Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity brings together the brightest minds in advertising, marketing, and creative industries each year. This annual event has undoubtedly evolved into a true powerhouse of innovation and inspiration.
From the mere beginning in 1954 to being the benchmark for creativity, Cannes Lions is the creative industry across the world. This year, the French Riviera witnessed groundbreaking ideas collide with influential brands and personalities making it a memorable year.
This year was the 70th edition of the world’s largest festival of creativity. The event discussed topics like Embracing Purpose-Driven Advertising, Immersive Experiences with the help of technology and imagination, the Rise of Influencer Marketing, and Growing trends in social media and digital space. This year’s theme for the conference was ‘in the making.’
Like the Cannes International Film Festival, held at the same location, the Cannes Lions is a prestigious event for creatives, marketers, and brands across the globe. All major agency networks, brands, technology companies, and industry leaders like Google, Meta, Pinterest, Yahoo, Amazon, Microsoft, LinkedIn, Spotify, TikTok, Adobe, etc., and many more brands were present with their own beach pavilions and experiences for the creatives and industry experts.
Spike Lee received the inaugural Creative Maker of the Year award. Reflecting on his long career, the American filmmaker said we keep having these obstacles, these hurdles, we have to face and we have to keep knocking them down. Lee’s career goes over 30 years. He received five-time Oscar nominations for “Do The Right Thing”, “4 Little Girls”, and the critically acclaimed “BlacKkKlansman” which he co-wrote and directed.
Kevin Hart, comedian-entrepreneur, and founder of Hartbeat Ventures discussed the media landscape, inclusion, and the future of entertainment at Cannes Lions 2023. The Central Intelligence actor said they wanted to be an example of the change they
wanted to see. “So our infrastructure is one that is full of colour, a landscape of inclusion because that’s what it’s supposed to be.”
Ahmad Vaseem, CEO of Whyletz attended the festival and shared his exhilaration at witnessing the transformation of global creativity. Whyletz Branding, with its presence in both India and Dubai, further emphasizes its commitment to international operations. “I gained exciting insights into how global creativity is changing. Innovative technological advancements, such as AI, have brought about several transformations in marketing and branding. Only creativity remains unchanged. The success of any idea depends on its underlying creative thinking. Therefore, individuals with creative thoughts are in demand worldwide, as they play a crucial role in influencing the outcomes of their endeavors. To witness and engage with such impactful transformations on a global scale, this festival has provided a platform for experts to connect and share their insights.”, he added.
He participated in representing the media house BrandtheChange.com, which is a part of Whyletz, as an accredited media representative. Over the past twelve years, the company has collaborated with numerous leading brands in the field of branding, contributing to their growth in more than twenty countries. Whyletz also represents India at APBN (Asia Pacific Branding Network), the largest branding network in Asia.
