Since I started going to Cannes Lions in 2022, the festival has become one of my favorite weeks of the year. There鈥檚 something so magical about bringing together the brightest minds in media, marketing, and commerce to discuss where our industry is heading and how we get there with a purpose that鈥檚 fueled by creativity and authenticity.
From my conversations on stage with Dentsu鈥檚 global CMO Nate Nicely, Hilton Hotels鈥 CMO Mark Weinstein, and 3C Ventures鈥 Michael Kassan, to a fireside chat with documentarian Louis Theroux at Spotify Beach, to a deep dive with Sara Fischer of Axios, one thing was clear: We鈥檙e entering a new era where content, commerce, and community are no longer in separate lanes. They鈥檙e part of a powerful flywheel.
When I launched 11:11 Media, it wasn鈥檛 just to entertain鈥攊t was to inspire and create a next-generation media company. I wanted to tell stories that matter, that shape culture, and that empower new voices. During the week at Cannes this year, I could feel the industry moving in that same direction. The best conversations weren鈥檛 just about performance or product鈥攖hey were about purpose, authenticity, and innovation.
Here are a few of my biggest takeaways from my iconic week at Cannes Lions 2025.
Marketing channels play multiple purposes
People don鈥檛 discover products through a straight path like they did 10, five, or even three years ago. They find them through friends, creators, TikTok, Roblox, music festivals鈥攜ou name it. If brands aren鈥檛 adapting to these changes, they are going to fall behind.
At Cannes this year, IRL activations were everywhere, and social platforms showed up more than ever before. Pinterest teamed up with Emma Chamberlain to launch a limited-edition sea salt toffee blend of her coffee brand鈥攃o-branded, community-driven, and the perfect example of turning inspiration into action. TikTok was also out in full force, with creators and marketers sharing real-time, behind-the-scenes moments that brought the festival to life for millions.
Every platform provides a unique opportunity to create, inspire, inform, and convert. At 11:11, we think about every experience as a moment of discovery. Whether it鈥檚 through a new product line, a Roblox world, or an advocacy campaign, we meet people where they are, not where we want them to be.
Authenticity is everything
The word 鈥渁uthenticity鈥 was repeated across every stage, dinner, and deal. In a world filled with content and information constantly coming at you, authenticity is what breaks through. Whether it was conversations around building community with purpose-driven creators or campaigns that celebrated unfiltered human moments, the takeaway was clear: People crave stories that reflect real values, lived experiences, and honest intentions.
I loved seeing brands like Dove take home a Grand Prix for its approach to authentic storytelling with 鈥淩eal Beauty,鈥 as well as hearing the stories shared at Spotify Beach and Stagwell Sport Beach for their brand partners. I鈥檝e built my brand by being myself, and my audience can always tell when something is genuine鈥攁nd that is how I continue to build my business.
The best campaigns aren鈥檛 just about numbers, they鈥檙e about stories. When you lead with feeling, you build loyalty. And when people care, they come back. So don鈥檛 chase clicks, chase connection; we鈥檝e all chased those metrics, but the real magic happens when your story hits home. People remember how you made them feel, not just what you sold. That鈥檚 how you build a brand that lasts鈥攂y sparking emotion and turning audiences into engaged communities.
AI is your creative partner
One of the biggest topics along the Croisette? AI.
From Google鈥檚 new AI Overviews to Meta teasing fully automated ad creation, everyone鈥檚 learning about how this technology is reshaping marketing and creativity. Adobe dropped tools that blend AI with storytelling, and YouTube spotlighted how it鈥檚 helping creators build their brands with smarter tech.
As an undercover nerd, I loved hearing about how AI could reshape the creative process. I don鈥檛 believe AI is replacing human imagination鈥攈onestly, nothing compares to the magic of our own creativity. The sparkle in your mind is priceless. But AI does streamline ideas; at 11:11 Media, we see AI as a tool that can help creators scale at a speed we鈥檝e never seen before.
Purpose drives loyalty and relevance
Purpose isn鈥檛 something you tack on鈥攊t has to be built into the core of your business. It鈥檚 what turns followers into advocates and campaigns into real movements.
The 鈥淐aption With Intention鈥 campaign totally blew me away. It reimagined closed captions for the first time since the 鈥70s with color-coded speakers, animated text, and fonts that actually reflect emotion. It wasn鈥檛 just cool鈥攊t was inclusive, emotional, and set a whole new standard for accessibility.
As someone with ADHD, tools that make content more engaging and easier to process are total game-changers. Because let鈥檚 be real鈥攑urpose isn鈥檛 just what you say, it鈥檚 what you do and who you show up with. That kind of leadership sets the tone for the entire industry.
I鈥檝e seen firsthand how my community shows up when I lead with action, whether it鈥檚 fighting to pass laws that protect vulnerable youth or standing up for the LGBTQIA+ community. Advocacy has shaped the way I work鈥擨鈥檝e always believed in turning passion into impact, and that鈥檚 helped build a deep trust with my fans and partners that I鈥檒l never take for granted.
As we look ahead, I鈥檓 more inspired than ever to keep pushing the boundaries of the modern media company. When you combine purpose with a platform that鈥檚 driven by passion, you don鈥檛 just spark conversations鈥攜ou shape culture.