Can the human touch save creativity in the age of algorithms? This talk goes behind the work that drove Apple to becoming the 2025 recipient of the Cannes Lions Creative Marketer of the Year Award, and shows how sometimes it’s as important to feel it as it is to get it.

Speaker:
Tor Myhren, VP of Marketing Communications - Apple

In today’s fast-moving world, size can be a liability. Big companies often drown in process, avoid fresh ideas and lose the very thing that made them great: creativity. In this provocative session, Sir John Hegarty argues that it’s not survival of the fittest, but survival of the most adaptable. Drawing on decades of experience working with global brands, he’ll explore how daring ideas, fast decisions and cultural courage, not scale, are the new drivers of success.

This session will give you the tools to cut through complexity, inspire teams and compete not by being the biggest, but by being the boldest.

Speaker:
Sir John Hegarty, Creative - The Business of Creativity

Duolingo isn’t just a language app – it’s a brand that people follow, engage with and obsess over. In this session, Duolingo’s Chief Marketing Officer breaks down how the marketing team went from a support function to a growth engine by harnessing fandoms, internet culture and a fearless brand voice to dominate social media and drive real business growth. To make a learning app feel like a pop-culture phenomenon, Duolingo’s strategy stretches far beyond the marketing team and requires close collaboration with product and design teams.

Join to get practical advice on influencing roadmaps, navigating cross-functional teams, engaging in TikTok mastery and effectively tapping into cultural moments with one common goal: moving the business forward.

Questions this session will answer:
- What’s the secret to creating a brand persona that authentically resonates with audiences?
- How can brands leverage TikTok to build engagement and drive real business outcomes?
- How can marketing operate as a growth engine, rather than a supporting player?

Speaker:
Emmanuel Orssaud, Chief Marketing Officer - Duolingo
Duo the Owl Lingo, Chief Mayhem Officer - Duolingo

Big-screen storytelling has the power not just to entertain, but to change minds.

In this thought-provoking session, SAWA President and Pearl & Dean CEO Kathryn Jacob OBE joins acclaimed filmmaker Gurinder Chadha OBE to explore how cinema can challenge entrenched norms, disrupt bias and reframe global perspectives on identity, inclusion and equality.

From Bend It Like Beckham to Blinded by the Light, Gurinder’s emotionally resonant films have moved hearts and opened minds. She’ll share the creative craft behind her storytelling – and reflect on her own journey in shifting perspectives within a traditionally narrow industry. Your stories told on the big screen don’t just reflect culture – they create it.

Questions this session will answer:
- How can cinema spark cultural change and influence social perspectives?
- ⁠What storytelling techniques can creatives use to challenge norms and shift audience perspectives?
- How has Gurinder Chadha’s journey challenged creative industry norms, and what more needs to be done to open doors for diverse voices?

Speaker:
Gurinder Chadha OBE, Film Director, Writer and Producer – Bend It Networks
Kathryn Jacob OBE, Author, SAWA President and Pearl & Dean CEO - SAWA

We start the week with an exclusive get-together at the Weischer Haus including Cannes Impact. In a relaxed atmosphere, you will have the opportunity to network with other Executive Programme participants and Cannes jurors and make valuable initial contacts.

In addition to the get-together, a real highlight awaits you!
Do you want to know how to win a Grand Prix in Cannes in 2025? Then you've come to the right place - right on the first day of the festival.

At the Cannes Impact Jury Talk, Kerstin Heffels (Senior Producer, Freelance HeimatTBWA\) and Matthias Spaetgens (Partner & CCO Scholz & Friends) will provide exclusive insights into the Jury Room and their award-winning campaigns.

What really counts? Which works are convincing? And how does the standard change after the really big success? A talk with real movers and shakers and plenty of inspiration for anyone who wants to aim high.

Half of the world’s population still lacks access to basic care. Not because solutions don’t exist, but because the right people haven’t been given the right support to scale them.

Healthcare entrepreneurs are leading the way, designing life-changing health solutions, rethinking care models, and building businesses that don’t just succeed, but create lasting impact. Yet, many are underfunded and lack access to the networks, mentorship, and support they need to thrive.

Join Reckitt and global sports icon and businesswoman Serena Williams as they discuss how businesses, investors, and change-makers can lead the way through fresh ideas, diverse voices, and reimagined systems; proving that when we invest in impact innovators, we build a cleaner, healthier world for everyone.

Questions this session will answer:
- Solutions to the world’s biggest problems often already exist. How do we do better to uncover and support them to scale?
- How should brands think about incorporating causes and values into their messaging internally and externally?
- Doing good vs looking good – is it possible for brands to focus on both?

