Day 1: My First Day at Cannes Lions.
Walking into Cannes Lions for the first time honestly felt surreal. If I'm being completely honest, before arriving I didn't fully understand what the festival was actually like. I knew it was one of the biggest advertising and creativity festivals in the world, but I didn't realize just how much there was to do or how many incredible people would be there. Looking back now, Day 1 completely changed my perspective.
From the second I walked into the festival, there was something happening everywhere. Every street, beach, and venue was filled with people from all over the world talking about creativity, marketing, technology, and the future of the industry. It almost felt like the entire city had turned into one giant classroom, except instead of learning from a textbook, I was learning directly from the people shaping the future of advertising.
One thing I challenged myself to do before coming to Cannes was step outside my comfort zone. I didn't want to spend the week only talking to the people I already knew—I wanted to introduce myself to new people, ask questions, and take advantage of being surrounded by so many inspiring professionals. Looking back, that ended up being one of the best decisions I made all week.
By the end of my first day, I realized Cannes Lions wasn't just about attending talks. It was about the conversations in between sessions, the people you unexpectedly meet, and the moments you never could have planned.
Talk #1 - Snapchat, Klarna & Airwallex – CMOs in the Spotlight
The first session I attended was a panel featuring the CMOs from Snapchat, Klarna, and Airwallex. Since it was my first talk of the festival, I wasn't really sure what to expect.
To be honest, this was probably the hardest session for me to focus on—not because the speakers weren't interesting, but because it was absolutely packed. There were people standing everywhere, it was hard to find a spot, and there were so many distractions around me. Even though I couldn't catch every single detail, there were still a few things that really stood out.
The speakers talked a lot about how quickly marketing is changing and how AI is becoming part of everyday work. One thing I liked was that none of them talked about AI as something that replaces creativity. Instead, they explained how it's another tool that can help marketers move faster and create better work. They also emphasized how important it is to be willing to experiment because the brands that take smart risks are usually the ones that stay ahead.
Although it wasn't my favorite session, it was a great way to kick off the festival because it gave me an idea of the topics that would come up throughout the rest of the week.
Talk #2 - Female Quotient – Hyper-personalization at Scale: How AI is Redefining What's Possible
After that, I headed over to Female Quotient Beach, which quickly became one of my favorite places all week. The atmosphere was so welcoming, and I may or may not have grabbed a frosé before the session started.
At first I sat with my friends, but after a little while I actually decided to move across the room and sit by myself. I wanted to really pay attention to the speakers, but I also wanted to challenge myself to meet new people instead of staying comfortable.
I'm honestly so glad I did.
The session focused on how AI is allowing brands to create more personalized experiences and how customers now expect brands to understand them better than ever before. One thing I really appreciated was that the speakers emphasized that AI should support creativity, not replace it. That was something I heard throughout the week, but this was the first session that really made it click for me.
It also ended up leading to one of my favorite parts of the day. Because I moved away from my group, I naturally started talking to people sitting around me, and I realized networking at Cannes doesn't have to be intimidating. Most conversations started with something as simple as asking where someone was from or what sessions they had enjoyed.
Talk #3 - Victoria's Secret – Connected Commerce: Buy the Feeling
After talk #2 I stayed at Female Quotient and attended Victoria's Secret's session on Connected Commerce. I was super excited because I love this brand.
As someone who's interested in fashion marketing, I really enjoyed this one because it focused less on selling products and more on selling emotions. One of the biggest ideas they talked about was that consumers don't just buy clothes—they buy how those clothes make them feel.
That really stuck with me. It made me think about why certain brands become so successful. It's usually not because they have the "best" product—it's because they've created an emotional connection with their audience. Since I'm currently interning in fashion marketing, I found myself thinking about how I can apply that idea to content creation and social media.
Talk #4 - Pinterest Future Trends – 3-3-3
This was hands down my favorite session of the day.
The format was completely different from anything I'd ever seen before. Instead of one long presentation, there were several speakers who each had just three minutes, three slides, and three ideas to share about future trends.
As someone who struggles with ADHD, this format was honestly perfect for me. Since the speakers changed every few minutes, I stayed completely engaged the entire time. I found myself writing pages of notes because every person had a completely different perspective.
Some of the biggest ideas that stood out to me were:
Even as technology continues to advance, the future will actually become more human. Curiosity, creativity, and real human connection are becoming even more valuable.
Communities are changing, and brands have to earn trust instead of expecting it.
Loneliness is becoming a bigger issue, which means creating meaningful spaces for people to connect is more important than ever.
Networking should be about building real relationships instead of simply collecting business cards.
Every generation connects with brands differently, so understanding culture is just as important as understanding data.
One of my favorite speakers was Amiyra Perkins from Pinterest. I loved hearing her perspective on future trends and how brands can stay culturally relevant. I walked away with pages of notes and so many ideas.
The moment that made Day #1 unforgettable.
Paris Hilton. I met Paris Hilton.
The Moment I Definitely Was Not Expecting.
Paris Hilton was not even on my original schedule for the day. After the Pinterest session, my professor Meryl told me about it and invited me to go with her, so we decided to head over together. I honestly had no idea I was about to have one of my favorite moments of the entire festival.
Before the talk started, we met two women sitting near us, one around my age and one who had more experience in the industry. We started talking, exchanged LinkedIns, and it turned into another unexpected networking moment.
Then Paris came out.
Hearing her speak completely changed the way I viewed her. I think Paris Hilton is so misunderstood, and honestly, I feel that in my own way too. She talked about building 11:11 Media and turning her personal brand into a real business, and it was so inspiring to see how much she has built herself. She is not just a celebrity. She is a brand, a businesswoman, and someone who clearly understands content, culture, and community.
What meant the most to me was hearing her talk about ADHD. As someone who also struggles with ADHD, I felt so seen listening to her. It reminded me that the things people misunderstand about you can also become part of what makes you powerful.
After she was done speaking, I honestly did not even think. I just ran up to her, introduced myself, and somehow ended up having a real two-to-three-minute conversation with her. I told her about my own struggles with ADHD, and she was so kind and present. I was probably shaking the entire time because I genuinely could not believe it was happening.
I got to take a photo with her, and I also got one of her iconic fans and her eye cream. It was one of those moments I know I will never forget. I already loved her before, but after hearing her speak and meeting her in person, I love her even more.
Learning, networking, and stepping outside my comfort zone.
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One thing that completely surprised me about Cannes was how normal it was to run into people you've only ever seen online or on TV.
Throughout the day I met Paris Hilton, Mel Robbins, and Josh Richards, and honestly it felt like every time I turned a corner there was another celebrity, creator, or industry leader walking by.
It made the entire festival feel so unique because everyone was just...there. You weren't separated by huge stages or security barriers. Everyone was walking the same streets, attending the same sessions, and having conversations.
That was something I never expected before coming.
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One of my favorite pieces of work from the awards was the Heinz Ketchup campaign. I loved how they took such a simple product that everyone knows and turned it into something so creative and memorable. It reminded me that great advertising doesn't have to be complicated. Sometimes the strongest ideas are the simplest ones.
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Looking back on my first day, a few lessons really stood out to me:
The future belongs to people who stay curious and are willing to adapt.
AI is changing marketing, but creativity and authentic human connection will always matter.
Sometimes the best networking happens when you simply introduce yourself.
Stepping outside my comfort zone ended up creating some of my favorite memories of the day.
Great ideas don't have to be complicated. Some of the most memorable presentations were also the simplest.
