A month after Cannes Lions, the headlines haven't stopped. A Grand Prix and other awards were revoked over undisclosed AI usage, sparking fresh debate about transparency, creativity, and what "real" work looks like.  

In a moment where authenticity feels more urgent than ever, one thing feels increasingly clear: experiential still cuts through.

Here are three key takeaways from Cannes 2025 that reveal where experiential marketing stands and where it's headed. 

1. Experience is the medium of the moment—AI or not. 

AI, creator marketing, borrowed influence, culture, authenticity... the buzzwords were everywhere. But what truly resonated in conversation? Live, shared moments that cut through the noise. Reality still wins, especially as the line between human and machine blurs. 

An open letter to Cannes by Shelley Elkins (NVE) made waves pre-, during, and post-festival. In it, she wrote: 

"The people who build Cannes, activate Cannes, and animate Cannes deserve more than working the Croisette. They deserve to be celebrated on the Palais stage." 

She's right. The real creative revolution isn't playing out on the screen, it's happening in the sand between activations, on rooftops where strangers become collaborators. And yet, experience marketing wasn't just overlooked on the awards stage, it was largely absent from panels and headline conversations, too. All while attendees were immersed in what was arguably one massive brand experience, the very thing everyone was buzzing about off-stage. 

2. Representation is (still) the next frontier. 

Panels were heavy on technology and light on fresh perspectives. Some of the most meaningful conversations happened not on official stages, but in spaces intentionally designed to bring different voices together. Examples included The Female Quotient lounge, ADCOLOR gatherings with The Room, Inkwell Beach, Club Quarantine, and a handful of others. 

Women were notably front-and-center across many discussions—a positive shift. But beyond gender, diversity spans countless dimensions. Too often, panels were dominated by U.S.-based voices, making it easy to forget the festival's global setting. And while Amazon Port's use of a sign-language interpreter was a welcome sight, it remained an outlier in terms of accessibility. 

If the goal is to shape global culture, then our stages (and our builds) need to reflect the world we're trying to move. The more voices we bring into the process, the more culture we actually create. 

3. There's whitespace for brave experiential work. 

Many activations this year were polished, well-funded, and hospitality-focused, but lacked staying power. A few brands broke the mold, and it showed. 

Pinterest's Manifestival was a standout: fully immersive, interactive, rich with cohesive storytelling and giveaways that felt personal and purposeful. Guests were treated to everything from branded desserts customized for dietary restrictions to tattoo parlors, each detail reinforcing the brand's identity in unexpected ways. 

Other brands took a quieter but equally strategic approach. Canva was praised for staying true to its brand essence. LinkedIn dominated the week through word-of-mouth as the go-to space for meaningful connection. The Female Quotient offered a rooftop experience with standout programming and a genuine open-door atmosphere. Brands&Culture hosted moments off the Croisette that emphasized intention over flash, including meditations led by Deepak Chopra and curated networking experiences. 

The bar has been raised. It's no longer enough to offer a lounge; brands need to build immersive worlds: spaces that don't just host audiences, but invite them in. 

Cannes was a reminder that the most impactful creative work isn't always on the main stage. It's in the environments that spark connection, in the unexpected moments that stay with people long after the event ends. 

Experiential may not have taken home the biggest trophies this year, but it was the work everyone felt.  

In the wake of Cannes, it's clear: experiential is the unseen headliner—and one of the most powerful tools brands have to build real, human connection at a time when audiences are craving it most.