Tag: Cannes Lions Festival

Spotify Beach Is Back for the Annual Cannes Lions Festival

June 6, 2025

Spotify is heading back to France for the annual Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, and this year we’ll showcase how Spotify is more alive than ever as a creative playground where creators share, fans explore, and brands are discovered. Throughout the week, we’ll invite attendees to experience Spotify IRL, as a cultural force and the best home for creators and fans.

“Spotify is home to an unrivaled global community of artists, songwriters, podcasters, authors, creatives, fans, and brands,” said Brian Berner, Spotify’s Global Head of Advertising Sales & Partnerships. “This year, we’re bringing to life the creativity that lives on Spotify and how we’ve made it easier than ever for advertisers to join Spotify’s ever-evolving playground and engage with audiences in a positive, premium, brand-safe environment.”

From Monday, June 16, through Thursday, June 19, Spotify Beach once again serves as a creative epicenter on the Croisette. Our daytime sessions will feature some of the world’s leading authors, actors, creators, and musicians, including Paris Hilton, Louis Theroux, Charlie Puth, Mark Ronson, Morgan Absher, Jake Shane, Rachel Lindsay, Seal, Rob Mayhew, and more. We’ll also be hosting two evenings of can’t-miss concerts: Alex Warren, sombr, and Royel Otis will perform on June 17, while Cardi B, a DJ set from Mark Ronson, and Lola Young take the stage on June 18. Charlie Puth will also perform during an exclusive opening-night soirée. 

Spotify Beach will also host interactive, immersive experiences. At the Soul Coffee Cafe, guests can enjoy a coffee and join the Beach Jam via QR codes. Guests can snap a selfie, use it to create their own custom playlist cover art, and have it printed or sent to their socials at the Cover Art Creator Zone. At the Audiobook Flavors Bar, guests can check out top titles for summer listening and cool off with customized soft serve, so they can “taste” an audiobook of their choice.

Here’s a rundown of what’s happening daily:

Monday, June 16

Mic Check: In Conversation with Louis Theroux, featuring Paris Hilton
What happens when an award-winning documentarian meets a pop-culture powerhouse? Join Louis Theroux and Paris Hilton as they share the stage to explore the art of storytelling across formats—from podcasts and documentaries to music, memoir, and more. Expect creative chemistry, surprising parallels, and sharp perspectives you won’t want to miss.

Rhythm and ROI: Amplifying Music in Your Marketing Strategy with Charlie Puth
Artists shape culture; learn how brands can tap in. Chart-topping artist Charlie Puth shares his thoughts on how sound drives emotion and how collaboration can boost cultural impact and audience connection.

Tuesday, June 17

Culture Club: The Influence and Impact of Fandom
Culture isn’t just created; it’s ignited and propelled by fans. From viral podcasts fueled by listener enthusiasm to global music moments amplified by devoted audiences, fandoms are the vibrant engines where culture truly comes to life. Join Jake Shane, Morgan Absher, and Rachel Lindsay for a deep dive into how fandoms drive modern culture and elevate creators.

The Power of Presence: How Authenticity and Resilience Forge Global Influence with Mark Ronson
What does it take to build lasting cultural impact across industries? In this dynamic conversation, Spotify’s Chief Public Affairs Officer Dustee Jenkins sits down with Grammy-winning producer and author Mark Ronson to explore the role of authenticity in creative and professional success. From number-one hits to thought-provoking storytelling, they’ll discuss how staying true to your voice—whether written, spoken, or sung—can resonate with audiences, spark emotional connection, and drive meaningful brand engagement in today’s attention economy.

Nighttime performances shine a spotlight on the biggest emerging talent of 2025, including Alex Warren, sombr, and Royel Otis, and feature sets from DJs Baby J and Dre Tala.

