Cannes 2026: My job is just beach

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Bonjour, and welcome to day one of Cannes Lions! This is Kelsey Sutton, editor of Marketing Brew, and I’ll be here all week with one of my fellow Marketing Brew Weekly co-hosts, reporter Jennimai Nguyen.

Over the years, most of the Marketing Brew team has attended this international festival of creativity, but I’ve never actually been before, so I arrived prepared to share my fresh-faced impressions and observations. I also arrived unprepared for just how hot it can get here—there’s no better reminder to reapply sunscreen than when you are desperately seeking some shade before it’s even 9am.

Almost immediately upon arriving on Sunday, I spotted workers finalizing installations, and it occurred to me that this is the place to get inspired if you’re a fan of experiential marketing. Up and down the Croisette, the importance of IRL brand experiences is on full display, whether that’s a branded bar or a pop-up tattoo parlor.

Jennimai and I kicked off the week by recording a special episode of Marketing Brew Weekly from a studio at Spotify Beach, where we chatted about some of the biggest questions we have heading into the week. Then we headed to Pinterest’s “Manifestival,” where we promptly received reusable screen covers to encourage us to get off our phones—part of the brand’s broader message of finding reasons to get offline. (Sorry, Pinterest—we had to use our phones to take a photo of the covers!)

Later I interviewed Julie Towns, who heads up product marketing and product operations at Pinterest, about the brand’s message, and I spoke with Stacy Minero, the chief marketing and experience officer of Outfront Media, about the creativity on display in OOH. Next up is a conversation with Brieane Olson, the CEO of PacSun, about targeting Gen Z and Gen Alpha.

One final thought before I sign off: The glamour radiating off of some of the people in attendance is very White Lotus-esque. No, seriously—the show’s upcoming season is set in this town. As if that wasn’t enough, I’ll be conducting interviews primarily from the Hôtel Martinez—one of the central locations for the upcoming season. If I somehow spot Laura Dern while I’m here, no one will ever hear the end of it.