09:00 – 11:00
Internet Brunch IRL
Internet Brunch started as a daily culture newsletter and now is consumed by the world’s top agencies and brands. For this live edition in Cannes, Big Spaceship CEO Taryn Crouthers brings that same energy to a morning conversation with people who are actively shaping how culture moves right now.
We’ll hear from Creator & Actor, Yasmine Sahid, who is currently starring in Amazon Prime's Overcompensating, and is building audiences from the inside out; Connor Lim, Founder and CEO of IDL (International Dance League), who is turning dance into a legitimate competitive sport; and Liz Armistead, VP, Brand Marketing, Dropbox - a brand-side marketer navigating what it actually means to show up in culture.
This will be a fun, real talk about creativity, community, and the kind of cultural curiosity that's been powering Internet Brunch the past 15 years.
SPEAKERS INCLUDE
Yasmine Sahid
Actress / Creator, Overcompensating on Amazon Prime
Liz Armistead
VP, Brand Marketing, Dropbox
Connor Lim
Founder & CEO, IDL
Taryn Crouthers
CEO, Big Spaceship
INSIGHTS FROM
11:30 – 12:30
Momentum, Made
The brands pulling ahead aren't waiting to see where AI lands. They're building momentum now; connecting creative vision to production capability in ways that compound over time.
Fragmented teams. Disconnected tools. Work that loses something between the idea and the execution. The cost of staying siloed has never been higher.
Scale has always been the enemy of craft. AI is changing that equation, and the brands that understand how are already doing more, with less compromise.
Jo Lyall, Fergus Dyer-Smith and Lucas Peon show you what that looks like in practice: the tools, the thinking, and a clear-eyed view of where the next 12 months will take us.
SPEAKERS INCLUDE
Joanna Lyall
Executive Director, MSQ
Fergus Dyer-Smith
Chief Product Officer, MSQ
Lucas Peon
Chief Creative Officer, The Gate London
HOSTED BY
13:00 – 15:00
Creative Intelligence: The new frontier of marketing performance
Research has shown that creative remains one of the largest drivers of advertising performance, and yet it has historically been one of the least measured.
In this session, senior voices from Winterberry Group, Adobe, Vidmob and MSQ will examine what is changing, why now, and what it takes for organizations to fully realize the potential of Creative Intelligence at scale.
Over lunch, we will explore three thematic pillars: the evolution of creative strategy in an AI-enabled environment; the operational and organizational shifts required to scale effectively; and the emerging metrics and measurement frameworks that will define creative performance going forward.
Join us, as together we reframe one of the most consequential conversations in marketing today.
SPEAKERS INCLUDE
Michael Harrison
CEO, Winterberry Group
Sam Garfield
Senior Director & DSG Head of CMT, Adobe
Carly Crittenden
CRO, Vidmob
Joanna Lyall
Executive Director, MSQ
INSIGHTS FROM
15:30 – 17:30
The Indie Forum 2026 with The Network One
Last year’s Indie Forum was a highlight for many independent agency founders – delivering bold perspectives, lively debate, and the unique energy that only the global indie community can create.
Expect more of the same in 2026: candid conversations, fresh insights, and real value from leaders who are shaping the future of independent agencies.
SPEAKERS INCLUDE
Aaron Lang
President, MSQ North America
Monica Chun
Acceleration Community of Companies (ACC), President, USA
Jules Love
Spark AI, Co-Founder, UK
Jane McDaid
THINKHOUSE, Founder and Head of Creative Innovation, Ireland
Amir Salim
Founding member of Lovable, Sweden
Alex Morad
Bright Mind Agency / oriiion AI, CEO / Founder, Sweden
Adam Ferrier
Thinkerbell, Founder / Consumer Psychologist, Australia
HOSTED BY
19:30 TIL LATE
The B2B Leaders Dinner
An intimate VIP dinner for B2B Leaders, in celebration of the LIONS B2B Summit with LinkedIn & Stein.
This event is by invitation only.
HOSTED BY
09:15 – 11:00
Growth in Transformative Times
Join Forge for a morning of sharp thinking and honest conversation with senior leaders who are creating tomorrow's value right now.
Over breakfast at Le Club MSQ, three senior leaders from across global FMCG, banking, healthcare and consulting will explore the evolving demands on modern marketing leadership; from the changing CMO mandate to the behaviours, decisions, and team cultures that separate growth leaders from the rest.
