Why Cannes 2025 Felt Like a Turning Point for Experiential Marketing

This was my third year at Cannes, and as many people sit to write down their musings on an event that has inundated LinkedIn for the past week, I can’t quite get Rob Mayhew’s parody out of my head. You know, the one about trying to write a meaningful Cannes post?

With that said, here’s my meaningful Cannes write up… let’s hope I don’t give you the ick!

The iconic beach activations, a beloved fixture in the ad land calendar, made their much welcomed return, embracing attendees like an old friend returning to their favourite bar.

This year, however, there was a noticeable shift in their approach.

A little less tat, a little more conversation

As the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll once said. Kind of.

The deluge of disposable swag and general ‘tat’ that swarmed previous years was significantly curtailed. Instead, there was a much stronger, more meaningful, emphasis on genuine product demonstrations.

A prime example was Google. Highly knowledgeable and enthusiastic Googlers were on hand to showcase the future of technology and blow our minds with the possibility of the future being very much ‘the now’.

Gemini continues to expand its tools, with its most esteemed addition being an AI video generator, all produced from a single photo - which was pretty impressive - and it’s just launched in the UK. Who know’s what future content you might see on Bearded Kitten socials?

Meta had the Reel Skate Park, which made users the star of the show - quite literally. Directors filmed participants, and sliced content together for Reels, showing just how easy it is to create your own original content.

The rise of Experential

Are live experiences finally getting their flowers?

There’s been a quiet rumbling in our world for a while now, a collective 'hello? We exist too?' from the experiential crowd. But this year at Cannes, it felt like the industry started to properly listen.

It started with Shelly Elkins’ open letter of NVE. A call to arms urging the industry to recognise the people and agencies behind real-world brand experiences.

Then came XP Land x Canva. They hosted a brunch where the people behind the scenes of the biggest activations were given their time to shine. A refreshing change, and about time. A brunch at 9am on the Thursday felt like a punch slot, but when egg canapés are doing the rounds, say no more.

Later that day we were back in the hills for an 'Experential is Everything' cocktail party where XP unveiled their X List celebrating the creative minds driving the future of our industry. Real recognition. Inspiring people. Drinks as punch as a 9am brunch. What’s not to love?

But… are we being seen?

It was heartening to see experiential finally getting some of the attention it deserves, but there’s still work to do.

Income the Cannes Lions Grand Prix awards.

This year’s Brand Experience & Activation winner, ‘Caption with Intention’ by FCB Chicago, is a beautiful and important piece of work. It’s a campaign that brings emotional depth and accessibility to the screen in a way that’s never been done before. Hats off to the team behind it.

But it did raise the question. With so many incredible real-world activations taking place, are live experiences being given the same weight as digital or campaign-led work?
We’re not saying one is better than the other. But in a category that’s supposed to celebrate brand experience, is it time the real-world stuff got more than just a polite nod?

Keepin’ It Real

It’s no secret that there’s been an enduring buzz about AI for some time, bigging it up as the next big thing for efficiency and transformation. That was solidified with its obvious presence as Cannes this year, but something new has also started to appear.

With all the fancy (and somewhat scary) deepfakes and AI-made content flooding our social feeds, it begs the question: 'What's actually real anymore?'

This growing uncertainty really highlights why experiential marketing is so crucial. It’s a steadfast and tangible fix for all the digital noise that may, or may not, be real.

Mark Cuban hit the nail on the head when he said, "Within the next 3 years, there will be so much AI, in particular AI video, people won’t know if what they see or hear is real. Which will lead to an explosion of F2F engagement, events and jobs."

But it’s not all scary. In fact, it’s creating a massive opportunity for those of us who create face-to-face experiences. As the digital world becomes an overcrowded and tiresome space filled with stuff that might not be real, people are craving genuine connections and experiences that they can trust.

And that, my friends, is sublime news for us experiential marketers. So, let’s cheers our many o’ Cannes Rosé’s to that!