Cannes Lions 2025 made one thing clear: outcomes are no longer the finish line — they’re the starting point. Whether on stages, yachts, or roundtables, the language of business impact dominated. Even the most creativity-driven conversations circled back to performance, accountability, and long-term value. Here are three big themes we saw take shape across the week:
The Many Ways of Bridging Branding and Performance
When economic pressure mounts, brand budgets are often the first to be scrutinized. But at Cannes Lions 2025, marketers made a compelling case for integration — not elimination. The festival itself underscored this shift with the introduction of the new Long-Term Brand Platform subcategory, positioning creativity not just as a storytelling tool but as a long-term business driver.
That idea came into sharp focus across the Croisette, where many saw values as the connective tissue between brand equity and performance. At the Givsly Hub session, The Values Multiplier, panelists explored how purpose-led marketing, when rooted in authenticity, can resonate emotionally and convert effectively. One standout example was Dove’s “Real Beauty” platform, which took home the Grand Prix in the new subcategory. A 20-year commitment to a singular, empowering message has helped Dove reach a third of the global population and generate over $28 billion in incremental revenue.
Of course, long-term value doesn’t happen by accident. It requires boardroom buy-in and smarter financial framing. At Adweek’s Group Chat, Initiative & IPG Mediabrands’ Jonathan Rigby reminded the audience that “there’s a multiplier effect to distinctiveness” — something CMOs often understand instinctively, but CFOs need help quantifying. Meredith Kelly of Skoda Auto, speaking at The Long and the Short of It panel, echoed that sentiment, urging marketers to steer financial conversations toward better questions, ones that shift the focus from short-term ROI to broader, more strategic outcomes.
AI Gets Real
AI returned as a dominant theme, but the conversation matured. Instead of speculation, there were real-world applications, business results, and a sense that AI is moving from promise to performance.
At the Omnicom Space, OMG’s Katie Klein spoke to this evolution, noting that it should “free up humans for what humans do best: decision-making and bringing real creativity to the process.” Teads CEO David Kostman pointed to agentic AI as a breakthrough in campaign management — an example of how AI is streamlining complex workflows and unlocking greater efficiency.
AI also surfaced as a democratizing force, making advanced marketing solutions accessible to brands of all sizes. At the Elevated Experiences panel, Henner Blömer noted that “content production with AI is no longer a problem.” Others emphasized how it is reducing the cost barrier for premium channels like CTV and allowing them to deliver stronger performance outcomes with greater efficiency.
Yet optimism about AI was tempered by responsible caution. Mercedes-Benz’s Melody Lee summarized this sentiment clearly: “AI is not the car, but the engine that powers the car.” The consensus was that AI should enhance human creativity, not replace it.
Journalism Isn’t a Charity Case
Premium publishers made a strong case for their role in delivering outcomes, framing journalism not as a charity case, but as a performance driver.
During the Value of Premium Audiences panel, Dow Jones’ Jesse Waldele said it plainly: “Marketers are addicted to outcomes, and we need to speak their language.” Axel Springer’s Christoph Eck-Schmidt backed that up with examples of how first-party data was used to deliver qualified leads for Samsung.
A common frustration surfaced around keyword and placement blocking. Both Eck-Schmidt and Waldele noted that large portions of their premium inventory are still being blocked, hurting not only their ability to monetize but also advertisers’ ability to access high-quality, high-performance environments. As Eck-Schmidt said, the goal is “to ensure that it’s a fair competition between social media and our journalistic breadth.”
Trust came through as a major differentiator. “Trust isn’t really paralleled in other parts of the ecosystem,” Waldele added. “So when brands leverage it, they’ll be able to see greater impact on their outcomes.” In a crowded and fragmented media landscape, trusted editorial environments may very well be the most underleveraged path to driving performance.
What’s Next?
More outcomes, and even more ways to achieve them. If Cannes showed us anything this year, it’s that measurable success can come from places we don’t always expect. The definition of performance is expanding, and the tools to drive it are multiplying. One thing is clear: once marketers start thinking and delivering in terms of outcomes, there’s no turning back. The language of outcomes isn’t just a trend — it’s where the industry is headed.
For more leadership insights from Cannes Lions and beyond, explore the full Talks with Teads series.