Bonjour! Maybe you’ve heard of the mythical town in France where movie stars get together for artsy premieres and glitzy red carpets, but the Cannes Film Festival is just the pregame for the grande fête that the advertising industry hosts just weeks later.

From June 20-24, advertisers will flock to Cannes, France, for the prestigious Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. The picturesque resort town lined by French Riviera beaches and bustling with sweat-drenched tourists hosts industry stars for panels, parties and prizes to celebrate the crème de la crème of the past year’s ads.

For the soon-to-be initiated, what can one expect to encounter on the ground? For those rusty after a two-year hiatus, what are the COVID protocols for the fest’s in-person return? From a brief history to how much all this hubbub costs, Ad Age has the answers.

How to pronounce Cannes

Many settle for a breezy can, as in can of soup. But, get as creative as you want! One is likely to encounter all manner of pronunciation.

What is the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity?

The Cannes Lions are the biggest awards in advertising. The first festival took place in 1954, originally called the International Advertising Film Festival and inspired by the glory given to the film industry at the Cannes Film Festival, established in 1946. The South of France wasn’t its original home base. The first festival took place in Venice, Italy, and drew inspiration from the city’s Lion of Piazza San Marcos for its name, logo and trophy design. After a second year in Monte Carlo, the festival alternated between Cannes and Venice before establishing its permanent home in Cannes in 1984.

Staying true to the festival’s original intent, it remains an awards extravaganza to recognize the best in creative advertising. In more recent years it’s become a networking event for marketers and agency executives. And it offers attendees the opportunity to nerd out at panels, where top execs discuss the state of the industry, successful campaigns from the past year and upcoming innovations. Not to mention an excess of partying. Lots and lots of partying.

So, who attends this Cannes shindig?

Cannes offers many opportunities, not just for the industry’s creatives to snag trophies, but for agencies to grab facetime with clients and adtech innovators to pitch marketers—all levels of schmoozing. From indie shops to the denizens of major holding companies, creative folk of all stripes set up camp on yachts and beaches and at villas alongside the odd celebrity to get the Croisette buzzing about who threw the best parties.

The festival began with ad agencies, their clients and a toast to their victories at its heart, but has evolved in recent years as media and ad tech companies have swarmed the week, with influencers in tow. This year sees increased presence from the newer fest-goers, including debut outings from TikTok and Netflix as well as buzz for the potentially Musk-owned Twitter.

And, of course, the press.

Read more: Tech companies step up Cannes presence this year

How much does it cost to attend?

Passes to attend the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity range from nearly $4,000 for the week to premium passes for around $9,800. Discounts are available for group passes, those under 31 and students. Attendance this year also costs a premium over years past as fuel prices reach record heights due to the Russia-Ukraine war.

What is the dress code at Cannes?

As of writing, this year’s forecast places temperatures on the low end of 80℉. Don’t be fooled by that pleasant number, though. With humidity ranging from 60-70%, most festival veterans warn of instant-sweat conditions and caution against all heavy fabrics, such as denim. The vibe is carefree and, given the coastal setting, linen shirts and resort wear of all manner are common. Some opt for a comfy shorts and t-shirt ensemble, while others lean dressier. It’s a festival of creativity—express yourself.

How much do companies spend on Cannes yacht rentals and beach parties?

According to the price estimate for a 237-foot vessel, the cost to just rent the yacht and dock it (not including catering, security or any other add-ons) is anywhere from $100,000 to $250,00. (The estimate was for a vessel with 13 cabins, two jacuzzis, an elevator and gym that could overall accommodate 30 guests.) Accoutrements like juice bars, IV stations (to help with hangovers) and massage services run between $10,000 and $15,000.

Cabanas cost around $750,000, and coveted beach space was in the ballpark of $2 million, with Cannes organizers pressing companies to secure multi-year deals, another source told Ad Age.

With some budgets tightening due to the current economic conditions, more attendees are looking to co-host spaces to cut costs.

How many people will attend Cannes in 2022?

At the previous in-person festival, registrations rested around 12,000, but how the pandemic will shape this year’s return remains to be seen. According to previous reporting from Ad Age, agencies intended to send similar numbers as they did three years ago; however, the current confluence of health and economic concerns may keep decisions in flux up until festival week. Numbers aside, the hunger to return is unanimous throughout the industry.

Read more: People and parties may hold back at this year’s fest

What are the Cannes COVID protocols?

Travel requirements aside, this year’s festival may look more similar to pre-pandemic celebrations than one might think. The Palais has been awarded the Global Biorisk Advisory Council GBAC STAR certification by ISSA, which certifies the Palais des Festival observes optimal cleaning and operational practices to minimize risk of infection.

Overall regulations for attendees are minimal. As of March 14, France doesn’t require masking except on public transportation and in medical facilities. In accordance with the country’s guidelines, it also won’t require vaccine passes to enter its facilities; however, the festival has compiled a list of nearby testing facilities and encourages all visitors to monitor their health and take early signs of sickness seriously.

For U.S. travelers, a negative COVID test will no longer be required to return to the States. After the TSA announced it would no longer enforce mask requirements in April, most major airlines announced they would allow passengers to forgo face coverings on domestic flights and some international flights. Travelers should consult their airline’s policies for the final word.

How do I enter to win an award?

