5 Marketing Trends from Cannes Lions 2024 That Brands Should Not Ignore

As the dust settles on another groundbreaking Cannes Lions Festival, it's clear that the marketing landscape is evolving faster than ever.?

Here are the key takeaways that every marketer should be thinking about:

Trend #1 Humour is the New Black ??

Remember when we were all hesitant to be comical in our campaigns?

Well, the data is in, and it's time to lighten up.?

Brands using humour are seeing 80% higher customer retention and 72% increased preference over competitors.??

Yet, 95% of business leaders still fear using humour in their communications.

Cannes Lions 2024 showcased how humour can drive engagement and build brand loyalty.?

Take Dramamine’s ‘The Last Barf Bag’ campaign – it creatively honoured the sick bag, winning the Health & Wellness Lions Grand Prix by using humour to engage viewers without directly mentioning the brand.?

Trend #2: AI is more than just a task helper; it's a brand recommender.??

Companies use AI like ChatGPT to complete tasks but still need to take advantage of this huge opportunity.

Why not ensure your business, products, and services are recommended when people ask AI questions??

12% of entries at Cannes Lions 2024 used AI.

For example, Siemens Healthineers' 'Magnetic Stories' campaign and Pedigree's 'Adoptable' campaign both showcased AI's innovative applications.

However, the real winners were those who leveraged AI to enhance their brand presence.?

For example, OpenAI demonstrated tools that help brands create personalised content more efficiently.? The key is to shape AI technology in a way that elevates your brand's visibility and relevance.

Trend #3: Embracing imperfection is the new perfection.??

While companies strive for polished content, Cannes Lions winners showed that embracing imperfection can be more effective.

IKEA's "Life is Not an IKEA Catalogue" campaign subjected their furniture to real-life messes, increasing engagement by 856%.

Imperfection was a key behaviour trigger and highlighted how good IKEA was at storage and helping people stay tidy.?

Trend #4:Cultural Fluidity is Key ??

The most successful campaigns tapped into cultural moments with agility and authenticity.?

How can we stay nimble enough to ride the waves of culture while staying true to our brand values?

It's not enough to tap into cultural moments; brands need to be culturally fluid.?

At Cannes, we saw how KPN's "A Piece of Me" campaign addressed sexual crimes by collaborating with singer MEAU. The campaign resulted in over 33 million views and became a top Spotify hit.

This trend shows that brands need to do more than just ride cultural waves, they need to actively contribute to and shape cultural conversations.

Trend #5:Redefining Celebrity Partnerships ??

It's not about famous faces anymore; it's about creative collaborations that feel genuine and unexpected.

The 'Michael CeraVe' campaign is a perfect example of a shift towards more creative celebrity collaborations.? The campaign embraced a Reddit joke linking actor Michael Cera to their brand, creating a viral sensation.

This demonstrates that it's not about the celebrity's face but how creatively you can integrate them into your brand story.

These trends from the Cannes Lions 2024 winners offer exciting opportunities for brands willing to think outside the box. Companies can create more engaging and memorable marketing campaigns by embracing humour, imperfection, cultural fluidity, creative collaborations, and strategic AI use.

What trends are you most excited about from the show and why?

How do you plan to incorporate them into your marketing strategy?

Let's discuss in the comments below!