Cannes 2026 - Less Conference, More Cultural Moment

Cannes changes year in, year out. One thing that never does is the connections you make and the opportunities it brings. This year especially, it felt like the right people were there, for the right reasons. To be inspired, forge new relationships and real partnerships. It’s important to have a plan going in, but arguably, it’s more important to leave room for the unexpected. Some of the best things that come of Cannes are the conversations nobody planned for. Volando is sure evidence of that. This year was no different - another year of meeting amazing people, having great conversations, and obviously, drinking the odd glass of rosé.

It’s always been the place the industry comes to - but this year it felt like something broader. Less conference, more cultural moments. Someone described it as the “creator’s Met Ball” which might be a stretch, but walking the Croisette, watching the content being captured, the fashion, the energy - it wasn’t hard to see what they meant. Cannes Lions is becoming a place to be seen, and that shift is only going in one direction.

As always, a few themes cut through louder than the rest. Sarah and Andy were there in the thick of it this year and whilst they shared many similar opinions, there were some interesting points of difference too.

A big part of that is the creator economy. Creators were everywhere this year - across panels, across activations, across every brand experience worth talking about. Sarah’s take was straightforward - it’s the creators generating the content, driving the conversation, and frankly delivering the ROI for the brands pumping millions into their presence. Expect them to be even more prominent next year. Andy saw another opportunity emerging. As the creator economy (and the investment in it) only continues to grow,  he believes the biggest opportunity lies in closer collaboration with traditional creative, strategic and technology businesses. Rather than operating in parallel, bringing those different disciplines together has the potential to create stronger ideas, better execution and ultimately better outcomes for brands. It’s less about competition and more about convergence.

And perhaps that’s the beauty of Cannes - same week, same Croisette, two different takeaways. That’s what makes it worth the conversation.

On the creative landscape more broadly, something interesting is happening. In the past it was advertising and creative agencies that dominated Cannes, then technology took over. This year felt like a sweet spot - exciting partnerships emerging between creative, media and technology businesses, each bringing what the other can’t do alone. Independent agencies and collectives were strong in presence, on panels, and in activations. Holding companies were notably quieter - a reflection perhaps of a broader shift in where investment is going and what that means for headcount and presence. The space that opened up was filled confidently by the independents. It’s a dynamic that feels very relevant to what we’re building at Volando, and across the 21six Group.

One thing that wasn’t up for debate was AI. The panic and speculation about what - or who - it might replace seems to have taken a back seat. What came through instead was a more mature conversation: AI is a tool, so how do we as humans use it better? At a festival that celebrates human creativity, that feels like an important shift. The people who were once worried about being replaced are now building with it, understanding how it can assist and increase productivity.

Another key takeaway - one Sarah felt particularly strongly about, coming from a PR background - was that earned media is having a moment, and AI is a big reason why. PR professionals have argued for years that brands are built on genuine coverage and word of mouth, not paid reach. It was encouraging to hear some of the most influential marketers at Cannes making that same case out loud.

A theme that we feel strongly about at Volando is the end of the online versus offline debate - it’s not one or the other, but a strong balance of both. This came up repeatedly at Cannes. Community and physical experiences matter more than ever, and brands are starting to truly understand that there’s only so much online content people can consume before they need to actually be somewhere, with someone. Coming from an events background, Andy put it well - IRL is thriving, and it’s no wonder. The more immersed we become in a 24/7 digital world, the stronger the counter-desire for something real. It’s not burnout from technology, it’s just a natural craving for better balance. Sport is a huge part of this story too - brands are moving well beyond sponsorship into genuine partnerships and creators of sporting moments, and music is rapidly heading in the same direction.

Oh, and the heat? Cannes Lions is only getting hotter - in every sense of the word. 🌞

If any of the above resonates - or if you were there and came away thinking something completely different - we’d love to hear from you. Drop us a message or book a conversation. The best ones are never planned anyway.