Speaker:
Serena Williams, Founder and Entrepreneur - Serena Ventures
Sheila Redzepi, Chief Communications and Corporate Affairs Officer - Reckitt
Catherine Casey Nanda, Managing Partner - Acumen America
Tania Bryer OBE, Broadcaster and CNBC Anchor - CNBC

You are your most important creation. In an era of peak uncertainty - from economic upheavals to climate crises - it's easy to lose sight of who we are and what we believe. The Life Brief is your playbook for creating a life of intention, imagination and no regrets.

In this interactive workshop, Bonnie Wan invites you to apply the art and science of brand strategy to any part of your life calling for more clarity.

Write the creative brief for your life. Get your guide on how to meet life’s messiness with curiosity, unlock insights that reveal new paths forward and discover new ways to navigate life’s trickiest issues.

Leave this session with the clarity to live with creativity and courage.

Questions this session will answer:
- How do you find clarity in a messy and noisy AF world?
- How do you navigate turbulence and uncertainty with your truth as your compass?
- How can a Brief propel you to step into the boldest expression of your true self?

Speaker:
Bonnie Wan, Author, Life and Leadership Strategist - The Life Brief

Exclusive Jury Insights & Success Strategies from Cannes

Experience firsthand what it means to be a Cannes Lions jury member and gain exclusive insights into award-winning campaigns.

Lu Hagl, Chief Creative Officer at Saatchi & Saatchi and juror of the Entertainment category, takes you on an exciting jury tour and provides insights into the decision-making processes behind the festival's best works.

After the Palais tour, we will attend the award show for the categories together: Film Craft, Digital Craft, Design, Sport, Music, Entertainment, Gaming, Industry Craft.

We will end the day in style - with an exclusive networking dinner in a relaxed atmosphere.

The perfect opportunity to make new contacts, see familiar faces again and deepen conversations - without any program pressure, but with plenty of room for real exchange.

“The Role of Marketing” – Light Questions Over Breakfast.

What’s driving the marketing of tomorrow?
In a relaxed breakfast setting, leading CMOs, agency heads, and industry experts come together to tackle the big questions shaping our industry:

- Where is the market headed?
- How can agencies and brands collaborate successfully—especially now?
- What truly defines outstanding marketing?

Panelists include:

- Dr. Jan Flemming (PENNY & REWE Group)
- Jennifer Treiber-Ruckenbrod, MINI
- Christoph Pietsch, Publicis
- Oliver Klein, cherrypicker

Look forward to fresh perspectives, inspiring dialogue, and bold opinions.

This breakfast session is proudly co-hosted by cherrypicker and Weischer.

In today’s world, it’s not just about developing advertisements that the ad world sees – instead, it’s advancing marketing that ‘happens’. The marketing that prompts a friend or family member to text you saying they saw a piece of work, or when a push notification pops up on your phone. Marketing that moves culture. Leveraging the momentum of “It Has to be Heinz”, the brand’s first global platform in over 150 years, Kraft Heinz is using the campaign’s success as a blueprint to grow its portfolio of brands to their full potential. Come learn how Kraft Heinz North America is doubling down on infusing real-time truths into its iconic brands to move culture and, ultimately, drive its business forward.

Questions this session will answer:
- How can you uncover (and harness) your brand's role within current culture?
- How do you overcome the challenges many brands face as consumers are increasingly overwhelmed with content?
- What approach can brands take to connect with culture, context and creativity to drive business forward?

Speaker:
Todd Kaplan - Chief Marketing Officer, North America, Kraft Heinz

What happens when technological excellence meets creative vision? On our Insight Boat, we discuss exactly that - with two of the most exciting voices in the industry.

On the topic: Business x Creativity X AI: Elisabeth L`Orange, Partner Deloitte AI & Data and Philipp Justus, Country Manager Germany & VP Central Europe at Google. Together, they talk about the role of artificial intelligence at the interface of business and creativity - and how companies are using innovation to make a real impact today.

Exclusive perspectives, strong personalities, fresh impulses and a delicious lunch buffet - right on the water, in the middle of Cannes.

We’re at the dawn of a new era in marketing. Everyone has questions. Join this session to write the future of marketing together – one that’s innovative and irresistible. A future where brands are culturally connected, creator-amplified and AI-enabled to deliver experiences that drive both resonance and revenue. Join Esi Eggleston Bracey, Chief Growth and Marketing Officer, as she shares how Unilever is transforming its marketing ecosystem to democratise desire, for everyone by everyone.

Speaker:
Esi Eggleston Bracey - Chief Growth & Marketing Officer, Unilever

Beer and sausage - once staples of German consumer culture. But the reality has changed: Young target groups are drinking less alcohol and meat consumption is increasingly being criticized. What does this mean for brands whose products seem to have fallen out of time? And what does this also mean for our society, whose core values are represented by the Mettbrötchen and Wegpils, among other things?

