By Rose Levy

The Croisette dazzled brighter than ever this June as over 15,000 marketers, creators, journalists, and brand power players descended on Cannes for the 72nd International Festival of Creativity. Between rooftop panels, late-night networking, and the relentless hum of AI hype, one truth stood out: the old rules of PR and marketing are being rewritten, and the Global CMO Growth Council (a Pace client) is making sure the industry doesn’t sleep through it.

AI: From Threat to Teammate
AI took center stage this year — not as the villain in a dystopian plot, but as the ultimate creative co-pilot. Big brands and small teams agreed, automation is a must, but humans hold the soul. The Global CMO Growth Council doubled down behind closed doors — AI should fuel growth, not gut it. For PR pros, the takeaway is simple: use AI to supercharge insight and execution, but protect the human trust that brands run on.

Authenticity & Purpose as Credibility Currency
Younger audiences demand receipts. On the mainstage and off, brands that show their values — not just tweet them — were the real winners. Axios panels hammered it home: authenticity, honesty, and consistent action beat hype every time. For comms teams, purpose can’t be a campaign — it must be culture.

Creator-Led Creativity is the New Default
The creator economy wasn’t on the sidelines at Cannes — it was the main event. A robust Creator Programme and frank conversations about pay equity made it clear: influencers are now critical partners, not nice-to-haves. For PR, that means investing in authentic relationships and fair contracts, not one-off posts. Get fluent in creator economics — or get left behind.

Predictive Storytelling & Insight-Led PR
Data and insights aren’t just for targeting—they’re the seeds for stories that land ahead of the curve. For modern PR, the mission is clear: bring the same rigor to insight-hunting as you do to pitch writing.

Live Experiences & Fandom: Back and Bigger
In an age of algorithm fatigue, IRL moments still own hearts. Spotify’s secret concerts, Uber’s F1 stunts, and branded beach takeovers turned passive audiences into loyal fans. For comms, the lesson is timeless: earn your headlines with unforgettable moments that invite your audience in — not just push content out.

A Notable Watch Across the Pond: Clean Creatives Makes a Statement
While the Croisette buzzed with future talk, back in the States, Clean Creatives fired off a headline-grabbing reminder that sustainability storytelling is under a microscope. Their campaign calling out agencies tied to fossil fuel work was a PR power play — bold, visual, and perfectly timed for maximum media pickup. The lesson? If your brand talks climate, your comms better walk it too — or you’ll get walked for it.

Where Pace PR Comes In
At Pace PR, we don’t just chase trends — we shape them. Cannes Lions 2025 is a fresh reminder that meaningful stories, transparent values, future-focused insights, and brave partnerships separate brands who blend in from brands who lead.

We’re here to help you harness AI without losing humanity, scale purpose without losing proof, and build fandom that lasts beyond a fleeting headline. Cannes has spoken. Let’s make your brand the next story worth telling.

And, when all else fails, consult Bill Nye the Science Guy!