Six themes to watch out for at Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity

This year’s festival agenda is built around six priority areas, as identified in the LIONS’ State of Creativity Study

After a two-year hiatus, the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity convenes in person from June 20-24. Despite complaints about the value of the festival, and a drop in award entries, media and marketing executives seem to be stoked to be back in the French Riviera.

This year’s festival agenda is built around six large themes, as identified by the global marketing community through the LIONS’ State of Creativity Study.

Thousands of creatives from around the world took part in the study, identifying key issues like sustainability; DEI; talent; data and technology; business transformation, and creative effectiveness.

1. Sustainability: It pays to be green

Sustainability in the creative landscape has been geared towards promoting economic and environmental actions that reduce our impact on the planet. But, recent success from Lion winners shows how it actually pays to be green.

2. Diversity, equity, and inclusion: Represent the underrepresented

Brands are transforming from the inside out to address the social inequalities in the world. Attitudes towards DEI goals and objectives are shifting at pace, but the industry still has a lot to do.

3. Talent: The competitive advantage

Human talent remains the most competitive factor in the creative industries, despite the fast-moving pace of technological innovation. However, agencies are still struggling to bring in talent.

4. Data and technology: Ready Player Two?

The metaverse offers huge potential for business growth and brands are starting to experiment. Understanding how to produce meaningful creative work in these virtual spaces will be imperative to social commerce and brand awareness.

5. Business transformation: Re-imagine, reinvent and re-build

The role of the creative has changed as business transformation pushes brands into rethinking their operational processes. Increasingly, creatives are working closely with business leaders to align these internal processes with the brand’s future strategy and vision.

6. Creative effectiveness: Ideas as investments

Creativity is crucial to brand survival, so proving its business impact is higher up the business agenda. With budgets constantly under review, there’s more at stake than ever.

To learn more about the big themes of the festival and to explore the State of Creativity further, click here.