Cannes Lions Is a Worthy Investment for Ad Students, Despite Hefty Price Tag

How educators can support college students in attending the International Festival of Creativity

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This was the first time in three years that the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity has been held in person. With Covid-19, the festival created Lions Live, a free online series of webinars and talks to help share the knowledge, insights and trends impacting the field. This was also where they provided free access to students studying advertising, with winning campaigns and case studies to help them as they applied for jobs.

With rising costs due to inflation and additional economic challenges, budgets are tight and professional events for continued learning opportunities are sometimes the first to be cut. However, the best investment for an uncertain future is to prepare yourself with the industry’s best tools, skills, experiences and insights. All of these can be gained at Cannes Lions.

Overall cost often comes forward when discussing the opportunity of bringing students to the festival. But there are many things educators can do to support.

Set up a study abroad class

Several universities have created a mini-term summer course with Cannes Lions in mind, including the University of Miami, Arizona State, BYU, NYU and the University of Georgia. Many also integrate the festival with study abroad programs in France, partnering with other institutions.

Educators do not need to reinvent the wheel for programs like this. Reach out to peers at respective academic institutions to see what has worked for them in getting support for these classes and programs.

Create a student-led fundraising campaign

Whether it is for a campaigns class or a student agency, students can get real-world experience fundraising for the trip ahead of time. Registration and flights usually need to be completed near the end of the fall semester or the beginning of the spring term, so it is important for educators and students to hit the ground running.

Students will not only be gaining tangible experience, but they will see their work and effort contribute to their professional development at Cannes.

Work with the university to find financial aid

Many educators work with their advancement and development team to see if there are donors or alumni with a vested interest in the creative or marketing field who would want to support students to attend the festival. In return, students can provide a recap or analysis to support the next round of students.

Understand that investing creates an inclusive roadmap

Most universities are focused on initiatives and programs that support inclusivity in the industry, and there are many grants and scholarships available for students and educators. Cannes Lions is working on partnering with these initiatives, including one with The Creative Ladder, to make creative careers more inclusive and accessible. This initiative was first announced and showcased at Cannes and is expected to make a global impact in the field for future generations.

Professors can also do a lot to provide educational value for students, virtually and in person at the festival.

Integrate Cannes into classes

Beyond studying the winning campaigns, there is value in digging into the rich history of the festival itself, in addition to certain agencies’ Cannes Lions submissions over the years. Encourage students to do research and drive conversations on social (ie: hosting Twitter Space, LinkedIn posts, Twitter threads) for the class to discuss their takeaways online to bridge in person and virtual attendees.

Set up livestreaming for discussions

If educators are able to bring students to Cannes Lions as part of a study abroad experience, they can include their students back with livestreaming sessions to share events and insights, takeaways from the talks and even coordinate interviews with professionals at Cannes. Learnings from the festival should be accessible to all.

Integrate content creation and storytelling

Creating stories and shared experiences is at the heart of what marketing professionals do, including at industry events like Cannes. Educators can ask students to create content on social media—such as social channel takeovers or content creation of their own—to share their perspectives on the experience. For those students attending virtually, have them follow the hashtag for Cannes Lions online and engage with the content.

Put a face to a brand campaign

In classes or conversations, students are able to work on analyzing case studies about brand work in marketing, advertising and creativity. However, at Cannes Lions, you are not only able to see the campaigns but put a face to the name that went into creating this work.

Educators could assign students to interview a person attending Cannes Lions on their work, their journey to their current position or any tips and best practices they would give to someone starting out in the field.

Create a networking assignment

In the marketing industry, it is not only what you know that counts, but who knows you and what you bring to the table. Networking is a key skill, especially for students who want to get into the industry.

At Cannes Lions, networking is everywhere, from the sessions to the brand beach activations. The goal is to meet colleagues and fellow members of the creative community at the global level. Students attending in person can network with professionals and create a video or a written summary, outlining the major themes they learned.

The opportunities are endless for young emerging professionals as they prepare to enter the ever-changing waters of the creative industry. Cannes is on everyone’s bucket list in the industry. The festival and community around the event are there to support and welcome students and young professionals into the industry. The investment lasts a lifetime.