The Linqia team recently returned from the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. The rosé was flowing and the yachts were a plenty! But beyond the fun was an endless stream of valuable content with panels consisting of some of the most impressive marketers we’ve had the honor of meeting. Here are our top five learnings…
- It’s a creators world, we’re all just living in it. Between the social media platforms, the influencer marketing agencies, and the creators themselves, the topic infiltrated virtually every part of Cannes. Even the Kelce brothers used the word influencers more times than we could count. Everyone wants to be a creator, even the athletes and the celebs, because they know creators are the new publishers and media platforms of the future.
- AI is moving faster than we may like to admit. TikTok announced their new virtual avatars, Elon Musk said that more than 80% of jobs will be displaced in the future, and every CMO spoke about the need to experiment and understand the impact of AI. It’s clear that very few have found a way to integrate AI today in a way that has significantly impacted the business, but they all recognize that we are not far out from that day.
- Retail media is a juggernaut: It makes sense, a media offering that can provide the lowest level conversion metrics is something every marketer wants. But while the last few years have been all about targeting and measurement, the conversation is starting to shift to the content that is being served on those networks and how to integrate creator content to drive the best performance.
- Social first brands are the one’s winning. The days of smooshing a TV spot into a social ad are over. Brands are making social the centerpoint of their content strategies, and thinking about how they can earn attention vs buy it. This means leaning into trends, creating content that makes senior leaders uncomfortable, and doubling down on creators. We are still in the early days of most brands making this transformation successfully, but I’m betting we start shifting the language to creator first brands in the not too distant future.
- Sports shape culture, and women’s sports is exploding: The number of athletes and conversations around sports was surprising, and the interest from brands in women’s sports is significant. It feels like sports are the last driver of live TV viewing and that the players are becoming prime candidates for creating the next media empires. We heard from the Kelce brothers, Draymond Green, Megan Rapino, Brandon Marshall, and so many more athletes who have created their own media properties.
These five takeaways are just a glimpse into the wealth of knowledge gleaned from our week on the French Riviera. Want to see how these trends can power your next influencer campaign? Hit the Contact Us button at the top of the page, and someone from Linqia will get back to you in a jiffy!
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