Beth Keamy Wants Cannes' Social Successes to Inspire Bravery in Clients

Beth Keamy is the chief digital officer at TBWA\Media Arts Lab, the creative agency network purpose-built for Apple.

In this role, she sets the digital ambition for the network's global offices, ultimately driving business for one of the planet's biggest and most creative brands --  one she's now worked with for almost a decade.

At Cannes Lions 2025, Beth will be the jury president for the Social & Creator Lions -- previously the Social & Influencer Lions -- overseeing the judging process for work with an emphasis on social thinking and strategic influencer marketing solutions.

In the words of the festival: "The work should demonstrate how levels of engagement, social reach and the creative use of social media, brand ambassadors, creators, celebrities and influencers led to commercial success."

LBB's Ben Conway caught up with Beth to see how she's preparing for the jury, to discuss how the category has evolved since 2018, and find out what she's expecting from the category's Grand Prix-level work -- like last year's winner: Ogilvy's 'Michael CeraVe' campaign.

LBB> How are you preparing for the jury room this year?

Beth> I am immersing myself in the work, both from this year and past years. It's such a privilege to be able to lock in and be inspired by new and different shapes of work from across the world.

I've just got back from visiting our TBWA\Media Arts Lab teams in Tokyo and Seoul, which was incredible. Being on the ground and experiencing all that those cities have to offer served as a great primer for a global show like Cannes that celebrates deep cultural nuances and creativity from all corners.

LBB> For you and your leadership style, in your opinion, what makes a good jury president? And how do you hope to lead the jury room?

Beth> I am fortunate to have a jury filled with such a vast range of expertise and lived experience. Everyone brings such a unique perspective, and my job is to listen to and ensure that all the perspectives of this incredible collection of talented people are heard.

I'm a big fan of a constructive debate culture and look forward to the conversations that will challenge perspectives and open up the aperture to see the work differently. I want us to celebrate truly great work -- work that had a meaningful impact. My hope is that as a jury we all learn, we all have fun, and we're all insanely excited about the work we get the privilege to award.

LBB> What is it about the Social & Creator category that really excites or interests you?

Beth> I truly believe this work represents the new edge of modern marketing. Work that is built for social, not just broadcast on it, has a rare ability to galvanise communities while inspiring authentic brand allegiance. To cut through the feed and win against the algorithmic odds takes true originality and brilliant ideas, so I'm excited to see and celebrate the best of this culture-defining work.

LBB> And what are the current big debates within that specific category - or more generally across the industry - that you expect to see coming through in the judging?

Beth> The online landscape is ever evolving, so there will be plenty to discuss in the room. With Social & Creator, I think it's always crucial to debate what the inherent role of social was in the idea, beyond just a pathway to distribute work. I think this year we'll have a focus on the authenticity and depth of partnerships between talent and brands. And there's always a question around the brands that are truly creating culture in the feed rather than chasing it.

LBB> This category was previously named 'Social & Influencer' – how does this name change reflect how social-first campaigns have evolved since the category was introduced in 2018?

Beth> This evolution acknowledges the true and legitimate role creators play within the marketing landscape. They are an essential part of a modern marketer's toolkit in a world where TikTok is a search engine, social algorithms create bubbles of like-minded micro-communities, and personal recommendations have never been more important.

Personally, I prefer not to subdivide talent – creator, influencer, celebrity, artist – because, to me, you're simply selecting the right creative partner for the idea.

What I think is unique about talent that has risen through the feed first is the speed and originality of their creative ideation. They also bring insanely passionate communities to the table, and a deep understanding of what motivates their audiences. As marketers, that intel and perspective are priceless.

LBB> What takes a piece of work to that next 'Grand Prix' level in this category?

Beth> A Grand Prix represents the best of our industry, irrespective of category. It should be inspirational and inevitable. It should incite creative jealousy. What I love about Grand Prix awards that come from Social & Creator is that they're active ideas that invite the audience to do more than just passively consume. They get to play with, co-create, and be a part of the brand and the moment.

LBB> The Social & Creator Grand Prix was awarded to Ogilvy's 'Michael CeraVe' campaign last year. How has that shaped your approach to judging this year?

Beth> That campaign was brilliant and I was so thrilled to see it recognised last year. It was a great idea, with a wildly impressive roll-out that was engineered to drive conversation. I deeply admire campaigns that have an incredibly complex architecture behind the scenes but feel effortless in the world.

I also love that it was a slightly mad idea, one that would have taken a deep level of partnership and trust between the client and agency to pull it off. Together, they resisted the urge to blunt the edges of the idea. I want to see and celebrate work that inspires bravery in clients.

LBB> The transcendent 'big' ideas are relatively easy to spot, but some work is smart in a more nuanced way – for example, work that plays on the subtleties of a particular culture. When you're leading a jury, how do you give space to these ideas in the jury room?

Beth> Context is gold dust, and I think it's essential for a jury room to be a space of curiosity. Scale is important, but looking at impact against the defined audience alongside the context of the business objective is key. We're here to celebrate brilliant, impactful ideas of all shapes and sizes.

LBB>  Outside of the jury room, what do you think will be the big talking points of Cannes 2025?

Beth> It's inevitable that artificial intelligence will be hotly debated this year. We're just at the precipice of the impact AI will have on our industry, which is really exciting and worthy of deep discussion. To me, AI not only creates more space for original creativity, it demands it. When tools infused with AI democratise the process and liberate swathes of information, craft, curation and truly creative ideas become all the more important to set yourself and your brand apart. It will be the agencies and brands that embrace the marriage of these elements that will chart the future course.