Cannes Lions 2024: A New Era of AI, Journalism, and Engagement
Cannes Lions 2024 has wrapped, but the conversations and insights shared continue to resonate within the advertising community. This year’s themes at Cannes were a reflection of the industry’s ongoing evolution, with a particular focus on AI, the sustainability of journalism, and the nuanced pursuit of marketing effectiveness.
AI’s Rise from Novelty to Essential Tool
Along La Croisette, the vibrant heart of the annual gathering, conversations at MediaLink Beach and The Impact Hub by Givsly frequently centered on the evolving challenges of digital privacy, heightened by Google’s recent postponement of cookie deprecation. AI, a novel concept at last year’s event, has now become a critical tool for marketers. In this context, we proudly unveiled Onyx Audience Solutions, a new suite of tools designed to navigate the post-third-party cookie era. These solutions, which prioritize user privacy while enabling precise audience engagement, reflect the industry’s shift towards AI-powered, privacy-conscious marketing strategies.
Discussing Media Challenges with Industry Leaders
The urgency of sustaining news media was a resonant theme among Cannes attendees, with major publishers and tech platforms actively participating and driving the conversation in panels throughout the week. The robust health of news organizations and their integral role in the fabric of society were central to the discourse, with the festival acting as a platform to engage advertisers in discussions about their crucial role in bolstering quality journalism. In this critical dialogue, Outbrain’s CEO David Kostman, GroupM’s Kate Scott-Dawkins, and The Washington Post’s Johanna Mayer-Jones shared their perspectives in a special edition of Brian Morrisey’s The Rebooting podcast recorded live from the Croisette. They highlighted the value of news audiences and the need for advertising strategies that support rather than deprioritize media outlets.
The conversation continued at The Impact Hub by Givsly, where Outbrain’s CVP, Global Head of Marketing moderated a panel that highlighted the news industry as part of the broader discussion around sustainable media practices. Joined by Phil Jackson of Haleon, Martin Bryan of IPG Mediabrands, and Mia Libby of The Wall Street Journal, the discussion centered on developing sustainable models to support quality journalism, exploring the intertwined roles of advertising revenue, technology, and the challenges publishers face in the evolving media landscape.
The Role of Attention in Premium Advertising
The focus on brand safety, accentuated by a high-profile discussion between Elon Musk and WPP’s CEO Mark Read addressing advertisers’ concerns on brand safety in social media, and the spotlight on key advertising moments during the Olympics, underscored a common goal for brands: effectively reaching incremental quality audiences in premium environments. Attention metrics emerged as a pivotal tool in this context, with Katie Secret and Marc Guildimann of Adelaide sharing with The Drum how these metrics can help brands capitalize on high-attention moments, driving meaningful engagement and ensuring that advertising investments are placed where they can have the greatest impact.
Reflecting on the rich dialogue from Cannes Lions 2024, it’s clear that the advertising industry’s priorities are aligning with the broader societal values of transparency and trust. The commitment from agencies, brands, and platforms to support publishers while advancing measurement and marketing effectiveness through technological innovation sets a high-level agenda for advertising strategies through the end of 2024 and into 2025. This approach will also inform our pursuit of meaningful audience engagement, ensuring that our advancements in advertising also contribute positively to the media ecosystem.
