Brands&Culture in Cannes

1:00 pm – A DEBATE

WHAT THE F*CK IS GOING ON: ARE BRANDS ADDING TO, OR EXTRACTING FROM, CULTURE?

Let’s face it, the world’s in freefall right now, and the political and social climate is tough to navigate. Cultural relevance is still a shortcut to brand growth, but are marketers getting lazy, clunky, and thoughtless with how they engage with communities? How much are they hijacking culture v. moving it forward?  Join us for a passionate discussion as we debate – and vote – on how well brands and marketers are doing right now. Are we moving backwards or forwards on culture-led marketing? 

• Peter Giorgi, SVP Marketing, Rocket Companies
• Sophie Kelly; SVP, Whiskey and Tequila Portfolio, North America; Diageo
• Becca Hutson, Editor in Chief, The News Movement
• Naomi Walkland, Chief Marketing Officer, Motorway
• MODERATOR: Charlotte Williams, Founder, Brands&Culture

2:00 pm – CULTURE LAB Q&A: LIVE FROM CANNES

You bring your challenges, we workshop them in real-time with brand and industry experts.

A 1-hour culture-lab session where we work through as many issues as we can and emerge with proper, practical solutions. At our villa oasis, you’ll feel like a part of the solution.

• Thomas Bunn, Global Chief Client Impact Officer, Zeno
• Leila Fataar, Founder, Practitioner and Author, Platform13
• Spencer Fox, Creative Excellence Advisor, Brands&Culture

3:00 pm –  CAN YOU MAKE CULTURAL CURIOSITY A CRITICAL MARKETING CAPABILITY?

There’s a big difference between leaning into culture and leaning into culture correctly. And often, it depends on whether an organisation has the right competencies and capabilities, a high level of psychological trust, and a commitment to culture-led marketing.

• Is it possible to cultivate a culture of curiosity?

• How can you move from producing average to truly transformative, culturally-led work?

• And how can you sustain momentum, investment,t and commitment to cultural-led approaches?

In this session, you’ll hear from brand leaders who have created a marketing function that not only embraces but leads culture.

• Sona Iliffe-Moon, Chief Communications Officer, Yahoo!
• Caroline Mayhew Gardner, Head of Brand Marketing & Experience, The RealReal
• Slavka Jancikova, VP Marketing, Footlocker Europe
• Ricardo Prieto-Ortiz Marketing Director Omni-Channel Brands, Nestlé Purina PetCare Europe
• MODERATOR: Leila Fataar, Founder, Practitioner and Author, Platform13

4.00 pm HOW TO CREATE CULTURE-DEFINING WORK THAT TACKLES TABOOS AND BREAKS DOWN BARRIERS

The best work doesn’t follow culture or trends, it has a bold point of view and stands firm to its convictions (even if there’s a little backlash…). In this session we’ll look at how to sell braver ideas to the powers-that-be in business: the type of creative work that smashes open the conversation in culture. We’ll also explore what to do when those conversations get lively and how to respond to the inevitable detractors.  

How can culture-leading work drive brand awareness, equity and growth? Find out in this candid panel discussion. 

• Tati Lindenberg,  Dirt Is Good Chief Brand Officer | Head of Unilever Fabric Cleaning
• AP Chaney, Head of Creative for Sprite, Fanta, and Sparkling Flavors 
• Kate Dale, Director of Marketing, Sport England
• MODERATOR: Samuel Monnie, Co-Founder and Co-CEO, Purpose Hive

Join us for cocktails and an epic set from award winning DJ Tony Perry – 5-8pm

12.30 pm – WILL AI DEHUMANIZE CULTURE? HOW BRANDS CAN MOVE BEYOND THE “MEH” TO CREATE GENUINE COMMUNITY

AI is omnipresent: in business, in society and in culture. It affects how we live our lives, how we interact and how we show up. It affects how brands show up too – but is it for better or for worse? In a sea of potential algorithmic sameness, our panellists will explore what role brands have in creating and fostering genuine human connections beyond the obvious. 

We’ll hear how to break out above the land of bland and think about culture as a living, breathing, thriving community of humans!

• Aki Spicer, EVP Strategy, Monks
• Ekta Chopra, Chief Digital Officer, e.l.f beauty
• Anne Belliveau, Chief Customer Experience Office, Cirque du Soleil
• Tom Hazelden, SVP – Head of Brand, Planning and Content, EasyJet
• MODERATOR: Chrysi Philalithes, Founder, Nylon Lab

1.15 pm – SEIZING THE  MOMENT IN SPORTS:  HOW BRANDS CAN CLEVERLY WIN THE GAME – OUTSIDE OF THE GAME

Fans pour their heart and soul into the game with excitement peaking when their heroes score/ win/ succeed. The question is: how can brands turn peak moments into maximum marketing effectiveness, and lead the cultural discourse on and offline? In this session, you’ll hear from those close to the action and emotional barometers of fans and hear how to turn split-second inflection points into long-term positive conversations that pay off.

• Danielle Hawley, Global Head of Creative & Brand, Uber
• Ralf Ollig, VP Product, Sportradar ad:s
• Jessica Grigoriou, SVP Marketing, Condiments, Unilever
• Moderator: James Kirkham, Founder, ICONIC

2.00 pm – MOMENTS INTO MOVEMENTS: SCORING LASTING BRAND AFFINITY IN SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

 In today’s cultural landscape, where brands are constantly vying for relevance, sports and entertainment offer unparalleled avenues to deeply connect with passionate consumer audiences and build enduring brand love. Join brands as they dissect the strategies for building and safeguarding brand reputation through authentic engagement in these influential spaces.

