Photos by Joffray Jouve
Cannes Lions sets the global standard for what exceptional marketing and creativity look like. And who doesn’t love happy hour?
The festival attracts over 12,000 attendees from nearly 100 countries, with a significant percentage of delegates holding senior roles. This density of decision-makers and industry influencers creates unparalleled networking opportunities through private and invite-only events across Cannes, France.
Read below as I experienced some of the coolest happy hours the planet has to offer with the world’s top brands in-between speaking sessions and other events.
TikTok’s Private Hotel Carlton Garden Party
TikTok transformed the Carlton Hotel Gardens into an interactive “TikTok Garden.” Attendees immersed themselves in creator demos, hands-on content creation stations, branded swag drops, and “Only on TikTok” surprises. The highlight was the invite‑only closing party. The energizing dance floor was driven by stellar musical talent and cultural flair, with sounds from DJ Shu. TikTok’s Hotel Carlton presence showcased strategic brilliance: a dynamic, immersive environment connecting creators, brands, and marketers warpped in social energy and cultural momentum.
ADWeek Activation At Hôtel Barrière Le Majestic + Adobe’s Living Gallery
A dedicated branded house at ADWeek spanned multiple days (June 15–20), packed with fireside chats, group conversations, and panels covering retail media, AI, creator economy, brand-building, and more—co-hosted with partners like Teads, Zeta, Albertsons, Nativo, Nestlé, Accenture Song, GumGum, Acast, Tracksuit, among others.
Along with private brand experiences, Adobe had their own setup with live artwork creation using Adobe tools, personalized tote‑making, and artistic collaborations—bringing creativity to life in real time. Adobe doubled its Cannes presence in 2025 compared to 2024—expanding from Young Lions sponsorships into full-hotel immersion and high-visibility brand experiences like signage, cabanas, and partnerships.
DEPT’s Secret Garden’s Exclusive Paradise At J.W. Marriott
DEPT®’s Secret Garden was more than an activation—it was a thoughtfully orchestrated sanctuary of insight. By blending serene hospitality with cutting-edge ideas and real-world application, it elegantly cut through festival noise—making it one of Cannes Lions 2025’s most strategic and curated activations. The programming aimed to “bring the noise down and the level of conversation up,” delivering substance over spectacle with speakers in partnership with AfriCannes. The experience was no doubt one of the most memorable experiences throughout the festival.
“We know Cannes can be overwhelming. We wanted to create a space that brings the noise down and the level of conversation up.” – Dimi Albers, Global CEO, DEPT®
Trust us, there was way more to the festival than just these activations! But these were the ones that we attended and stuck out in a major way. Stay tuned for our Cannes Lions 2025 documentary that explores these places in detail!
Why These Activations Matter
| Key Trend | Impact & Insight |
|---|---|
| Experiential meets digital | Every space was crafted to be shareable, social-ready, and content-generating—from airports to beaches |
| Emotion-driven OOH | Physical activations tapped into feelings and storytelling, not just visual spectacle |
| AI-powered creativity | From instant video editing at Meta to personalized interactions, AI was integrated for real-time engagement |
| Brand-led cultural hubs | Brands became cultural platforms—hosting panels, meetups, and celebrity-led experiences like Sport Beach |
| Accessibility & inclusion | Caption with Intention set a new standard by making inclusion central to creative impact |
