Cannes Lions 2025: Sun, Strategy and Standout Conversations
Melissa Smith
Earlier this year, Melissa & Zoe swapped London’s heatwave for the sizzling creative energy of the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity — and what a good 48 hours it was…
Last month, Managing Director, Melissa Smith and Strategy Consultant Zoe Edwards swapped London’s heatwave for the sizzling creative energy of the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. With a glass of rosé never far from hand and the Mediterranean just a few steps away, Melissa and Zoe dived headfirst into a packed schedule of panels, meetups, and spontaneous seaside conversations with some of the sharpest minds in the industry.
Kicking Things Off in True Cannes Style
Touching down in Cannes, it was straight to the Gerety Awards BBQ, a brilliantly relaxed way to ease into the week. Huge thanks to Lucia Ongay and Joe Brooks for hosting such a buzzing event, and to Tantor Films for turning up the heat on the grill. We loved catching up with creative minds from Antiestático and The Gate— the ideas were already flowing, and the week had only just begun.
The Evolving Landscape of In-House Creativity
One of the standout moments from Day 2 was a panel on the future of in-house agencies, hosted by Matt Cooper of LBB.. The line-up included senior creative leads from Lyft, DoorDash, Amazon, and TikTok, all offering refreshingly honest insights on how their internal teams are adapting to stay fast, fearless, and genuinely innovative.
Here are a few takeaways that really stuck:
- Clear swim lanes between agency and marketing are essential — no lane hogging!
- Creative leadership matters — someone needs to champion the work, fiercely.
- Performance is power — owning your social and performance content means you can
prove what’s working.
- One leader, no silos — clear direction drives better outcomes.
- Solid ops and resource tools aren’t a ‘nice to have’ — they’re critical
- Awards still matter — recognition keeps teams inspired and striving.
Leading with Impact: Women in Ad Tech
On Day 3, Zoe joined a brilliant panel aboard the Equativ yacht, where the focus for speakers Danielle Wachtler, Arshiya Nazir, Liane Nadeau, Amanda DeVito, MBA, Stephani Estes, and Dana Basile was on Women in Ad Tech — and more specifically, what it means to lead with impact. It didn’t disappoint.
A few standout themes from the discussion:
- In a world where
AI is catching up on IQ, it’s
EQ that gives us the edge — and women are leading with it.
- Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) should be non-negotiables.
- Gender parity isn’t just a nice-to-have — it’s a proven business driver.
- You don’t have to be at the top to
lead by example.
There were laughs too. A story from Amanda DeVito — who once asked ChatGPT for advice and found herself imagining what a middle-aged white man might do — offered a wry but clever way to consider alternative perspectives. A good mental stretch for all of us.
One concern echoed across the female-led panels: the audiences were overwhelmingly female. If we’re serious about culture change, we need more men in the room — to listen, learn and support.
Thanks to
Jackie Stevenson for the invite.
Rosé, Real Talk, and a View to Remember
A big shoutout to LBBonline – Little Black Book for hosting one of the best spots on the Croisette — a beachside haven where the conversation was as good as the wine. It’s always a highlight catching up with friends, clients, and future collaborators in such an inspiring setting.
We’re still processing the conversations, connections, and creative provocations from the week — but one thing is clear: the appetite for bold, brave in-house creativity is stronger than ever.
Want to chat about how we help build brilliant in-house teams, develop creative leaders, or design AI training for your agency?
Get in touch — we’d love to talk.
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