From leveraging the star power of athletes to creating immersive fan experiences that ignite passion, discover how to move beyond superficial endorsements and cultivate a brand legacy. Learn how to navigate the nuances of sports and entertainment culture, avoid missteps that can damage your brand, and build a reputation that consistently wins the hearts and minds of consumers.

• Taj Reid, Global Chief Creative Officer, Burson
• Jean-François Pathy Global Head of Spotify AUX
• Lou McEwen, Chief Marketing Officer, McLaren
• Andrea Perez, Senior Marketing and Business Leader, Board Director at hims & hers, Formerly Nike, Jordan, PlayStation
• Moderator: Charlotte Williams, Co-Founder, Brands&Culture

2.45 pm – NICHE REACH: UNLOCKING INTIMACY AT SCALE

Convention is boring, and the old playbooks no longer hold consumer headspace like they used to. It’s time to investigate the small exultations netting significant brand momentum.

Settle in for discussion and dissection into what separates entities that cameo in culture from cultural mainstays:

• Devising a distinctive POV that’s big enough to power brand reappraisal and promotion of priority products.
• Mixing community engagement approaches to tap into Gen-Z’s love of self-expression as well as niche subcultures.
• Connecting modern creativity, media, and CXM to optimize how consumers experience brands and their reach.

Smart marketing doesn’t always require top-tier celebrity endorsements or large marketing budgets. Sometimes, all it takes is asking your fans to post more of the “carfies” they already love to post, and featuring them on your social pages. Or, showing moms you get how rare a “full shower” is. We’ll unpack real examples with real results.

• Renaldo Chapman, VP of Brand & Creative, DoorDash
• Marissa Eddings, Senior Director of Brand, Advertising, Media, In-store Marketing, 7-Eleven
• Jessica Henrichs, CEO, Colle McVoy
• Ashley Rutstein, Founder,  Stuff About Advertising

3.30 pm – SONIC BOOM: WHY SOUND IS YOUR BRAND’S UNTAPPED SUPERPOWER

In a world oversaturated with visuals, sound remains the most under-leveraged but emotionally potent tool in a brand’s arsenal. This panel explores the transformative role of music in modern marketing—not as background noise, but as a strategic asset that drives brand storytelling, builds authentic communities, and fosters lasting consumer connections.

Join leaders across music & advertising as we break down how brands that treat sound with intention are the ones creating culture, not just reacting to it. Because when sound becomes strategy, your brand doesn’t just speak—it sings.

• Damien Escobar, Global Chief Music Officer, Art of Sound
• Joy Allen-Altimare, CMO, Saucony
• Jamee Pearlstein, VP of Marketing, Bel Brands
• Mike Petrella, Managing Director of Strategic Partnerships, United Airlines

4.15 pm – FROM RISK TO RESILIENCE: HOW GEN Z IS REDEFINING BRAND CONTROL

In a world where cultural shifts move at the speed of a scroll, Gen Z has become the ultimate barometer of brand relevance. Their values — transparency, authenticity, accountability — are setting expectations for all generations. And when it comes to trust, they don’t just reward action — they penalize silence.

 The stakes have never been higher — with over a quarter of crises reaching global media within an hour, the margin for error is razor-thin. Inaction, even when well-intentioned, can be interpreted as indifference. The cost of silence can be costly for reputation, relevance, and trust.

 This session explores how Gen Z is reshaping the rules of engagement and what it takes for brands to stay culturally attuned, reputationally resilient, and in control of their narrative. Expect real-world insights, data that underscores why silence is no longer safe, and practical strategies for staying engaged even in today’s cultural minefield.

• Zaria Parvez, Senior Global Social Media Manager, Duolingo
• Jackie Cooper, Chief Brand Officer, Edelman
• Ethan Tuxford, EMEA Ambassador, Edelman’s Gen Z Lab
• Boman Martinez-Reid, Content Creator

11.00 – Arrival/drinks and welcome

11.15-11:45 – Executive Mindfulness with Ashley Wray

Sharpen your mind and elevate your leadership. Join Ashley Wray for a mindfulness experience tailored exclusively for executives in the marketing and advertising industry. Learn practical techniques to improve clarity, decision-making, and resilience—keeping you balanced in a fast-paced, high-stakes environment.

11.55 pm – Welcome from Life Time

12-12.50 pm – Democratizing Access to Happiness & Wellbeing 

Jill Palmquist in an interview with Deepak Chopra and Poonacha Machaiah

12.50 pm – Meditation with Deepak Chopra

1:00 pm – Revival Happy Hour

2:00 pm – Close

A Leadership Panel – Culture, Clickbait and Consequences: How the creator economy can shape (or shatter) a more ethical internet.

REGISTER HERE

The creator economy is one of the most powerful forces in advertising and culture. As individual creators build global audiences and brand partnerships become more sophisticated, the rules are shifting. Who’s looking after creators’ interests? How are brands measuring success? And how do we make sure growth doesn’t come at the cost of ethics, inclusion or transparency?

This session brings together leading voices from the UK’s creator landscape to explore what’s next  and why the UK is uniquely placed to shape a more responsible, creative and commercially powerful future for the creator economy.

Moderator

• Aisling Conlon, International Director for UK Advertising, Advertising Association

Panellists

• Vanessa Sawyerr, Co-Founder and Chief of GSD, WeRepresent
• Harriet Kingaby, Co-founder & Co-chair, Conscious Advertising Network
• Thomas Walters , Billion Dollar Boy
• Sophie Butler, Content Creator, Influencer and Podcast Host

4:00 – 6:00 pm – Join XP Land, IBTM & Public School, to toast the event industry’s best and brightest.

NOTE: Your invitation MUST be confirmed via email to be admitted to the event.