SPEAKERS INCLUDE
Kathryn Swallow
Global Category Head – OTC, Haleon
Nathalia Amadeu
Global Brand Director, Vaseline, Unilever
Nicole German
Global CMO Corporate & Institutional Banking, HSBC
Eleanor Lloyd Malcolm
Chief Growth Officer, Forge
INSIGHTS FROM
12:00 – 14:00
The Ritualicious Lunch with The Marketing Society & MSQ
Drawing on MSQ's pioneering Ritualized research, we've brought together two extraordinary perspectives on what rituals really do to us.
Our guests will help us explore a question that sits at the heart of great insights work: how do you get it off the table and into the work — and how do you make sure what lands on the plate is worth eating?
We know the beauty of these experiences lies in the connections they spark. So after our speakers have shared their stories, we'll invite you to do the same; taking a moment away from the festival buzz to reflect, share thoughts, and enjoy a delicious lunch, in true The Marketing Society style.
SPEAKERS INCLUDE
Sophie Devonshire
CEO, The Marketing Society
Justin Cox
Chief Strategy Officer, MSQ North America
Giles Hedger
Global Consumer Planning Director, Diageo
Kateryna Sadurska
Olympian & World Champion Freediver
INSIGHTS FROM
14:30 – 15:15
Built to Last, Built for Now
It's the tension every major brand marketer is living right now. The equity in your past is what got you here. But standing still is the fastest way to fall behind.
Join Daniel Binns (Global CEO, Elmwood), Anja Spielmann (VP Global Brand Strategy and Growth, Royal Canin, Mars), Richard Parkinson (Global CMO, Prudential) and Shakir Moin (President, Marketing, Coca-Cola North America) for a candid panel on the hardest balancing act in modern marketing; protecting what makes a brand iconic while reinventing how it shows up in culture, channels and commerce.
Expect specifics: the decisions, the trade-offs, and the moments of nerve behind some of the world's most recognisable brands.
SPEAKERS INCLUDE
Daniel Binns
Global CEO, Elmwood
Anja Spielmann
VP Global Brand Strategy and Growth, Royal Canin, Mars
Richard Parkinson
Global CMO, Prudential
Shakir Moin
President, Marketing, Coca-Cola North America
INSIGHTS FROM
15:45 – 16:30
Beyond Billable
In a world where AI can produce a brief, a concept, and a media plan before lunch, charging by the clock isn't just outdated, it's actively working against the value agencies create. This panel asks the uncomfortable question: if you can't price your work, do you really know what it's worth?
Expect plain talk on value, productivity, procurement and what comes after the timesheet. No platitudes, no PowerPoint.
SPEAKERS INCLUDE
Tina Fegent
Global Marketing Procurement Consultant
Kate Howe
Executive Director, MSQ
Stephen Lepitak
Editorial Director, Creative Salon
INSIGHTS FROM
17:00 – 19:00
Last Night a DJ Saved My Pitch
Great DJs and great pitchers have more in common than you'd think. Seamless transitions. A sense of rhythm. The art of building anticipation, and the nerve to surprise the crowd.
Join Kit Altin as she brings her stand-out SXSW Austin session to Cannes. Part talk, part live DJ set, all interactive; you'll leave with sharper pitching instincts and a soundtrack to match.
Then stick around. Kit's back on the decks for Happy Hour on the terrace.
SPEAKERS INCLUDE
Kit Altin
Chief Strategy Officer, The Gate London
HOSTED BY
20:00 TIL LATE
The Salon Dinner at Le Club MSQ
What’s Next for Brands and Agencies?
The marketing industry is at a turning point, and the old agency playbook is breaking down fast. In this candid conversation over dinner live at Cannes Lions, Creative Salon sits down with Peter Reid, CEO of MSQ, to explore what comes next for brands, agencies, and creativity itself.
Because in a world obsessed with new tools and models, the real competitive advantage might just be how you connect creativity, technology, and culture.
This event is by invitation only.
SPEAKERS INCLUDE
Peter Reid
CEO, MSQ
Claire Beale
Co-Founder, Creative Salon
Sonoo Singh
Co-Founder, Creative Salon
Stephen Lepitak
Editorial Director, Creative Salon
HOSTED BY
Building Brand and Business Momentum through Pure B2B Creativity with Stein
Tuesday 23rd June, 13:30 – 14:00
LIONS B2B Summit
A candid debate on how senior marketers can defend bold creative ideas as a serious growth lever in B2B under commercial pressure, and whether it’s a more complex job than in B2C.
