Every June, Cannes Lions sets the stage for the boldest, most imaginative work in advertising and communications. But beyond the glittering awards and seaside gatherings, Cannes is a mirror, it reflects where our industry is heading, and where brands need to pay attention.
This year, three themes stood out: purpose with precision, AI with humanity, and culture as currency.

1. Purpose with Precision

The conversation around brand purpose has matured. Gone are the days of broad, generic manifestos. At Cannes Lions 2025, the winning work showed us that purpose needs sharp edges, it must connect to a brand’s DNA and show tangible action.
Brands that were celebrated didn’t just “say the right thing,” they did the right thing in ways only they could. Purpose was less about lofty statements and more about solving concrete, contextual problems.
Takeaway: Purpose only works when it’s rooted in who you are and expressed through what you can actually deliver.

What We Saw

• Nordea – “The Parental Leave Mortgage”: In Finland, Nordea created a mortgage offering that lets parents pause their loan payments during parental leave; no fees or penalties. Instead of a campaign about “supporting families,” it *is* supporting families with a product-level change. (as covered by Provokemedia)
  Watch the case film here
• AXA – “Three Words”: AXA changed an existing insurance policy so it covers emergency relocation expenses in cases such as domestic violence. A simple yet extremely meaningful adjustment.
  Watch the case film here

What Makes It Stand Out

These are not just messages, they are changes to services or policy. Real, lived impact. That makes the purpose credible and measurable.

WE THINK

Purpose should never be treated as decoration. When actions speak louder than words, brands build true credibility. We see opportunity in helping clients ground their purpose in tangible, everyday impact.

2. AI with Humanity

Unsurprisingly, AI took center stage. But what impressed juries wasn’t the tech itself, it was the creativity layered on top of it. The most awarded work used AI to enhance empathy, accessibility, or imagination, not to replace them.
One key observation: “AI-first” ideas felt flat; “human-first with AI support” felt inspiring. The sweet spot is using AI to scale creativity, not shortcut it.
Takeaway: Brands should treat AI as a creative co-pilot, not the driver. Humanity remains the differentiator.

What We Saw

• O2 (UK) – “Daisy vs Scammers”: Using synthetic voices and AI to create “Daisy,” a persona who keeps fraudsters on the phone, wasting their time with human-like conversation, thereby protecting vulnerable people.
  Watch the campaign here
• Spotify & Museum for the United Nations – “Sounds Right”: A campaign blending innovation, AI, and sound to elevate awareness with purpose. (as highlighted by Contagious)
  Watch the case video here

What Makes It Stand Out

The AI is not a gimmick. It’s not just “look at this new tech.” It serves people. It amplifies empathy, protects someone, or builds connection.

WE THINK

AI should feel like a creative partner, not a shortcut. The best work inspires because it preserves the human touch, while scaling possibilities in ways we couldn’t reach alone.

3. Culture as Currency

Perhaps the strongest trend was how campaigns plugged directly into live cultural conversations from music and sports to subcultures and social movements. Instead of chasing virality, brands found credibility by embedding themselves where communities already live and speak.
What worked: ideas that showed respect for culture, not appropriation. Cannes recognized brands that created value for communities, not just visibility for themselves.
Takeaway: The most powerful campaigns feel like they belong inside culture, not outside trying to shout in.

What We Saw

• New Zealand Herpes Foundation – “Best Place in the World to Have Herpes”: A bold tourism-parody style campaign that flipped stigma into pride. (as reported by The Guardian)
  Watch the ad here
• Nutter Butter – “You Good?” by Dentsu Creative: A TikTok-led campaign leaning into meme culture and spontaneous co-creation. (as covered by Provokemedia)
  Watch the case study here

What Makes It Stand Out

These campaigns didn’t chase culture, they embedded themselves within it. The tone, platforms, and co-creation made them credible.

WE THINK

Culture moves fast, but respect and authenticity never go out of style. Brands that listen first and contribute meaningfully will always be invited into the conversation.

The Bigger Picture

Cannes Lions 2025 confirmed one thing: creativity is at its best when it balances clarity and daring. Purpose must be precise, AI must remain human-centered, and culture must be treated as a dialogue. For brands, the challenge isn’t just about keeping up with trends, it’s about filtering those trends through your unique voice and promise.
Because in the end, Cannes celebrates not what’s loudest, but what’s most true.