In this talk, we speak with Gunnar Fischer (Carlsberg Germany) and Steffen Zeller (Rügenwalder Mühle) about bold strategies for not only embracing cultural change, but actively shaping it. From alcohol-free beer as a year-round hero campaign to vegan sausage as a growth driver: how do traditional brands reposition themselves - and remain credible in the process?

A discussion about relevance, innovation and the power to reinvent oneself.

Speaker:
Gunnar Fischer (Carlsberg Germany)
Steffen Zeller (Rügenwalder Mühle)

At the heart of LVMH lies boundless creativity – the central force that unites craft, customers and culture to deliver unforgettable luxury experiences and elevate brand desirability.

Discover the exceptional craftsmanship that defines its Maisons, where every detail is a testament to quality and innovation. Witness how LVMH’s designs and products captivate and inspire new standards of artistic expression. See how personalised and surprising experiences result in exceeding customers’ expectations. Explore how luxury at LVMH transcends products to resonate with cultures, blending the rich DNA of the Maisons with contemporary influences.

Hear from the Global Chief Brand Officer of LVMH, Mathilde Delhoume, and immerse yourself in ‘The Art of Crafting Dreams’.

Questions this session will answer:
- What does it take to elevate brand desirability by combining creativity, craft, customer experience and culture?
- Why is putting humans at the centre so fundamental to “The Art of Crafting Dreams”?
- How can you unleash boundless creativity by building on your Brand DNA?

Speaker:
Mathilde Delhoume - Global Chief Brand Officer, LVMH

In the Future Lab: “Creativity & Impact for Better Health” hosted by FAQ Health, we take our participants on a journey of how creativity and health can merge. Learn how brands can change the health narrative and create a new perspective on mental and physical health through innovative storytelling and bold communication.

Be part of an interactive workshop where you will work with other participants to develop creative campaign ideas that anchor health as part of your personal identity. An inspiring exchange with experts awaits you - an opportunity not to be missed.

Moderation:
Christian Weiß, FAQ

Speaker:
Matthias Harbeck, Saint Elmos
Mieke Haase, loved
Heike Lari, Zalando

Experience inspiring conversations, valuable networking moments and relaxed exchanges with leading minds from the creative and marketing industry - in an exclusive atmosphere at Weischer House.

Together we will start with a wine tasting, enjoy a multi-course menu, musical highlights and round off the evening in the garden with drinks and sweet treats. Our partner Tracks & Fields will provide the musical highlight.

Let's enjoy the festival spirit away from the Croisette - with creative impulses, first-class networking and unforgettable moments.

The Inspiration Boat is one of the most memorable experiences of the festival week.

Together with Film Craft juror Kerstin Heffels (HeimatTBWA\) and selected guests, we go on a boat tour with a look behind the scenes.

In a small, relaxed group, Kerstin will give us exclusive insights into the latest developments and trends in the film craft category.

We are entering a creative Cambrian explosion driven by mixed reality and AI. Nick Law, Accenture Song’s Creative Chairperson, explores the dizzying potential of these new tools, formats, and expressions; and the job of creatives to dignify emerging technology with human empathy.

Speaker:
Nick Law - Creative Chairperson, Accenture Song

How do you drive innovation in an industry where a millisecond can be the difference between winning and losing?

Join McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown, Formula 1 driver Oscar Piastri and McLaren Racing CMO Lou McEwen as they take to the stage to share what it takes to succeed in one of the world’s most competitive sports.

Drawing from McLaren Racing’s remarkable journey from being the underdog to securing the 2024 F1 Constructors’ Championship for the first time in 26 years, Zak, Oscar and Lou will uncover how resilience, teamwork and adaptability fuel peak performance and inspire a relentless pursuit of excellence – both on and away from the track.

Questions this session will answer:
- How can businesses and brands nurture a winning mindset and a high-performance culture?
- What can other businesses, leaders and brands learn from the world of Formula 1?
- How can you build resilience into a business and teams in an environment that brings incredible highs but also crushing lows?

Speaker:
Zak Brown - CEO, McLaren Racing
Oscar Piastri - Formula One Driver, McLaren Racing
Louise McEwen - Chief Marketing Officer, McLaren Racing

Why do people laugh at funerals?

Climate change. Progressive illnesses. Death. There’s no topic – no matter how sensitive – that can’t be made less daunting through humour. Join this session to discover real-world examples showing how brands earn the right to use comedy for good, what the role of the audience is in knowing how to leverage humour, and how marketers are using laughter as a new KPI.

Featuring Bill Nye “The Science Guy,” Fiona Cauley, Comedian living with Friedreich’s Ataxia, and Chris Charles, Executive Creative Director at 21GRAMS, part of Real Chemistry, this session will show you how to see humour as a strategic tool – a bridge that connects, engages and even heals.

Questions this session will answer:
- What’s the science behind humour, and why does it work?
- How can we use humour to effectively engage audiences around sensitive topics such as world disasters or personal catastrophes?
- How can we use laughter as a strategic tool, and could it be a measurable KPI for marketers?

