ethics and transparency in creative marketing communications?
WHY YOU SHOULD GO
If you have the budget, you should go. This is a FABULOUS place to mingle with your peers in a relaxed atmosphere. It can be as official or as casual as you want with back to back meetings or with a relaxed approach with lunches and dinners on the beach front.
TIPS
Unless you are judge or you have been nominated for an award, you don't need to book an official Cannes Delegate Pass to attend the Festival. We recommend booking your accommodation and flights early and RSVPing to AS MANY parties and events as possible. Best to have too many options rather than not enough. Get yourself on the list for all the BEACH DAY events. The best TIP is to register for the Google Beach during the week. This pass will GUARANTEE you entry to the BEST DAY/NIGHT beach party at the end of the week - Google/YouTube Pride Party - it's AMAZING, and although you have to wait in line, it's worth it.
Organise your MAIN meetings earlier on in the week, (Monday to Wednesday). Use the latter part of the week to enjoy Cannes and take any opportunity that comes your way. Pool parties really are a great way to meet so many people in one swoop. Where there is ROSE during the day, conversation flows - you might just get your new big gig, or simply make a new friend in the industry. Who knows where a conversation will take you...!
And remember to bring:
- Sunscreen
- Comfortable Shoes
- Sun Hats
- WATER WATER WATER
Two last words: Carlton Terrace
If you haven't managed to meet your dream client or your much sought after creative director during the day, the chances are you will bump into them here 'after hours'. It almost always works like clockwork :)
WHERE TO STAY
The Old Town is a gem. It's a little walk from the Palais but it's such a treat to be able to escape the craziness (and noise) of La Croisette. There are hotel options (Raddison) and also many Airbnbs to choose from. The 'main' hotels are also worth a look if you have the budget - Martinez, Majestic and Carlton.
OTHER RESOURCES
