on the south coast of France will be abuzz with global marketing and advertising leaders, gathering for this year’s Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity, June 17 to 21. And once again Meta will be on site. This year, the company is focusing its activations and presence on its core DNA: the power of connection. Specifically, Meta will showcase how every connection is an opportunity and relay the message to industry leaders and practitioners that “It’s Your World.” Content will focus on how innovation in artificial intelligence is supercharging connection, driving business growth and creating a huge shift in how creativity is approached, leveraged and consumed. Meta will highlight how to keep strategy and curiosity at the forefront as technological advancements create even more possibilities and avenues for connection than ever before. The sheer amount of people using a Meta app, including Facebook, Instagram, Threads and WhatsApp, among others, is 3.24 billion daily. And engagement across Meta platforms is strong—indicating a tremendous opportunity for advertisers, marketers and creators to build community. Meta is known for this, but at Cannes this year the company will double down on the transformative power of connection—beyond just an exchange—to something more meaningful and impactful for brands. Meta will bring this to life on the Festival of Creativity’s main stage, where Meta Chief Marketing Officer Alex Schultz will be joined by Es Devlin, renowned artist and stage designer, who has collaborated with the likes of Beyonce, Kendrick Lamar and U2, and has had her works featured at the Tate Modern, United Nations General Assembly, Metropolitan Opera and the Super Bowl, among many other locations. Bonded by their love of origami, this data-driven CMO and globally acclaimed artist will unlock fresh perspectives traversing the intersections of technology and creativity. Join them at the Debussy Theater, Palais des Festivals, on Wednesday, June 19, at 3:30 p.m., as they discuss age-old questions including: Has embracing technological change been the path to better lives and artistic breakthroughs, and what lessons does this hold for us today? (For admittance, check if you’ve got a Cannes Lions Festival pass.) As technology evolves and with AI top of mind, Meta’s activations also include thought leadership and workshops designed to spur thinking, engagement and excitement for what’s happening now, and what’s next and yet to come. Meta Beach programming will review how businesses are using strategies that net tangible results today, and delve into how attendees are at the helm of shaping the next few years of the industry. Brands bringing this to life include Coca-Cola, Unilever, Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team, L’Oréal and more. In addition, Meta will offer attendees a closer look at the company’s vision for AI, with experiential activations planned to show the wide breadth of research, tools and products Meta is investing in to continue to keep connection as its preeminent vision. This includes activations around AI, Meta Quest, Ray-Ban Meta, WhatsApp and an unforgettable Reels Cinema experience. “At Meta, we’re all about connections. And our technology supercharges those connections to drive business growth,” said Julie Hogan, VP of global experiential and industry marketing at Meta. “This year at Cannes, we want people to immerse themselves in our technology and discover the art and science behind building community through tools and products such as Reels. Reels ignites connections with its innovative features, turning brands into storytellers and showcasing products that inspire. At Meta Beach, people will be able to see the evolution of our technology, which is core to our mission of building community and bringing the world closer together.”
Meta will kick off this year’s festivities with a party celebrating the power of creative connections with special guest Paris Hilton, CEO of 11:11 Media and world-renowned DJ, but also one of Meta’s partners for an embodied character AI (Amber the Detective). Check out the full event breakdown and pre-register for Meta programming here.
About Meta
Founded in 2004, Meta’s mission is to give people the power to build community and bring the world closer together. People use Meta’s apps and technologies to connect with friends and family, find communities and grow businesses.
