The Cannes Lions, the international advertising and marketing showcase, will be back with a live event in Cannes from June 20-24. It marks the return of the event after two years, as the 2021 edition was also forced to go virtual.
Philip Thomas, Cannes Lions chairman, said the event “can’t wait to reunite the industry and bring the community together once again.”
“For over 67 years, Cannes Lions has served as a convening force for the global creative community. As the world continues to shift and change, we know that our role as conveners needs to evolve,” said Thomas.
Cannes Lions will still have a hybrid component to pursue the digital initiatives launched over the last 18 months. “It provides us with an opportunity to democratize, innovate and reinvent the festival for the future,” explained Thomas.
The festival is now working with Lions Membership, a subscription-based, digital offering launched in March 2020 and which now has more than 10,000 members. The Lions Membership allowed members to receive complimentary access to Cannes Lions Live in 2021.
Simon Cook, managing director for Cannes Lions, said the event was putting the “foundations in place to build a purposeful festival that allows our community to come together in a meaningful way.”
Added Cook: “Through highly curated content, community networking opportunities and agenda setting initiatives Cannes Lions will provide an annual forum for the global industry to address the most pressing issues the industry and world are facing today.” The executive added that sustainability was a priority for the event.
Lions just kicked off its annual State of Creativity Study, whose results will form the Lions 2022 editorial agenda across all of its platforms and events. Cannes Lions will open its call for content in January.