As we move closer to the annual Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, where the French Riviera becomes the centre of the global marketing industry, we are breaking down what to expect, the talent we will see, and the different routes into Cannes Lions.
Every year, executives, founders, tech giants, influencers, and media companies all meet at Cannes Lions not just to celebrate advertising but to shape what comes next in the industry.
This year, Cannes Lions is expected to be bigger and more commercially influential than ever before.
What began as an Awards Festival has developed into an ecosystem of brand activations, networking dinners, and creator events where some of the industry’s biggest partnerships begin.
For marketers, attending the Festival serves an array of purposes all at once. The Festival acts as a trend forecast, a networking hub, a creative benchmark and a live demonstration of how brands want to position themselves within the modern media landscape.
Where the Creative Community Meets
Tens of thousands of creatives, innovators, and brands attend the Palais from over 90 countries every June, meaning this is one of the biggest opportunities in the industry to network.
The informal nature of the Festival is what makes it so special; conversations that would normally require months of scheduling can all happen over a panel, a discussion, or an evening event, where you’ll find the whole industry in one place.
With a large array of passes to choose from, we are breaking down the best Cannes Lions passes for you, as well as the new passes that have been introduced this year.
The Classic Pass
The Festival’s most popular pass is the Classic Pass, which allows access to everything you’ll need to enjoy the Cannes Lions experience, with access to the Palais, city activations and the Rotonde.
For marketers, the Classic Marketer Pass is exclusive just for marketers, tailored specifically to bring members of this industry together with a range of networking opportunities and takeaways from the Global CMO Growth Council.
These passes can be purchased up until the festival itself, but make sure to grab these passes early so you don’t miss out.
Applications are required for the following passes, so make sure to apply early to avoid disappointment:
Those under 30 can access the Classic Young Lion Pass, which is a discounted pass, including tailored access to content in the LIONS School, fit with talks to grow your skillset and advance your early career.
Individuals still in full-time education, such as university or college, can access the Classic Student Pass, which features a custom guided Festival tour and a dedicated happy hour to meet with industry leaders and fellow students.
Choose a pass here
If you’re a next-stage start-up, small studio or indie agency, there is the Classic Start-up pass, which is available at a discounted rate, including exclusive industry meet-ups, designed to connect your business with potential partners and investors, offering the perfect opportunity for growth.
On the other hand, if you’re an independently owned business or agency, the Classic Challenger pass, which is also new for 2026, will be perfect for you. Including an exclusive networking meet-up event with fellow entrepreneurs eager to collaborate, this pass allows you to position your brand/agency as the next leader.
For creators or those covering social and talent acquisition, the LIONS Creators pass gives access to a range of creator-led perks. This includes content sessions at the new LIONS Creators beach space, exclusive networking opportunities, and creator-focused talks and workshops, all showcasing innovation and insight from top creator talent and leaders from around the world.
The new pass for this year is the LIONS Sports Pass, providing access to the new two-day global forum for those in the business of sport. LIONS Sport will take place at a dedicated space outside of the Palais at the Carlton Hotel, specifically for individuals working in sports marketing.
Cannes Lions are focused on creating access and opportunities for everyone within the business of creativity, and that’s why they introduced LIONS Impact. This includes open application scholarships and funding opportunities to create new routes for brilliant minds from all different types of backgrounds.
Their ERA programme also allocates more than 2 million euros worth of festival passes to underserved and underrepresented communities, as well as their See It Be It programme, which is a fully funded talent programme that has run for over a decade, specifically for women and non-binary people.
Remaining one of the few places where competitors, platforms, agencies and brands all align in the same space, Cannes Lions acts as a global indicator of what the future of creative marketing will look like. This is what marketers can expect from Cannes Lions in 2026:
Cannes as a Live Marketing Playground
For brands, Cannes is not just about winning awards, but gaining cultural attention over the festival week itself, treating the event as a live demonstration of their brand positioning. Brands execute this by building immersive experiences for attendees designed to generate social content, media coverage, and exclusive networking opportunities all at the same time.
In past years, the beachfront has set the stage for this, with brands building large-scale activations, becoming one of the defining features of the festival. With brands competing to create the most talked-about environment, attendees should expect interactive experiences, personalised content, and immersive storytelling.
This year, the beachfront will be bigger and better with brands such as Canva, which last year had 4000 attendees, expanding their space by three times. Other brand activations include the Adobe takeover, Adweek House, Amazon Port, and the Pinterest Manifestival, to name a few.
What New Awards To Expect This Year?
The Creative Brand Lion
Each year, Cannes Lions reviews their awards to fit the ever-changing creative landscape, further paving the way for the industry.
One of the most highly anticipated new awards is the Creative Brand Lion, which celebrates how brands strategically use creativity across their organisation to drive sustained business success.
Rather than just judging the individual campaign, this Lion recognises the systems, cultures, and capabilities that deliver measurable business growth and long-term brand value.
The Creative Data Lion is Redefined
There has also been an update to the Creative Data Lion this year due to the shift in the role of data in creative marketing. With today’s most creative work being born from data rather than just using it, the award has been changed to celebrate the work where data fundamentally drives the creative concept, not just informs it.
AI Subcategory Introduced
Cannes Lions will be introducing a new AI Craft subcategory, celebrating the sweet spot where human creativity meets AI to create something that neither could do without the other. Rather than focusing on the best AI, the subcategory recognises the craft and artistry of work that couldn’t exist without it.
Retail Media Expands
Last year, Cannes Lions introduced retail media subcategories in the Media and Creative Commerce Lions. This year, the Creative Strategy and Creative Data Lions are being expanded to create more opportunities to celebrate the breadth of innovation happening within the retail media space.
Enhanced Integrity Measures
Finally, an enhanced integrity measure will be implemented following the Integrity Standards announced in July 2025, ensuring that the work that wins Lions demonstrates impact. Including additional layers of declaration of factual accuracy, requests for sources at points of entry, AI to verify submissions, a new formal process for enquiry, and the Awards Integrity Handbook, which is a practical guide designed for use and adoption across the industry.
Whether you’re looking to sharpen your skills, grow your network, or gain inspiration from the industry’s best, Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity offers an experience you can’t miss out on. With passes tailored to every stage of your career, now’s the time to secure your place and be a part of the conversations shaping the future of creativity.
To find the right pass for you click here
