The creative in Cannes was much stronger this year. I think we are less obsessed about AI killing us and refocussing on what AI cannot do: come up with original, brilliant ideas borne of human insight.
Beyond attending sessions and panels by the who’s who of our business, I spent hours in Cannes holed up in the basement of the Palais reviewing hundreds of the shortlisted cases in real time. I do this to take the pulse of the world and decode the global trends in culture, technology and tech that will shape the year ahead for us. It’s inspiring but it’s also priceless intel for all of us. Let’s jump in.
The New Nostalgia
There is a surge of brands looking back to move forward. In many cases it’s a rampant case of anemoia, nostalgia for a time you never knew, perhaps a reaction to being in such a destabilized era, from politics and wars, to AI and climate change. Studies show that 60% of Britons think that life was better in the 2000s even though they did not experience those years. There is a rise in “grandma hobbies” as younger cohorts seeks hopeful refuge from an increasingly unpredictable future. Case in point: Build a Bear’s audience is now primarily adults and teens. Award-winning work often featured tracks by yesteryear bands, such as Aerosmith, The Telethon for Hawkins from Doritos sent us back to 1987. Original Forever by Adidas centred on the reunion of the Oasis band. We are loving our retro moment as illustrated by the Polaroid camera giveaways at Reddit’s activation.
Analogue has become a clarion call for many brands.
Reconnecting Humanity
In a session by the brilliant Katrina Stiron Dodd of Contagious, she said it best: “People aren’t peopling.” I’m struck by the irony of collective social isolation driven by social media. This presents opportunity for smart brands, such as Heineken, whose brilliant Could Have Been a Heineken campaign urges us to replace our barrage of voice notes with catching up over a pint, in person, with friends
I’m fascinated by the inherent humanity in the battle of the AI company ad campaigns. Open AI’s centred on aiding human connection with a retro Neil Diamond soundtrack, while Claude urges us the “Keep thinking” and makes fun of bots.
Apple’s award-winning rebrand showcased that it was created by hand. Washington Post’s podcasts are labeled “read by a human.” The list goes on. It’s a thing, advertisers take note.
AI Equilibrium.
We have figured out that AI is more like plumbing than the Anti-Christ. We are now integrating AI in our process as a creative tool. There were so many wonderful ideas levering AI it’s like trying to pick a favourite child. But Radio Time Machine was a standout. Created for dementia patients, you can tune into an AI-curated radio station by year and hear music and news from that era to help trigger memories.
Resetting Societal Scales
In a time when women’s rights are being rolled back, and the tentacles of anti-science are spreading I loved, Expedition Impossible from Columbia Sportswear taking on the “flat earthers”. The CEO offered ownership of the company to anyone who went the edge of the Earth and took a picture of it. Witty, brilliant and needed, brands take note. There is a space for appropriate purpose.
Sustainability Chic
Check out Wedding Rice and its upcycling of formerly unusable rice. Or T-Rex Leather for its lab-grown leather exotic purse. Upcycling is hot as witnessed by IKEA’s Pre-owned campaign or Darty’s Long Lasting Passport. There are huge nods for brands being a good corporate citizens.
Feel all the Feels Again
Post-Covid we spun away from emotional messaging to nuts and bolts advertising. I’m now seeing brands like Mexico’s Victoria Cerveza lean into emotional storytelling with their wonderful “Who’s Waiting for You” about the post-life reunion of a shopkeeper and his beloved canine companion. There was not a dry eye in the Palais basement for those who watched this. Emotion key to connecting, it’s our triumph over AI.
The Power of Now: Real Time on Steroids
In this hyper 24/7 world real-time response is our reality. A flock of rogue sheep in a Bavarian town found their way into a Penny grocery store. Penny seized the moment and made hay, spurring a hilarious a 48-hour rebrand including new store signage, a wanted poster, a woolly re-do of their social feed, and even inspired a fuzzy jingle. There is power in “now”.
Getting Back to Basics
The work I loved honoured the classic advertising tenets of emotional connection, human truth, storytelling and/or problem-solving. Indeed, we’re going back to go forward in the year ahead. It is a timely reset for us all.
Best Five Words From Cannes Lions 2026
We received a master class in branding from Oprah Winfrey. When asked to her define her brand, Winfrey paused, then replied, “My heart is my brand.”
And that is a wrap on Decoding Cannes Lions 2026, year 13.