Tom Stein
Chairman & Chief Brand Officer, Stein
Monique Elliott
Chief Brand and Communications Officer, Schneider Electric
Jennifer Chase
Executive VP & CMO, SAS
The Rise of Agentic AI with MSQ
Tuesday 23rd June, 16:00 – 17:00
Rezolve Ai Hub
This panel discussion will see Microsoft and MSQ join Rezolve Ai to explore how agentic AI is transforming consumer discovery, brand visibility and the future of commerce.
The conversation will examine how AI agents and LLMs are becoming the new gatekeepers of the customer journey, how they evaluate and recommend brands, and what retailers and marketers must do to remain visible, relevant and influential in an increasingly AI-mediated world – from discovery through to conversion.
Ben Rudman
Executive Director, MSQ
Michele Fisher
CMO, Rezolve Ai
Mariana Cunha Amaro
Retail Industry Advisor, Microsoft
How to: Unlock New Creatives Depths Like a Freediver with Smarts
Wednesday 24th June, 11:00 – 11:30
The Forum Stage, Palais des Festivals
Join this session for an interactive masterclass with World Record Freediver Kateryna Sadurska, someone who knows a thing or two about not taking shortcuts. Together, you'll learn what it takes to embrace the effort, practise repeatable breathwork techniques to create calm in chaos and discover what freediving can teach you about unlocking new depths in your own creative process.
Natalie Moores
Brand Futures Director, Smarts
Kateryna Sadurska
World Record Freediver
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Brand Innovators: Fireside Chat with Dropbox & Big Spaceship
Wednesday 24th June, 12:10 – 12:25
Showcase Stage, Armani Caffe
Over the past 14 years, Brand Innovators has built a community of over 50,000 senior brand marketers through hosting more than 200 events annually across major cities worldwide. In Europe, it is best known for its flagship event held during Cannes Lions, where more than 1,000 senior brand marketers join Brand Innovators at its three locations across four days.
Taryn Crouthers
CEO, Big Spaceship
Liz Armistead
VP, Brand Marketing, Dropbox
The Terms & Conditions of Being a Girl Panel with The Gate London
Wednesday 24th June, 14:15 – 15:00
WACL Empower Café, Esplanade de Pantiero
From unequal expectations and online abuse to safety concerns, health gaps, and invisible labour, the “terms and conditions” of being a woman are often unspoken, yet universally understood. In this session, Plan International explores the power of creativity to expose those realities, spark conversation, and turn awareness into action through its latest campaign.
Bringing together voices from activism, media, and the creative industries, the discussion will examine why campaigns like this matter more than ever in today’s cultural landscape. The panel will explore the responsibility brands, platforms, and creatives have in shaping narratives around gender equality, and how bold, emotionally resonant storytelling can move beyond performative purpose to create genuine cultural impact.
Mary Sue Masson
Director, Plan International
Helen James
CEO, The Gate
Louise Watson
Associate Director, Propeller Group
No Room for Limits: Why Women are Creating a New Generation of Role Models
Thursday 25th June, 12:25 – 12:55
WACL Empower Café, Esplanade de Pantiero
From the depths of the ocean to the edge of space, today’s most inspiring female figures are redefining what ambition, courage, and high performance can look like. Bringing together a female astronaut and elite free diver, this session explores the growing cultural power of aspirational women and why audiences are increasingly drawn to stories grounded in resilience, purpose, and possibility.
Natalie Moores
Brand Futures Director, Smarts
Kateryna Sadurska
World Record Freediver
The Future is Collaborative: Co-Creating What Comes Next
Thursday 25th June, 15:55 – 16:35
WIN Lounge, Hotel Martinez
The future will not be built in silos. It will be shaped through collaboration, diverse perspectives and collective action.
This session explores how leaders across strategy, branding, innovation, entrepreneurship and business transformation are co-creating ideas, partnerships and solutions that drive long term impact. From creative collaboration and strategic thinking to cultural relevance and emerging opportunities, the discussion will unpack how collective intelligence can unlock stronger outcomes and shape what comes next.
Kit Altin
Chief Strategy Officer, The Gate London
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Did you know that 70% of consumers are open to adopting new rituals? And 39% feel more positively towards brands that become part of their rituals?
Whereas traditional marketing approaches consumer behaviour from the standpoint of the brand, rituals flip this script on its head. The consumer is in charge of creating their own personal rituals and deciding whether and how to incorporate brands – not the other way around.
Our white paper serves as a guide for brands looking to tap into the power of rituals. It offers insights, strategies, and practical examples to help brands authentically engage with their consumers in ways that matter.
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