A historic heat wave, 20k+ steps a day, numerous portable chargers, and one week later, we’ve officially wrapped up Cannes Lions 2026. 🇫🇷
Bringing back our iconic Chez Vayner cafe, plus two new popups including the Creator Salon and Le Bar 55 speakeasy, we created our very own little corner on the Croisette. Packed with days of VX programming and panels, CMO circles, intimate roundtables, and more, we showed up to Cannes in full motion. We kept our ear close to the ground, kept our finger on the pulse of what’s new and happening, and compiled the VX Cannes Lions 2026 recap here. Let’s get into it. 👇
The Digital Revolution is Here. Analog is Following Right Behind It ⏰
Whether or not you made it to Cannes, it’s no secret that AI was the hot button topic of the week (and let’s be honest, in general too.) Everywhere you turned, there was a conversation happening around AI and the digital renaissance we’re seeing happen right now. As AI becomes more intertwined into our day to day life, it’s becoming inseparable to our industry as well. Brands are expanding their AEO capabilities, leaning into live shopping, asking questions about agentic discovery, and ultimately learning what is needed to stay digitally relevant.
There’s also a complete 180 happening. With the emphasis on digital, people are also taking a step back, and in response, going the complete opposite direction. We’re simultaneously seeing a push for the IRL and a shift towards analog. All week long, brand activations were popping up along the Croisette, pulling in audiences with postcard writing stations and photo booths and activities that honed in-person community building.
Sure, the conversations may have been centered around AI…but look at where they were happening. During one-on-one conversations in cafes, or in panels surrounded by an audience of intrigued marketers, but most importantly in spaces that focused on IRL experiences.
This back and forth, between Extreme Digital and Extreme Analog, is what inspired what we at Vayner like to call The Relevance Barbell. 🏋️♀️ It’s the strategy we believe all marketers need to tap into, and it calls for brands to fully invest in both digital and analog. During Cannes week, we hosted our very own fireside chat about this very concept. Joined by Bridget Evans (Global Head of Business Marketing at Spotify) and Lia Haberman (Author of the popular ICYMI series), we dove into all the details of the Relevance Barbell effect and how it comes down to one crucial point. You can’t get stuck in the mushy middle. Going forward, this opens a new conversation and a call to action for all marketers to recognize the shift, and start investing in both their digital and analog strategies. Starting with building a more cohesive ecosystem that builds across content, IRL experiences, creator opportunities, commerce, AI, and more.
2026: The Year of the Cannes Lions Creator 🦁
If you’re a Cannes Lions Festival vet, you may have noticed something a little different this year. Last year, creators made some guest appearances, but it was far and few compared to the C-suite execs that normally make up attendance. But this year, creators made up the very fiber of Cannes Lions 2026. You could spot your favorite creators everywhere throughout the week. And they weren’t just attending.
At our own Chez Vayner programming, we saw familiar faces like Connor Wood and Jason Tartick join our panels to share their unique, creator POV. Creator participation at Cannes wasn’t just for fun. It was a reflection of where marketing is right now, and where it’s headed.
The creator economy is evolving, and it’s become a strategic priority, unavoidable for any modern marketer. Creator content has shifted. No longer is it about fulfilling promotional assets to amplify a campaign. Today, creators are legitimate business partners, becoming the always-on heartbeat behind true brand building in 2026.
Creators bring a fresh perspective, deep knowledge and expertise of their craft, plus loyalty and trust from the audiences they’ve already built. To truly drive relevance today, marketers need to recognize creator value and invest at scale. By working 1:1 with a multitude of creators, across various platforms and strengths, it’s a way of ensuring your brand is a part of the biggest conversations happening online and actually breaking through the noise to reach audiences.
If there was any hesitation about bringing creators into the marketing mix, Cannes Lions just shut that down: Creators are here to stay.
It’s Never Too Late To Start Posting 📲
If Cannes proved anything, it’s that our mission at Vayner for social-driven, social-first content is as relevant as ever. The opportunities growing from social media are endless, and it’s never been a better time for people to take posting seriously. We’ve officially entered the “non follower era” which means that followers matter less than they ever have (just think about how often you scroll through your FYP, rather than your Following.) A video posted organically can blow up overnight, sell out a product in 24 hours, or even secure you a flight to Cannes, France!
And in today’s media landscape, there’s a niche out there for everybody. No matter how specific your content may be, there’s a platform and an audience out there waiting for you. The best way to get started is first, by actually putting yourself out there and second, being consistent with it. The algorithm favors those who put in the work and keep up with it, so post everything and see where it takes you.
Rapid Fire Learnings 🔥
Let’s be honest, a week at Cannes can feel like a year (in a good way). That being said, there’s a lot of information packed into very few days, so besides the major points we already spelled out, here are a few extra honorable mentions.
- 🤖 Notes on AI: We’ve reached the point where we know AI isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. So now, the conversation has shifted from efficiency of AI to its role IN effectiveness. The key is not abandoning human insights for AI technology, but rather combining them. Stop using AI to feed volume (that’s your first mistake.) If anything, it should be used as an opportunity to breed more creativity, not less. AI will quickly expose what ideas are breaking through, and show who’s relying solely on generative response, rather than original concepts elevated by AI ideation.
- 🤳Another Note On Creators: Now that we’ve established that creators are here to stay, let’s debunk one more myth. Creator marketing is not a “budget hack.” It requires real investment, but the reason is because it’s also infinitely more effective. Keep in mind, creators bring new networks and audiences that brands struggle to connect with, so you’ll see a difference, but don’t expect it to be the cheaper option.
- ✨A Reminder on What It’s All About: Finally, some basic Cannes 101 for you. Whether you’re feeling inspired to go back, or make your debut in 2027, remember this. Cannes is all about connection. The reason why it’s become the marketing landmark that it is, is because it brings people together (IRL is clearly back after all 👀). So, take every opportunity you can to meet someone new. Indulge in spontaneous moments and events. Compliment someone while you’re in line for a show, and most importantly, lean into “the now” and build relationships that will continue afterwards.
A HUGE thank you to each and every person who took time out of their busy Cannes schedule to join us at Chez Vayner, gave us so many things to think deeper about, and made this year a truly unforgettable experience. Oui can’t wait to come back and do it all over again in 2027. 🖤