Well, you don’t anymore. The deadline for entry was April 14. Generally, anyone can submit work at the cost of an entrance fee, which varies by category. Fees range from $655 to as high as $2,266 for Titanium Lions, with each price rising the later work is submitted.

How do the Cannes Lions awards work?

There are a whopping 28 categories within nine tracks spanning craft, experience, engagement, strategy, health, purpose, entertainment and classic creative excellence, plus the Titanium Lion awarded to breakthrough innovation in advertising. This year brings two new awards, Creative B2B Lions and Creative Commerce Lions.

Each category is broken down into multiple awards, including recognitions for those honored on its shortlist through traditional bronze, silver and gold rankings. From the gold winners, juries for each of the nine tracks award prestigious Grand Prix trophies for the best overall of the nine tracks. In rare cases, they may abstain from honoring the top prize if there is no work that merits it. Pro bono work that earns gold is not eligible for Grand Prix in the individual categories but goes into contention for the Grand Prix for Good.

How are the Cannes Lions judged?

Each category is assigned a jury of industry professionals who convene to watch and evaluate each submission for their respective category, first creating a shortlist. The groups then evaluate the shortlist to select which work will earn gold, silver or bronze in the category and which will remain on the shortlist. Including shortlist jurors, this year’s festival includes 538 jurors, with each category awarding one the honor of being jury president.

From the gold winners, the jury will select the Grand Prix winners, the top honor within each category. The Titanium category is largely considered the most prestigious of them all, representing the most forward-thinking ideas of the year, and the Grand Prix winner here is the most coveted prize overall. Shortlisted contenders present their work live to the jury.

What do Cannes Lions winners receive?

Winners get a trophy in the shape of a lion, the design slightly different for each category, the industry-wide recognition of being a Cannes Lions winner, and likely, a lot of calls from recruiters.

When and where do Cannes Lions winners get their trophies?

Each night of the festival, attendees gather at the festival’s main venue, the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès, for an awards show honoring winners of the various categories. Arguably the biggest winners are unveiled on Friday, the final night, including honorees in Film and Titanium as well as overall winners such as Agency of the Year, Network of the Year and Holding Company of the Year.

I’m not a bigwig CEO and won't be speaking on panels. Is there programming for me?

Absolutely! The festival has programming to celebrate young and upcoming creatives as well as competitions such as the Young Lions Competition. 

The Young Lions competition is open to all creatives under the age of 31 and features seven categories in design, digital, film, marketing, media, PR and print as well as the Future Lions competition. For each category, participants are given a brief to fulfill and execute, with broad guidelines to allow a spectrum of creative results. To allow more people to participate, the competition will be held virtually this year pre-festival, and participants have the opportunity to attend the festival at a discounted rate.

The Future Lions, a program created with AKQA, is slightly different, specifying participants aged 18-25 or in a full-time educational program if older. Completed in teams, the four finalists will attend the festival in Cannes, where the winner will be crowned and have the opportunity to execute their idea in reality. This year’s competition is to create work for Gymshark.

Outside of the Future Lions, the Young Lions competitions are determined  by non-profit organizations, from the U.N. to Greenpeace to Amnesty International, and encourage ideas that benefit social and environmental causes.

What else does the festival do around sustainability and social causes?

The festival has many programs in place to reduce its environmental impact. On the ground, it uses biodegradable or recyclable materials for bags, cups and water cartons. More broadly, the festival supports the UN Sustainable Development Goals and, in 2018, established the Sustainable Development Goals Lions award.

The award is under the Good track, sponsored this year by Meta, and is awarded alongside the Glass Lion for Change, which recognizes work that progresses social and cultural shifts toward inclusion and diversity. The festival also hosts panels on topics under the DE&I umbrella and hosts initiatives such as See It Be It and Cannes Can: Diversity Collective.

What can I do outside of the Palais?

If it isn’t clear yet ... party! Historically, Cannes is an opportunity for all to go all out. While the Palais functions like a convention center with large auditoriums and proscenium stages for its more professional offerings, the city at large buzzes with an appetite for making connections and cutting loose.

Agencies and brands rent out yachts, beaches and villas to accommodate celebrations flowing with booze. Many enlist high-profile musical guests and offer the chance to network with others in the industry alongside their own slate of panels tailored to that brand’s offerings. Many host their soirees within walking distance of the Palais off of Cannes’ main strip, the Promenade de la Croisette, but some entice guests with boat rides, trips to remote villas or even private islands. Among the go-to spots for dining (and lodging, for some) are Hotel Du Cap-Eden-Roc at the southern tip of Cap d'Antibes with gorgeous views overlooking the azure sea, or La Colombe d'Or at St. Paul de Vence, where you can enjoy artworks by Matisse, Calder and more.

I heard that the Carlton Terrace is closed. Is that true?

Typically, every night of the festival attendees flock to the terrace of the Carlton Hotel, and then for more schmoozing into the early hours, further down the Croisette to the Gutter Bar outside the Martinez. This year, however, as of press time, the Carlton Terrace remains closed as the hotel undergoes renovations, with only its beach restaurant open. It remains to be seen if a new go-to spot will emerge. 

While rosé meetings start early and parties run to early morning hours, stay tuned for how this year’s debaucheries compare to Cannes past. Will another couple be caught in the throes of l’amour on this year’s red carpet?

Contributing: Garett Sloane