Cannes Lions Reflections with Halle Alice

Reflecting on my first Cannes Lions Festival in 2024, I saw first hand how the advertising world is embracing the creator economy. As a content creator and social strategist who’s worked with over 100 brands, this experience went beyond just creating content. It was about diving deep into the process of crafting narratives and building connections that resonate with key audiences, all while sharpening my advertising skills.

The creator economy was valued at $250 billion in 2023, and it’s expected to nearly double by 2027. This year alone, 93% of brands plan to increase their spending on creators. We’ve become almost synonymous with culture.

Cannes got the memo: this year, the festival introduced the LIONS Creators program. A mix of creator-centric presentations, panels, and roundtables, it aimed to bridge the gap between creators and brands, further legitimising our industry.

I went in with an open mind, eager to soak up the knowledge from panel discussions and casual chats. While I mainly focused on the creators’ track, the most impactful sessions went beyond digital content strategies, tackling themes of inclusivity, vulnerable storytelling, and DEI principles across media channels.

Here are three key takeaways from the festival:

1. Investment in Activism: Many of the top award-winning campaigns at the festival showed that activism isn’t just a moral stance; it’s a strategic investment in future consumers. Advocating for visibility today ensures loyalty tomorrow. Authentic purpose-driven campaigns resonate deeply, driving sales and building long-term brand equity. I’ve seen this in practice in work for MilkPEP, creating Every Woman’s Marathon, the first and only US marathon by and for women. Purpose blends seamlessly with promotion, creating strong community engagement.

2. Expanding the Spectrum of Representation: True representation goes beyond conventional demographics to include diverse narratives from neurodivergent and elder LGBTQ+ communities. These groups, whose stories are rarely heard, can enrich and diversify brand narratives.

3. Gen Z and Cannes: Despite the festival's wealth of learning opportunities, it can still feel out of reach for gen z - a generation that craves active participation over passive observation. The challenge is to transform the invitation to observe into an opportunity to engage and lead, ensuring gen z not only has seats at the table but also a voice in setting the agenda.

The Cannes Lions experience was more than just an educational journey; it was a call to action for young creators to boldly tell their stories. The festival highlighted the transformative role creators are starting to play in reshaping advertising. Looking ahead, I hope to see more young creators actively participating in and shaping the discourse at Cannes. The festival underscores our evolving role in advertising, and I’m excited to keep leading the charge, showing how creators and social strategists can revolutionise the industry.