Why B2B Brands Are Finally Owning Their Space at Cannes Lions

Cannes Lions is often painted as the playground of consumer brands and celebrity-laden spectacles. But in recent years, B2B marketers have found a louder voice among the rosé and the razzmatazz. Few know that better than 2LK managing director Kate Fulford-Brown. With nine years’ experience delivering activations at the festival, including five years creating the executive-level MediaLink cabana, Kate has seen first-hand how business-focused brands are reimagining what meaningful presence looks like. LBB’s Alex Reeves sat down with her to talk strategy, CX ambition, and the shift from hospitality to true experience design ahead of the week on the Croisette.

LBB> How have you seen the “business of Cannes” evolve over your nine years of activations – and what’s driven the biggest shifts?

Kate> Cannes has always been a hub of creativity and hustle, networking and ‘business on the beach’, but where we once saw agencies, production houses and media shops networking with their clients, over time, commercial brands have started to realise the unmatched opportunity to tap into the unique crowd that’s drawn and do good business.

These brands have created owned spaces – whether purpose built, beach cabanas or takeovers in cafes or Palais spaces – to house commercial conversations, build brand influence and increasingly offer opportunities to interact with live versions of their brand promise. As brand investment has risen, the festival has gained a commercial edge with many brands investing millions in this one-off opportunity to invite the seat of influence into their orbit and bring their brand promise to life in a one-of-a-kind environment. Taking advantage of not only the concentration of so many influential decision-makers in the marketing communications space, but also the ‘vacation’ mindset that creates such a singular, buzzy and relaxed backdrop for business. But it’s not all rosé and Riviera vibes – brands target a ROI multiplier of 3–5x for their Cannes activations (depending on goal: awareness vs. leads vs. partnership building, etc.) which often translates to $3M–$20M+ in brand value (media reach, PR exposure, pipeline generation and maturity, brand perception etc.).

As business has boomed on the Croisette, the creative heart of the festival has continued to beat and although 2024 award entries were down by 38% from the 2016 peak (a record 43,101 entries), the organisers work hard to evolve and reinvent the experience to keep appeal and relevance high. In 2017, categories like ‘Cyber Lions’ and ‘Promo & Activation Lions’ were retired, with new categories such as ‘Luxury & Lifestyle Lions' and ‘Expanded Glass: The Lion for Change' being introduced to reflect the current power and purpose of creativity today. The 2024 ‘Creators’ space is yet another high value addition to the mix and this year we see a ‘Global Creative Hub' introduced, aimed at increasing global representation by providing nations with a dedicated space to highlight their creative industries.

The way the business shows up may have changed but the reason for that business remains resolutely intact.

LBB> In your experience delivering the MediaLink cabana for the past five years, how have client expectations at Cannes changed – and how have you adapted?

Kate> We’ve been on such a fantastic journey with MediaLink. As a business, it always understood what an incredible and unique opportunity Cannes offers to let people experience their brand promise and proposition in a live space. As this offering has developed, we’ve worked closely with them to evolve the physical brand expression each year. We’ve always created highly functional and welcoming spaces, and as the brand has matured, we’ve worked hard together to elevate the space and incorporate a premium and sophisticated feel. Its audience is demanding and senior, and it’s our job to ensure the space created to house their incredible content and high value end clients is simply the best equipped and most comfortable executive space on the Croisette. Over the years MediaLink has added social and business-related activities and offerings and we’re proud to level up every year to ensure a completely cohesive yet multifaceted experience offering networking, meetings, premium programming, learning opportunities and relaxation; the place to be, and be seen.

The beachside brand spaces have become more competitive and savvier over the last five years – originally MediaLink was pretty unique in their offering. We’ve responded to this competition by adding value year-on-year, and now include high calibre content programming, cocktail panel sessions, and even sunrise fitness options with world leading brands (watch this space!). Its branded spaces are unrecognisable from five years ago and this year will knock all previous editions out of the park!

Client expectations are higher than ever and each year we up our game in the experience planning, aesthetic and build to help MediaLink maintain its reputation as the premium executive networking and learning space on the Croisette.

LBB> Can you walk us through a moment when business priorities and creative ambition at Cannes were in tension, and how you resolved it?

Kate> It’s less a tension and more a dynamic that needs careful planning and management. Fostering pipeline activity and bringing the brand to life should not be in competition with each other, they should be fuelling one another.

Examples of brands that do this well are Amazon and Pinterest, where the sense of what the brand offers is so strong, they can telegraph through carefully created brand moments while also offering discreet hardworking business spaces. It’s paramount that one doesn’t detract from the other.

Another great example is LinkedIn. Framed as ‘The Place to B2B’, the activation focuses on positioning LinkedIn as the leading platform for professional connection and insight, hosting panels, a live studio, and networking events. At the same time, it embraces the festival’s creative energy through design and interactive elements that encourage participation. Its dynamic space delivers both strategic networking opportunities and an authentic, culturally resonant brand experience.

LBB> What frameworks or processes do you put in place to ensure commercial objectives don’t stifle creativity on-site?

Kate> We align on shared success metrics with clients early in the process, allowing business and creative teams to work in harmony. Creative ‘guardrails’ are established with the client: what’s non-negotiable vs. where we can push the boundaries. It’s a delicate balance and all in the early experience design.

LBB> How do you measure the ROI of an experiential activation like a cabana, and how do you communicate its value to exec-level stakeholders?

