Marketers behind unforgettable moments at Cannes—from beaches and clubs to rooftops and water—are calling on the festival to better recognize the Brand Experience & Activation category.
This group includes not only marketers and creative professionals but also architects, engineers, and world-builders who design immersive, interactive brand experiences. Yet, the category, introduced in 2018 as an evolution of Promo & Activation, currently suffers from a vague definition and misaligned recognitions.
The official description highlights “creative, comprehensive brand building through next-level experience design, activation, immersive, retail, and 360° customer engagement.” However, winners often showcase work that lacks genuine experiential or activation elements. In 2023, industry observers noted frustration as the category becomes filled with case films featuring little real-world interaction.
It’s essential for Cannes Lions to collaborate with experts to refine the category’s definition and ensure Brand Experience & Activation is clearly distinguished from ambient advertising, one-off stunts, or platform campaigns with minor live components. This clarity would honor the craftsmanship involved and recognize thousands of specialists in the field.
Supporting this, experiential marketing spend reached over $43 billion in the U.S. in 2024, and global forecasts suggest experience-driven strategies will shape future customer growth.
Another concern is the absence of specialists on the Brand Experience & Activation jury. No jurors come from dedicated experiential agencies, which undermines authentic evaluation. Comparing this to other categories, it would be like Film judged by those unfamiliar with scripting or PR judged by those without crisis management experience. Brand experience requires judges who understand its unique challenges and creative demands.
Finally, the industry urges Cannes Lions to better celebrate experiential creativity. Iconic projects like Giant Spoon’s SXSWestworld have won awards outside their relevant category, such as Outdoor. Meanwhile, countless experiential marketers work tirelessly at the festival to bring brands alive.
The message to Cannes Lions is clear: those who create and activate Cannes deserve recognition on the Palais stage, not just behind the scenes. The festival’s commitment to celebrating creative excellence across specialized fields must extend fully to Brand Experience & Activation.
Shelley Elkins,
CCO, NVE Experience Agency