The 2025 Cannes Lions Festival wrapped with a clear message: creators aren’t just collaborators, they’re cultural leaders shaping how brands show up in the world. From mainstage panels to private villa takeovers, the week’s focus shifted from awards to influence. 

I’ve always been curious about how things work. My first job in advertising was at a small boutique agency during the earliest days of digital buying before it was even a “thing.” I remember everyone on the legacy teams thought I was crazy. “Who’s buying digital?” they’d ask. “Me,” I’d answer. I started as an assistant digital strategist, and I did my own ad trafficking all the way to reporting and billing.

A lot has been happening in the ad business lately, all emblematic of the industry’s rapid and ceaseless tech-fueled evolution.