Kate> By working closely with our clients at the outset to identify KPIs. There are various industry standard metrics to capture and feedback data: interviews, surveys, focus groups, footfall, NPS, meeting numbers, sentiment studies, RFID data, earned media, etc. Utilising both qualitative and quantitative data is key. It’s important to keep measurement relevant, simple and seamless.

A lot of our clients have clear ambitions related to leads or revenue and that’s their straightforward ROI. We always encourage them to incorporate reputational ROI – using the festival as a live flagship moment to secure a higher profile, for example driving PR coverage and social capital pre- and post-event, flexing, being seen and showing up well amongst their perceived peer set.

A single high-visibility activation (e.g. Spotify Beach) can earn millions of social and press impressions in a week (equivalent to a standard multi-million-pound media buy). But for many of our brands, creative profile (by association) and gaining internal alignment between marketing, product and leadership teams is as much of a win as sales ROI.

LBB> Which emerging trends in B2B hospitality or networking at Cannes Lions are you most excited about for 2025? Why?

Kate>

• Micro-networking experiences: targeted meetups replacing broader receptions. LBB & Friends Beach at Cannes Lions is a great example here. Effective micro-networking offering a curated, relaxed environment that fosters meaningful connections.
• Personalisation and hyper-targeted activities supported by AI. In past years, Meta’s beach activation has featured personalised content studios, AI-powered creative tools and interactive demos. Attendees often receive tailored session invites based on industry sector, interests or past engagement with Meta’s platforms.
• Purpose-led partnerships: brands hosting cause-aligned content sessions to drive industry change and action. The Female Quotient (FQ) has established itself as a leader in purpose-led partnerships at Cannes Lions through its signature Equality Lounge®. This inclusive space serves up thought leadership, networking and empowerment, focusing on advancing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace. FQ partnerships (for example with SiriusXM Media) facilitate discussions and initiatives promoting gender equality and representation across industries.
• Quiet luxury and wellness: mindful spaces to decompress, acknowledging the community’s current state of digital overwhelm.
• The rise of creators and influencers: they’re now part of the fabric and narrative, recognised by the awards and in the brand spaces. For example, cafe takeovers such as Empower Cafe and Informa’s Creators Roof and events.

LBB> In your view, what’s the biggest misconception execs have about balancing business goals with Cannes’ creative ethos?

Kate>
That creativity and business performance are mutually exclusive; they’re interdependent at Cannes. In 2024, Meta’s Es Devlin ‘Reels Cinema’ build was a winner – an artist-led cinematic project, created with purity and dedication. Showcasing the power of Reels through the immersive film ‘There Is No Other’, integrated demos of AI tools, Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, and Meta Quest 3 mixed reality VR, Meta provided attendees with hands-on experiences of its latest technologies.

That ROI means stripping away ambition, when boldness is often a major differentiator. Pinterest’s ‘Manifestival’ activation for 2024 transformed a beachside space into a vibrant, intention-driven festival experience, complete with LEGO® flower making, colour readings, a tattoo parlour, tie-dying Crocs, and cutting tote bags. Reflecting Pinterest’s value of positivity and inspiration, it delivered high-value leads through invite-only sessions, boosted brand perception and earned widespread social and media coverage.

Underestimating how a creatively brave activation can amplify strategic messaging and draw an audience in. Instacart was a prime example of this in 2024 with their supersized pop-up installation resembling its iconic grocery bag, strategically located outside the Palais. This eye-catching setup featured the AI-powered Caper Cart, allowing attendees to experience firsthand how technology is transforming the grocery shopping experience.

Some brands, new to this style of event, don’t quite understand their audience – this was clear at POSSIBLE 2025. The Cannes crowd have a different mindset; it’s business on the beach. Activations like Netflix cater perfectly to a crowd that values high-quality storytelling, pop culture relevance and immersive brand worlds. Netflix leans into experiential storytelling, transforming its rooftop space into a live extension of its most iconic shows, from themed lounges to cast appearances and behind-the-scenes conversations.

LBB> Can you share an example of an activation that struck the perfect harmony between business impact and creative flair, and the secret behind its success?

Kate> The largest activation footprint at the festival, Amazon Port’s ‘A’ Maison’ was the showstopper activation last year. An immersive cultural village blending stunning aesthetics with cutting-edge digital experiences. Inspired by iconic fashion houses, the space was a hub for cultural creation and exchange, with a focus on Amazon’s groundbreaking ‘From Ads to Zeitgeist’ research. The scale, day-to-night programming and thoughtful use of space delivered a buzzy and vibrant experience. The whole ecosystem was a perfectly balanced combination of play and content which delivered in a powerful way.

Over 6,000 industry professionals engaged with more than 10 Amazon properties throughout the week, including Amazon Studios, Twitch, AWS, Prime Video and Wondery. A worthy multi-award winner, including Finalist in the Campaign Experience Awards, winner of a Silver Drum Award, an Event Marketer Experience Design Award and a MUSE Award.

LBB> Looking ahead, how do you see the interplay of data, tech and creativity shaping B2B experiences at Cannes over the next three years?

Kate> 

• Data will transform from backend measurement to real-time experience design, adapting content dynamically.
• Tech will enable multi-sensory storytelling that sparks emotion and promotes lasting memories.
• Mobile tech will allow more interactivity, personalisation and curation on site.
• Creativity will be enhanced and augmented, incorporating both big ta-da moments and orchestrated journeys; a seamless blending of utility and wonder.
• Expect tighter integration of CRM, event platforms and brand world-building, from pre-invite to post-event follow-up.
• Reward will come in many shapes and sizes, we’ll still yearn for analogue, but tech will facilitate.