Speaker:
Bill Nye - Science Educator and Media Personality
Chris Charles - Executive Creative Director, 21GRAMS
Fiona Cauley - Comedian

In today’s fast-changing global marketplace, food culture is evolving rapidly. As consumer preferences and digital trends shift, the way people eat and experience food is transforming. Food companies must stay agile, using deep consumer insights and culinary innovation to stay ahead.

Join this session to explore how subtle shifts in local food cultures – often overlooked – can drive industry transformation and fuel growth. Through real-world examples, we’ll examine how local trends inspire product development, shape consumer behaviour and influence market strategies.

Learn how to identify micro trends early and align them with their brand vision. By embracing a culinary-first approach, discover how food culture can spark innovation, foster connections and transform everyday moments into extraordinary experiences.

Questions this session will answer:
- How can you identify and leverage the power of micro trends to inspire innovations that stay ahead of evolving consumer demands?
- What are some practical strategies to align emerging food trends with your brand’s vision, ensuring your products connect with consumers in meaningful and authentic ways?
- How can you understand the consumer beyond just their purchase behaviour, who they are, their values, preferences, dislikes, and how these rich insights influence their food choices and experiences?

Speaker:
Jane Wakely - Chief Consumer and Marketing Officer and Chief Growth Officer International PepsiCo Foods, PEPSICO

Would you like to experience the German creative scene in Cannes up close? Then there's no way around the German Beach - the fixed highlight of Cannes Lions week!

For over 20 years, we have been bringing together more than 500 guests from agencies, media and companies. They network, discuss and celebrate in a relaxed beach atmosphere - with a view of the sea.

Our partner Tracks & Fields provides the musical backdrop.

Whether old acquaintances or new contacts: The German Beach is the place where the German creative industry comes together. Personal, loud, warm - and a little bit magical every year.

Direct from the French Alps to Paris Fashion Week, Salomon’s brand evolution has been meteoric. But this hasn’t happened by accident. It has been fuelled by a renewed focus on innovation and purpose across the entire business. Rather than looking backwards at sporting heritage, Salomon instead needed to stimulate what innovation looked like going forward. And this wasn’t just for the brand, but for the entire mountain sport lifestyle category, whether hitting the trail or streets of Shanghai.

Innovation is an easy word to use, but a challenging mindset to inspire. This session reveals how to instil that authentic culture of innovation across a business to build a brand that not only understands today’s consumers but anticipates their next wants.

Questions this session will answer:
- How do you distil an innovation mindset across your organisation?
- How do you bounce back when an innovation fails?
- What does a culture of risk-taking actually look like?

Speaker:
Scott Mellin - Global Chief Brand Officer, Salomon

Mercado Libre’s Chief Marketing Officer Sean Summers, together with GUT’s Global Chief Strategy Officer, Fernando Ribeiro, dive into Mercado Libre’s journey from second-tier marketplace to most valuable brand in Latin America.

With emphasis on the impact of their positioning ‘The Best Is Coming’, they’ll show you how it permeates the entire organisation – from their culture to their innovation and from their marketing to their social legacy.

Learn how GUT and Mercado Libre used The Bravery Scale™ tool to win 27 Lions and grow their customer base to 94 million unique buyers*. Identify where your brand stands and how you can bring it upwards on the scale to drive exponential growth.

Questions this session will answer:
- How to build your brand from the product experience, articulate your positioning in the simplest terms - even in one word, and avoid limiting your creativity in the endless pursuit of consistency.
- Why bravery is not binary, but rather a journey that starts with small intentional acts that create trust and momentum, leading to the next act, and to the next.
- Why embracing bravery can have a transformational impact not only in Marketing, but across the organization and, most importantly, on society.

Speaker:
Sean Summers - EVP and Chief Marketing Officer, Mercado Libre
Fernando Ribeiro - Global Chief Strategy Officer, GUT

Join us for an inspiring session where industry leaders share personal stories of triumph and transformation through creativity. Discover the secrets behind taking creativity from good to extraordinary as we set an agenda for the year ahead. In this session, you’ll learn how to fuel innovation, reshape the industry and pave the way for a future where creativity is the driver of progress. This is your opportunity to be at the forefront of shaping tomorrow’s creative landscape.

Questions this session will answer:
- What upcoming trends are shaping the creative landscape?
- How can creative excellence today pave the way for innovation and progress in the future?
- What strategies can people use to stay ahead in an ever-changing creative industry?

Speaker:
KR Liu - Global Head of Disability Innovation, Google
Judy John - Global Chief Creative Office, Edelman
Kate Stanners - Chairwoman and Global Chief Creative Officer, Saatchi & Saatchi
Josy Paul - Chairperson and Chief Creative Officer, BBDO India