Being at Cannes Lions 2025 wasn’t just an honour it was a front-row seat to the future of creativity, technology, and cultural storytelling. The festival this year did more than celebrate ideas — it spotlighted how creativity is becoming the most potent force for meaningful business, social change, and human connection in an increasingly fragmented world.
India’s Voice is Now a Global Frequency: India’s presence this year was not just symbolic it was influential. From work that explored AI’s role in education to deeply rooted cultural narratives that broke through international noise, our creative ecosystem stood tall. The stories weren’t just Indian; they were universal in emotion and sharp in insight. We’re not just participating in the global conversation anymore we’re shaping it.
David vs. Goliath: Independent Ideas Deserve More Stage Time: While it’s always reassuring to see the big names win, the most unfiltered energy often comes from the independents and first-timers those who haven’t yet been shaped by the system. Cannes must continue to democratize discovery. Scale is not always synonymous with impact. Some of the most courageous storytelling I saw this year came from studios operating out of single-room offices and creators who rely more on instinct than on data dashboards.
Creativity with a Conscience: A defining theme across categories was the rise of purposeful creativity. The best work this year wasn’t just clever it was consequential. Brands are moving from storytelling to story doing. From climate impact to inclusivity and mental health, the campaigns that stood out were those that had the courage to care, backed by real-world action. At Cannes 2025, purpose wasn’t a checkbox it was the brief.
Technology Is Not the Enemy of Emotion: AI was everywhere from generative campaigns to predictive storytelling models. But the most powerful work still anchored itself in human truth. What set the winners apart was how they used technology as an enabler, not a gimmick. Creativity augmented by AI, not overshadowed by it, was the real win.
A Festival of Collaboration, Not Competition: One of the most undervalued takeaways from Cannes is the spirit of collaboration. Whether it was conversations over coffee along the Croisette or unexpected partnerships between creators and brands, Cannes is a masterclass in how friction can turn into fusion. This isn’t just a festival it’s a living laboratory for cross-pollination.
What We Bring Home: We return with more than just trophies or notes. We bring back a mandate to build brands that are not just seen but felt, ideas that are not just viral but valuable, and campaigns that don’t just entertain but endure.
Here’s to bolder storytelling, to creators on the fringe, to ideas that wake us up and to a creative industry that continues to evolve, challenge, and inspire.
Until next time, Cannes. Merci. And onward.
