Creators in Cannes
- Jun 21
- 2 min read
Cannes LIONS has embraced the creator economy, reflected in the return of LIONS Creators, a dedicated pass, programme and place where creators connect with the global communications industry.
In partnership with Adobe, LIONS creators will set out to blend networking with content, featuring Mel Robbins on turning ideas into movements and Dhar Mann alongside Shopify’s Jessica Williams and Gap’s Fabiola Tores on building billion-view content ecosystems. From talks to workshops, interactive discussions to networking and socials, this strand takes place all day every day at the LIONS Creators Beach.
Cannes Lions sessions that relate to this hot topic include Creative Impact Unpacked: How Do You Scale Brands in a Social-Led Era?, where Kaveri Khullar, SVP marketing, Asia-Pacific, Mastercard, will take the stage with Rica Facundo of WARC.
Meta head of Instagram Adam Mosseri will discuss The Evolution of Creativity while TikTok’s Adrian Adaramoye will join the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising to examine what really drives growth – big brand-building moments or continuous activation across diverse communities? LinkedIn and Reddit will share the stage for Discovery vs Belief: Where Does Brand Power Really Sit Today?
NBCUniversal, meanwhile, will explore fandom in a session entitled From Franchise to Frenzy: The Global Fandom Engine. During the session, Alan Cumming, Rachel Zoe, Colin Jost and Seth Meyers will unpack how fandom turns great IP into global cultural currency – sparking conversation that move fluidly across linear moments, streaming obsession, digital discovery, and social amplification – fuelling communities that don’t just watch, but that immerse themselves within the content.
The growing importance of participatory culture is also reflected in a session featuring McDonald's and Mojang Studios, which examines how brands can move beyond simply generating attention to creating lasting cultural relevance. In The Sticking Point: A McDonald's × Minecraft Story, the partners behind one of the year's biggest entertainment collaborations will unpack how they transformed the launch of A Minecraft Movie into a global cultural event spanning more than 100 markets.
Minecraft associate brand director Harry Elonen will discuss how the collaboration was built around participation and ownership, allowing fans to express themselves through the campaign rather than simply consume it. In doing so, the discussion touches on one of the defining themes of modern marketing: the shift from broadcasting messages to creating platforms for communities to build upon.
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