Guide to Cannes Lions

Guide to Cannes Lions Inside tips to generating real conference ROI from an AdTech Growth Marketer & Creator Comment "CANNES" for the full guide & links by @natashabadger @themarketinggroupe What Even Is Cannes Lions? Started in 1954 as an awards festival for the advertising industry, the festival has evolved into much more than ad awards. It's become more than a niche advertising industry event where marketers, creators, founders, celebrities, media companies, and tech platforms all collide. Today, it's a full-on cultural moment with 30k+ attendees that the entire internet pays attention to. History of Cannes Lions Tip #1 You Don't Need a Badge!!! Most of the magic happens outside the Palais. A badge is WAY too expensive, unless you want to pay thousands to access the awards or content (which exist outside of the Palais, too) The Croisette is packed with brand activations, networking events, beach clubs, dinners, creator houses, and parties you can attend without an official pass. P.S. List of events on slide 7 "Palais" = The official Cannes Lions event center "Croisette" = Beach strip where all branded activations are one Tip #2 The Cannes Dress Code Think: luxury South of France resort meets business chic. Light linens, elevated basics, chic sneakers, sunglasses, breezy dresses, matching sets. The challenge is balancing "professional" while surviving the heat and humidity. Remember: Trendy is fun, but please no midriffs Here is a Pinterest board for inspo! Tip #3 Sneakers. Seriously. Or, your trusty pair of flats. You will walk miles every day between beach clubs, hotels, rooftops, dinners, and activations. Leave the heels at home. Your future self will thank you. ShopMy Cannes Packing List Tip #4 Rosé Is a Prop Yes, everyone has a glass of rosé in hand. No, you should not actually be drinking all day. Cannes is a marathon of networking, meetings, and events in extreme heat. Pace yourself. Tip #5 Apply to Every Event The magic happens at off-site events (which is why you don't need a badge) The best events fill up fast. Use resources like Propeller Cannes Guide and The Digital Voice Cannes Guide to track parties, panels, beach houses, dinners, and brand activations. Apply early - even if you're unsure. 1. Propeller Events List 2. Digital Voice Events List Tip #6 Book Everything Early Accommodations in Cannes get booked insanely far in advance - often a year out. Airbnbs and VRBOS go fast, prices surge, and cancellations happen more than you'd think. Lock things in early and have backup options. Tip #7 Pre-Networking Wins Cannes The people who get the most out of Cannes don't "Wing it." Know who's attending. Reach out to someone at dinner, sitting next to someone at dinner, running into people between events. Build your schedule before you land. Once you're there, it becomes complete chaos. Tip #8 Some of The Best Meetings Aren't Scheduled Some of the biggest opportunities happen randomly: walking the Croisette, waiting for coffee, sitting next to someone at dinner, running into people between events. Leave room in your schedule for spontaneity. Tip #9 The Real ROI Is Relationships Most people won't close deals at Cannes. The value comes from accelerating relationships, building visibility, and getting face time with people you normally only see on Zoom. Tip #10 ...And locking in the next step is KEY While Cannes is for relationship-building, the real ROI comes from the NEXT STEP. Make sure you have a goal set for what you want to get out of every meeting. Most executives take vacation in Europe after Cannes, so don't be afraid to send a few follow-ups over summer. Tip: Use automated sequences from Hubspot, Attio, or Claude so you don't forget Tip #11 Don't just attend Cannes. Document it. Every conference is a campaign (said it before and I'll say it again) One week there can turn into months of content: recaps, interviews, behind-the-scenes, trend breakdowns, brand activations, creator insights, networking advice, and career content. Tip #12 Don't Try to Do Everything You physically cannot attend every event, panel, dinner, and party. Pick your priorities ahead of time: networking, clients, partnerships, content, learning, recruiting, visibility — and optimize around that. Final Note Cannes can feel overwhelming, flashy, and chaotic. But it's also one of the few places where the entire marketing, media, creator, and tech world exists in one tiny city for a week. Go in with intention, plan early, and stay open to randomness. See you in Cannes! Map of Cannes Lions Palaís des Festivals JW Marriott JW MARRIOTT CARLTON Mondrian Rue du Commandant André Rue d'Antibes Rue du Canada Martinez MARTINEZ LA CROISETTE Gutter Bar "Palais" = The official Cannes Lions event center "Croisette" = Beach strip where all branded activations are one