Ad Tech Companies Are Back in Cannes, Are You?

In 2022, for the first time since the pandemic, the Cannes Marketing Festival returns to France’s coastline for a celebration of Sustainability; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Data and Technology; Brand Creativity and Effectiveness; Talent, and Business Transformation. 

Front and center will be a myriad of ad tech firms, boasting their own yachts, penthouses, sponsored beaches, and piers as a show of how integral ad tech is to the creative world. But just as important as these extravagant marketing displays will be the in-person sessions with some of ad tech’s thought leaders. Here, we discuss what previous years have looked like for ad tech companies in Cannes and share some of this year’s must-see sessions.  

The Evolution of Ad Tech at Cannes Lions Festival

Since 1954, visionary personalities and organizations worldwide have gathered at The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity to drive global innovative progress and development. Particularly over the last decade, technology and advertising companies have also established their presence at the festival. 

Before 2013, ad tech vendors took a back seat at the event, setting up modest stands in hotel suites or restaurants, leaving these companies relatively shadowed by the more prominent creative brands occupying cabanas and luxury venues. 

This changed in 2013, as ad tech firms decided to capitalize on the advertising and networking opportunities offered by the festival. Brands such as Turn, Appnexus, and Adknlowedge invested in beachfront tents and rooftop bars to attract potential clients and hopefully secure a large contract.

2014 witnessed more ad tech budgets going towards Cannes, with the Rubicon Project throwing yacht parties. Evidently, as the presence of ad tech and technology companies continued to grow yearly, attending Cannes proved to be a profitable investment. 

The pendulum swung the other way in 2015, as the festival shifted focus from creativity to advertising technology and ad tech’s pivotal role in connecting brands with relevant audiences. 

2016 and 2017 were controversial years at the Cannes festival, with many critics upset at the competition between ad tech firms. This materialized in the form of over 20 bigger and better yachts lining the promenade—each costing over $150,000 for the week—overwhelming the spirit of the festival and pitting advertising vs. creativity. 

Much of this was due to flimsy industry regulations allowing some advertising firms to secure lucrative funding and operate with less than desirable ethical data handling practices. However, transparency was at the heart of the discussions in 2017, leading to a much more sober 2018 Cannes festival for ad tech. 

By 2018, publishers and VCs had reduced digital ad budgets to regain control of data and reveal hidden fees. Public and regulatory sentiment towards data privacy, manifested by the likes of the GDPR, also fundamentally changed the way ad tech companies operate, forcing some of the less ethically responsible firms to retreat back into the woodwork. 

2019 saw ad tech companies establish themselves with new data-compliant strategies and promised to secure their futures in the creative marketing industry, linking brands and audiences. 

They were also crucial during 2020 and 2021 in creating the “Cannes From Home” festival during global lockdowns, bringing experts and listeners together in a virtual environment to offer an opportunity to share inspirational talks and grow business connections. 

Now, 2022 is set to be a watershed year, with new technologies, companies, and ideas coming to Cannes for the first time. Ad tech and CTV have grown exponentially since the last in-person festival of 2019, so 2022 is set to be an outstanding year for the ad tech narrative at Cannes. 

Here are seven of the most exciting events from our perspective at the festival of Cannes Advertising 2022, with the most insightful CTV-focused sessions and networking opportunities the festival has to offer. 

7 Cannes Lions Ad Tech Sessions You Can’t Miss in 2022

Cannes Lions 2022 offers you the chance to meet personalities from some of the world’s most influential ad tech and CTV brands. But with over 50 speakers, how can you prioritize which sessions to attend?

Well, we think the following seven are absolute must-sees:

1. Adweek Abroad in Cannes

Whalar Beach, June 19th – June 23rd 

Featuring some of the hottest marketers and advertisers shaping the industry, such as Carole Diarra and Gary V, any of the Adweek Events at Whalar Beach will be worth visiting. Visit the agenda here to RSVP and secure your spot here.   

2. The Beet Retreat Cannes

Villa des Fleurs, June 20th – June 23rd

Including conversations about addressable TV, live television, automation, contextual advertising, and boosting audience engagement, the Beet.TV events at the splendid Villa des Fleurs are sure to make your trip to Cannes worthwhile. Learn more about their schedule and RSVP here. 

3. The International Advertising Association’s Dinner

Plage Rado, June 20th, 8:00 PM-10:00 PM

A gathering of IAA Chapters and personalities from around the world, offering the ideal opportunity to start weeks’ activities and immediately connect with other like-minded individuals attending the Cannes Festival 2022. Get your tickets here. 

4. Contextual Advertising Emerging: Now Key in Driving Performance

Villa des Fleurs, June 21st, 5:00 PM-8:00 PM

As the advertising industry gradually phases out third-party cookies, digital strategies must embrace new ways of finding and targeting profitable audiences. Contextual relevance is an essential component of maximizing consumer engagement in a post-third-party cookie advertising landscape, which is what Tony Marlow, CMO at Integral Ad Science, discusses at this cocktails and networking event. Request your invitation here.   

5. Introducing Modern Defense in CTV

The Haven Bar by HUMAN, June 22nd, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM

As more people turn to CTV, the industry must protect inventory and users from fraud and piracy. Join panelists from ROKU, OMNICOM, IAB Tech Lab, Freewheel, and more, for brunch to learn how modern defense systems can protect CTV inventory from the bad actors. RSVP here. 

6. New Currencies: How CTV Will Pioneer the Future of Identity And Measurement 

TheTradeDesk Event Penthouse, June 22nd, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

As the advertising industry changes rapidly, consumers are getting more identity protection, advertisers are getting more precision, and content providers generate greater profits. Join CEOs and vice executives from The Trade Desk, NBC Universal, iSpot.tv, and PepsiCo to discuss how identity is the new currency in advertising and how CTV helps capitalize on it. RSVP here. 

7. Taboola Women in Media

Port de Cannes, TBD

Request your invite to this invite-only lunch to discuss why context is queen in the future of the CTV and advertising ecosystem. Please RSVP here. 

Meet TheViewPoint in Cannes

The Cannes Lions Festival 2022 offers us the first chance in three years to gather with like-minded professionals, learn more about where the industry is heading, expand networks, and let our hair down.

After online meetings and streaming discussions, this year’s event promises to be one of the most informative and exciting to date, and the team at TheViewPoint looks forward to meeting you there! We’ll discuss our solutions to some of the most pressing industry challenges, so please don’t hesitate to RSVP for our discussions and meet our team. We’re most excited to see you there!