What to Expect From Cannes Lions as the Festival Returns

As thousands of marketing professionals prepare to return to the French Riviera for the first in-person Cannes Lions since 2019, the host city's deputy mayor knows visitors' emotions will include a mix of excitement, apprehension and curiosity. “You will ask, ‘What is happening here in Cannes?' Many things will have changed." Thomas Depariente, the deputy mayor tasked with leading tourism and events, told Adweek that attendees will discover the city has not sat still over two years of the Covid-19 pandemic—nor has it become a ghost town. In fact, he said, local businesses have endured, and more than $1 billion in public and private money has been invested in upgrading the appearance, safety and quality of its venues and amenities. Advertising's most high-profile international event, Cannes Lions nearly returned as an in-person festival in 2021, a year after canceling due to the growing pandemic. The organizers wanted it back. The city’s officials wanted it back. However, new strains of Covid-19 continued to emerge, and vaccinations were still in their early days. That meant there was no way the world would congregate en masse for an advertising festival. And so, the festival went virtual and the Croisette, Cannes' sun-kissed main strip along the beach, was quiet for a second year. As the festival prepares to finally return to its namesake city, Depariente shared the locals' perspective on how a two-year gap affected Cannes, what changes can be expected and how officials have worked to make it a safe destination as Covid-19 continues to cast a shadow over the world. When the world stopped, Cannes kept moving Around 75,000 people reside in the city of Cannes permanently. Prior to the pandemic, around 2 million visitors spent at least one night there each year, and 280,000 attended annual business events, according to its tourism board. We have decided to anticipate better times ahead.Thomas Depariente, Cannes deputy mayor In 2019, the Palais des Festivals saw revenue of around $49.5 million (€46 million). The following two years the venue would see that fall to $12.9 million (€12 million) without international visitors and then grow to $20.5 (€19 million) in 2021 with locals able to still run and attend events in the city. This year, it is estimated that will continue to grow to $36.6 million (€34 million) with the return of international guests once again, however this will still be a marked decline on three years prior. The return to "normal" started for Cannes in February with a private equity festival followed three weeks later by the gaming festival. There have been others during the first half of the year too, but the main events will be the return of the long running film festival featuring some of the world’s biggest and most glamorous stars returned to Le Palais’ red carpet on May 17 while Cannes Lions and the world of advertisers will be back from June 20. There has been more $1 billion invested by both the city, the hotels and venues in rebuilding the promenade, with the aim of refreshing the glamour of the city before Cannes Lions returns at the end of June. Enlargement of the beaches was the first element of the investment program, and every major hotel is slated for upgrades and renewal. This will certainly be true of the famed Carlton Hotel terrace, a highly popular destination during Cannes Lions that will this year be closed for redevelopment—although the deputy mayor says the Carlton aims to make the most of its beach space across the road. The terrace is set to reopen in 2023. “We have decided to anticipate better times ahead,” said Depariente on the investment made during difficult times. “Many businesses have suffered a lot—especially the retail outlets. There have been a lot of private subsidies to keep people employed.” But he said many of the cafes, bars and shops have not only survived, but also have invested in their futures." “It’s how the people of Cannes survived this crisis—we tried to invest more," he said. "Our mayor is very strict in running a great budget and we had saved a lot of money, which has helped the city to spend on renewing." Safety across the city Where hundreds of thousands of people converge, so too can crime and illness, but safety from criminals and the ongoing Covid-19 virus have been forefront for the city, which holds the largest network of security camera in France with 690 in total–one per every 109 residents. Last November, a police officer in Cannes suffered a knife attack in what has been described as the city's first terrorism attack, more than five years since its neighbor Nice was subject to its own fatal event when a 19-ton cargo truck was used to target members of the public along its own promenade. “Safety is a permanent thought,” said Depariente, who adds that the city also has the highest number of police per capita, with not only state police but also a local force of 200 agents, as well. “You won’t find a bigger network in France, and that local network of police are on the street too, not sitting in their offices,” he said. Information is also being shared between government officials and private businesses through Whatsapp groups while workshops have been held to meet around specific issues such as luxury, sustainability and improving security. The large flowerpots have been added around the city for security seasons Part of the architectural competition brief is to find a way to improve the look of the promenade, including safety considerations such as the large plant pots that were placed to prevent any terror attacks using a vehicle from taking place again. “We try to anticipate a lot and we have been investing a lot in terms of risk prevention—from biological risk such as a tsunami or a terrorism attack. Such a scenario has been recreated with an annual rehearsal of a terrorism attack to prepare citizens in case of that taking place,” he adds. As to the potential for any Covid-19 outbreak, while infection rates have dropped, the Palais invested to become the first congress center in the country with a GBAC Star, awarded by the U.S.-based Global Biorisk Advisory Council. But due to the international nature of the events, a medical unit has also been introduced within the building to deal with any emergencies too. Masks are no longer mandatory unless on public transport, however it is down to the organizers of each event as to the level of protection they wish to introduce, with the city saying it will support any protocols event hosts put in place. “Security is not a problem as long as we ask the organizers for their standards, and if they are higher standards than ours, then we will apply those standards,” he said. The organizers of Cannes Lions have said that there will be no expectation of a vaccination pass for delegates, consistent with the French government’s current polices and masks will not be necessary within the venues either. Early signs of success Already, 23,000 delegates have attended the real estate industry's MIPIM event, held in March in Cannes. That turnout has raised hopes for the rest of the year. “It’s interesting how quickly people have rushed back to Cannes, as they want to be there,” said Depariente, who highlighted that while the Palais has introduced a digital studio for organizers to “increase their communities” both physically and digitally, there is a desire for delegates to be there in person—which he believes to be especially true of the “more social” advertising community. Outside Le Palais des Festival for MIPIN 2022 “There is a common appreciation,” he said of the connection between Cannes Lions attendees and those from other events. “After dinner, they are happier to network and party, which is the magic of a destination like Cannes. That is why digital events cannot become the solution, because you need these specific moments when people are together and they can experience serendipity and unexpected moments by attending these events.” The World Has Changed and So Has Marketing. Is Cannes Still Relevant?