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Connection, AI's Blind Spots, and Creative Optimism
Crispin’s dispatch from Cannes Lions 2025
From our Young Lions at the Palais to our social content team capturing and posting on behalf of Stagwell at Sport Beach, Crispin had a busy week at Cannes Lions. Not just talking about the work on stages and in meetings, but in the action, creating in real time.
If you haven’t yet checked out @stagwellglobal feeds, have a look at some of the top Sport Beach moments our team shared to the grid.
Sharing our most notable takeaways from creativity’s biggest week…
Recognizing identity to build true connection
While flashy technology and tools dominated the Croisette conversations, the importance of identity and seeing one another quietly stood out.
Humans are multidimensional. So when it comes to brand storytelling, is it disruption we are looking for or is it actually connection?
The most successful brand partnerships have proven to be ones born out of conversation that unearth truths that build connection.
Our CEO Maggie Malek sat down with UCLA Basketball's First-Team All-American Center Lauren Betts, Chicago Bulls legend Joakim Noah, McCormick CMO Tabata Gomez, and Amazon Global Executive Creative Director Tom Pettus at Sport Beach to unpack how true cultural relevance begins with shared authorship.
Watch the full panel recording...
What we aren't talking about enough when it comes to AI
In every Cannes Lions recap, AI is front and center. But according to our CEO Maggie Malek there are two areas she feels our industry is not talking about enough when it comes to AI.
- AI is wonderful because it allows us to invest more time on the strategic thinking and dreaming. But, what do the formative learning years for junior talent look like in the age of AI? How will we ensure they receive the same hands-on training or how will this training evolve?
- If the industry is going to call out agencies for working with fossil fuel clients, what about companies that heavily use AI and the implications on the planet? As the industry speeds towards efficiency, scale, and automation, the sustainability factor seems to be forgotten. Maggie told Digiday that her hope is that as the technology evolves, it will also get more sustainable.
She raises this and more on the state of the creative industry on a panel with Ad Age’s Brian Bonilla, alongside McCann CEO Daryl Lee, FCB CEO, Tyler Turnbull, and Mischief President Kerry McKibben.
Despite it all, we remain inspired by creative minds of tomorrow
This Cannes Lions was extra special having our art and copy duo Kendelle Cragun and Hailey Skinner compete in the global Young Lions competition and attend their first festival.
“This week reminded me that creativity can drive real change, on both small and global scales. The work showcased gave me hope, and also reminded me how much we can grow from feedback, perspective, and being open to the process, not just the outcome,” said Kendelle on her experience.
We’re leaving Cannes Lions a little sunburnt, but mostly optimistic on creativity, and ready to bring the same energy into the work for our brands.
Au revoir, Cannes!