Cannes Lions 2025: A First-Timer’s Survival Guide and What I Learned

Let me start with the truth: I had no idea this side of Cannes existed until I got a text from my friend and business partner, Joyce. It read, “You’ve got to apply.” She had seen a LinkedIn post by Women in Marketing Africa, encouraging women to apply for a Cannes Lions pass.

Then came the second message: “You’ve got to apply ooo, I’ll remind you every day.” And, like a true accountability partner, she kept her word, sending daily reminders like clockwork.

As usual, I wrapped myself in the warm, familiar blanket of impostor syndrome and procrastinated. It wasn’t until the last minute, and after 20 takes, that I finally closed my eyes, hit “send,” and just prayed for the best.

A few days later, I received an email saying I’d won the Cannes Lions Pass. I was over the moon! Huge thanks to Miss Andrea Djan-Krofa, Director and Head of Africa at Women in Marketing, for ensuring we had all the essential information and knew what to expect.

Now… nothing, absolutely nothing, prepared me for what I was about to witness.

Sensory overload is real

The moment I stepped into the Palais des Festivals, I was hit with a wave of sensory overload. Meta’s massive beachside installation, show-stopping activations across the city of Cannes… the sheer scale of creativity concentrated in one place was dizzying. Surreal, even.

You can read all the guides, attend pre-briefings, and still not be fully prepared. All your dream brands and creative heroes in one space? I tried to act unfazed. That lasted exactly five minutes.

It took me two full days to find my rhythm and come up with a plan. By day five, I’d walked over 20 km between the Palais and Fringe events, attended more than 30 different sessions, and collected enough branded tote bags to supply a small village.

So here’s what I learned as a first-timer:

The First-Timer’s Survival Kit

1. There’s a First-Timer’s Guide – use it! – Don’t be like me. Read it. Follow it. Print it out and laminate it if you have to. It’s your lifeline in the whirlwind of Cannes.

2. Prioritise Your Plan (Or Drown in FOMO) Cannes is buzzing with 15,000+ delegates, 700+ speakers, and countless activations. Talks, workshops, panels, beachside activations, yacht parties, you name it. You physically cannot do it all.

Decide what’s most relevant to your goals. I learned this the hard way on Day Two after trying to attend five back-to-back sessions. I missed the one I needed most because I got lost in the maze that is the Palais.

3. The Cannes App Is Your Digital Compass: Download it. Use it. Trust it. Let it guide your life for a week. It helps you build your schedule in advance and keeps you from melting under pressure (and the Mediterranean heat).

Pro Tip: Screen grab your schedule each day. Wi-Fi can be patchy when you least expect it. For fringe events, keep your QR codes handy for smooth entry and scanning.

4. Fringe Events Are Where Magic Happens, But Stay Focused. Fringe events are where meaningful connections and some amazing freebies are made. While you’re soaking in the creativity, don’t lose sight of the official Cannes programme.

Notable spaces like TikTok House and The Female Quotient featured some of the most powerful conversations. That said, it’s easy to spend all day “fringing” and forget why you’re there in the first place. Find your balance.

Why I Attended Cannes? I travelled to Cannes with three specific goals:

• To connect with fellow creatives
• To learn from global industry leaders and mentors
• To explore international trends in storytelling, particularly in travel, tourism, and philanthropy

While the travel sector had a lighter presence than I’d hoped, what I did find shifted my perspective entirely. One standout session was Saudi Arabia’s “Media That Moves People”, led by Fahd Hamidaddin, CEO of the Saudi Tourism Authority. It was a masterclass in narrative transformation. They didn’t just rebrand a destination; they reframed an entire national identity through data-led insights and authentic storytelling.

The Real Takeaways That Will Change How I Work

AI is coming, it’s already here, everywhere: Every major session featured AI integration. Not as a replacement for creativity, but as an amplifier. Meta unveiled their Advantage+ AI branding and Video Generation 2.0, enabling agencies to produce thousands of on-brand video variations faster than ever, showcasing AI’s role in preserving consistency while maximising output.

Data storytelling has evolved beyond demographics: The award-winning campaigns weren’t just data-driven; they were data-empathetic, culturally relevant, and socially transformative. A campaign like Indian Railways’ “Lucky Yatra” by FCB India was a good example of how data was used in storytelling and had a large-scale impact. The advertising agency received a gold and silver Lion.

Purpose-driven marketing is getting specific: Gone are the vague “making the world better” campaigns. This year’s winners tackled specific problems with measurable solutions. Dove’s “Real Beauty” campaign didn’t just talk about self-esteem; they quantified the financial impact of beauty standards and created actionable change.

If you are considering it!

Now, I turn my spotlight on women. If you work in the creative industry, Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity isn’t just a nice-to-have career fuel. But don’t go unprepared.

1. Build your case for attending with specific learning objectives tied to your work.
2. Prepare your 30-second introduction in advance; you’ll use it dozens of times.
3. Sharpen your LinkedIn profile; no one has time to exchange physical business cards. One is easy to lose, and two are easy to forget. It’s easier to scan your LinkedIn QR code and make quick connections.

Watching the campaigns on YouTube is great, but hearing Judy John, Eldelman’s Global Chief Creative Officer, explain how they came up with iconic campaigns like Always #LikeAGirl? That conversation changes how you approach every brief afterwards.

The Bottom Line

The Cannes Lions experience stretches your creative brain in ways you can’t anticipate. I now understand why people become annual pilgrims. It’s not just about the work you see, but the possibilities you suddenly believe are achievable.

A HUGE THANK YOU TO WOMEN IN MARKETING AFRICA (WiM) FOR MAKING THIS POSSIBLE! It was everything I hoped for and then some.

And if you’re a woman in the creative space dreaming of Cannes Lions, follow the Women in Marketing page for updates. Who knows? Next year, it might just be you walking those palm-lined streets, collecting inspiration and making connections in equal measure.