Let’s get started…
A moment on the Cannes Lions Stage is your moment to tell a great story.
Don’t think of it as a 30-minute 'conference presentation', think of it as a show – you need to attract an audience, entertain them and leave them wanting more. All of the highest-rated talks at Cannes Lions have one thing in common: whether they are a single-speaker presentation or a technically complex performance, at their heart, they’re all masterclasses in storytelling.
So what’s your story?
What makes a good synopsis?
A single, clear idea A big, universally understandable idea: beauty, purpose, happiness, wonder. Simple and expressed eloquently. The idea can be summarised in one clear message. Demonstrates the benefit to the audience The write-up demonstrates a clear outcome for the audience in return for their time and attention – a promise to deliver actionable insights, tools and frameworks. Creativity at the heart and in the description The description itself is creative at its core. It features brand-new, original thinking or a unique perspective on an age-old topic. A provocation/twist Thought-provoking. Challenging of the status quo. Often slightly contrary to wider industry belief. Key questions answered, with real value and practical takeaways Our audience is looking for valuable content just as much as inspiration. Something that changes the way you do things when you return to the office.
What makes a good speaker?
Is authentic They are a subject matter expert or uniquely positioned to tell this story. Is engaging and likeable They are often funny, jokey and self-deprecating. They don’t hide behind gimmicks, and they tell personal stories to highlight a point. Is highly opinionated and passionate It’s one of the reasons we ask people to come back! These are people who are not afraid to speak out, but not in an offensive or arrogant way. Is extremely honest Candour goes down extremely well. All of our best speakers share what might be seen as proprietary information. And they're honest about what went wrong rather than only sharing the positives. Is relevant, but not necessarily senior Sometimes your CEO or chief marketing officer may not be the best person to tell the story. What matters more is that the speaker has an interesting story, background or point of view.
The Call for Content means that anyone can apply to speak at Cannes Lions.
We would like to hear the voices of speakers from around the world brought to the global stage, and you are an integral part of achieving this.
After the Festival, we conducted an audit of the speakers proposed in the 2023 Call for Content and compared this to the speakers that actually took to the stage.
Over time we've seen improved gender representation in your content submissions, but we'd like to see greater consideration given to voices from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups in the speakers proposed to us in the Call for Content.
Women
Submitted to us
Spoke on stage
We work with all our content hosts to help them bring a more diverse line-up of talent to our stage, and we will continue to do that. But for now, we ask you to think about this when planning your idea.
Underrepresented racial and ethnic groups
Submitted to us
Spoke on stage
“Much greater representation of historically marginalised groups and a very inclusive approach.”
2023 Festival delegate
It all starts with a submission…
How should you tell your story?
We're open to all ideas here. See a few format ideas to get you started:
1.
Creative pairings
Talks co-presented by brands and agencies tend to knock it out of the park, especially if they can share the warts-and-all side of their partnership in a dynamic way on stage.
2.
Less is more – pick a few, highly respected speakers
Intimate conversations, experts flying solo, one-to-one interviews with credible industry creatives/marketers or (creative) talent. Rarely panels.
3.
New launches or the release of brand new information live at Cannes Lions
Exciting product launches of genuine interest and appeal to creative folk or brand-new pieces of research released for the first time from the stage. No sales pitches.
4.
Create FOMO moments
Generating that “were you in the room when…” buzz. Consider your time on stage as an event and create a once-in-a-lifetime experience for the audience.
5.
Think about your session structure
Whether it's a standalone talk, an intimate conversation or a one-to-one interview, make sure it has a well-designed structure. Come up with a show-stopping opening. Add some 'wow' moments. And guide the audience with some key takeaways at the end. . Remember, you're in control of the session flow – make sure to use it wisely.
6.
Be bold and think big
Bring us your big, bold, badass idea – even if we have to tame it for the stage, it’s better than trying to work up a smaller idea into an inspirational format. That said, we’re not in the business of format for format’s sake. Sometimes a simple keynote speech is the most powerful delivery.
Need some help?
We’re happy to help workshop your ideas. Get in touch with us at content@canneslions.com