The top innovationas and ideas shaping the future of marketing
We might not have strolled the Croisette ourselves this year, but we’ve been dialled in, tracking the pulse of the conversations, campaigns, and creativity lighting up Cannes Lions 2025. And what a year it’s been. This wasn’t just a checkpoint for the industry; it felt like a defining pivot.
From the ever-evolving role of AI to a renewed focus on emotional storytelling and creator-driven content, the themes emerging from this year’s festival reflect a marketing landscape that’s shifting fast, and becoming more human-first in the process.
Artificial Intelligence: From Hype to Hands-On
AI once again dominated the stage, but this time, the conversation has matured. Less dazzle, more doing.
Mustafa Suleyman, now heading up Microsoft AI, captured it succinctly: AI is breaking down the barriers of creative friction, letting more people build, design, and deliver ideas at scale. Mars’ Snickers campaign featuring a fully AI-generated José Mourinho stole the show, a seamless blend of personalisation, football fandom, and clever storytelling.
As The Current put it, “AI isn’t replacing creatives — it’s enabling them.” And that’s the real shift: moving AI from a buzzword to a tool that helps brilliant ideas take flight.
Apple’s Tor Myhren Gets to the Heart of It
Among the most talked-about keynotes was Apple’s Tor Myhren, who was named Cannes Lions 2025 Creative Marketer of the Year. His message? If it doesn’t move you, it’s not worth making.
He shared the making of their nearly silent AirPods Pro campaign for hearing aids, a film that leaned entirely on emotion, not algorithms. Myhren also premiered Flock, a handcrafted, surrealist film that deliberately sidestepped AI.
It was a timely reminder: “Creativity has a pulse. AI doesn’t,” as Carat aptly summarised.
The Creator Economy Grows Up
Big news here, the Social & Influencer Lions are now the Social & Creator Lions. That subtle shift? It signals just how integral creators have become to brand storytelling.
YouTube marked 20 years with CEO Neal Mohan celebrating creators as “the startups of Hollywood.” Shorts are booming, podcasts are thriving, and new tools from Google and Meta are turning user-generated content into dynamic, scalable ad campaigns.
Big Tech Bets on Brand-Safe AI
If there was a shared mantra among the tech giants this year, it was this: safe, scalable, brand-aligned AI.
Meta’s new AI Personalisation Suite lets brands input tone, colours, and logos, then generates creative assets on demand. Microsoft introduced “brand agents” and “showroom ads” to help create tailored customer journeys. Amazon Ads and Google followed suit with tools that simplify short-form ad production and creator collaboration. Reddit joined the mix with a new insights tool tapping directly into user sentiment.
Sport and Streaming: A Match Made in Media Heaven
Streaming platforms are going all-in on sport, not just for reach, but for the emotional resonance that live games deliver.
Tubi, Peacock, Roku, and others claimed leadership in live sports content. But it was Ryan Reynolds, ever the hybrid of star and strategist, who cut through the noise, showing how passion for Wrexham A.F.C. evolved into a standout brand story.
Women’s Sport and Inclusive Storytelling Steal the Spotlight
Ad spend on women’s sport has jumped 139% year-on-year, reaching $244.4 million in 2024, according to ad measurement firm EDO. Cannes responded in kind. From powerful panels to standout campaigns, inclusion wasn’t just a theme, it was a movement.
Dove’s Grand Prix-winning “Real Beauty” campaign challenged the distortion of AI-generated beauty norms, striking an emotional chord that resonated globally.
Phygital Experiences Take Centre Stage
From Pinterest’s Manifestival to Snap’s AR activations and Apple’s Vision Pro demos, the Croisette turned into a sandbox for experiential creativity.
Campaign UK captured it best: this isn’t novelty anymore. Phygital marketing, where physical and digital meet, is fast becoming a strategic must-have, especially when fuelled by sensory design and personal relevance.
Final Take: Technology Can Power It, But People Give It Purpose
Cannes Lions 2025 didn’t just celebrate what’s possible; it reminded us why it matters.
Yes, AI is reshaping the game. But it’s the emotional truth, human creativity, and cultural connection behind the campaigns that people will remember.
As Tor Myhren stated in his Cannes keynote, delivered when Apple was named Creative Marketer of the Year on 16 June 2025, “AI won’t kill advertising – but it won’t save it either. We have got to save advertising ourselves.” That’s the call to action: stay human, stay creative, and make something wonderful.
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