Wednesday, June 18

From AI to IRL: Navigating Creativity in the Now
AI is the marketing industry’s topic du jour, but it takes human creativity to make ads that matter. In this discussion, guided by Spotify’s own AI DJ X, prominent creatives discuss how brands are blending Spotify’s intelligence (AI, personalization) with cultural and editorial insights to build products and campaigns that connect with global audiences and individuals on emotional levels. Get a fresh perspective on how to pair AI’s capabilities with human creativity to enhance brand storytelling and inspire engagement. The session will close with a special appearance by Grammy-winning artist Seal, who’ll reflect on the role of human emotion and storytelling in the age of AI.

Sound to Story: The Art of Personalization Through Music with Ludwig Göransson and Miles Caton
Unlock the sound secrets behind the blockbuster film Sinners. Discover how the seamless fusion of music and storytelling elevates a film’s emotional impact with composer Ludwig Göransson and breakout film actor Miles Caton. This session explores how soundtracks shape cinematic experiences and how brands can harness the same power to create lasting emotional connections with their audiences.

Nighttime performances feature Cardi B, a DJ set from Mark Ronson, and Lola Young. DJs Baby J and Dre Tala will also spin tunes.

That’s a Wrap on Cannes Lions 2024! Inside the Awards, Spotify Beach Action, and More

June 21, 2024

This week, Spotify returned to the South of France for the 2024 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, which recognizes excellence in the world of marketing and advertising. This annual gathering of the biggest brands, coolest creators, and most famous faces is an exciting opportunity to showcase how our platform inspires creativity, connection, and innovation.

This year, we’re thrilled to share that Spotify Advertising took home nine awards for Spreadbeats, our latest B2B marketing campaign that features a first-of-its-kind music video made and distributed entirely in a media plan spreadsheet. The campaign earned one Grand Prix Lion, two Gold Lions, three Silver Lions, and three Bronze Lions across several categories, including Digital Craft, Creative B2B, Creative Data, and more. It was the most shortlisted of all Cannes Lions submissions. Additionally, Spotify won a Bronze Lion in the Creative Effectiveness category for our 2023 Wrapped On-Platform experience, our biggest Wrapped yet.

These wins cap off a jam-packed week for Spotify at Cannes. With it being our 10th year at the festival, we wanted to make sure the Spotify experience was more alive than ever. As Cannes Lions lit up the Croisette, Spotify Beach was at the center of the action, home to inspiring conversations during the day and unmissable musical performances at night. Relive all the festivities and see photos from each day below.

Monday, June 17

We kicked things off with some fascinating conversations with singer-songwriter Shaboozey and PepsiCo International Beverages Chief Marketing Officer Mark Kirkham, who touched on brand partnership and creative content, with a special focus on the relationship between music, sports, and culture.

From there, comedian, content creator, and Therapuss host Jake Shane sat down with Brad Ross, VP of Global Sports and Entertainment Marketing & Partnerships at The Coca-Cola Company, to discuss building a community on Spotify and defining your brand. We capped the conversation off with the exciting announcement that Spotify is bringing daylist—our ever-changing playlist feature—to even more fans in more languages around the world in the coming months. “I love using Spotify to document my life—I add songs kind of like a diary. With daylist, it’s really fun getting playlists that capture what I’m feeling on a random Tuesday afternoon or a Sunday morning,” said Jake. “It’s like a musical diary entry made for me.”

Last but not least, we gathered some of the week’s hottest stars at a scenic villa in the hills for our annual Spotify Soirée. The evening featured an acoustic performance from John Legend, as well as DJ sets from Tinea Taylor and Pearl Thusi. Guests included Jessica Alba, Joe Burrow, Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice of York, Alix Earle, and Sophia Bush, among others.

Spotify Is Back to the Beach for Its Tenth Year at the Annual Cannes Lions Festival

June 6, 2024

Each year at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in France, Spotify showcases how our platform inspires artists, creators, and advertisers to do what they do best: Create. In fact, this year is Spotify’s tenth year at Cannes Lions. For this special occasion, we’re pressing play on a Spotify Beach that’s more alive than ever. All week, we’ll bring to life the immersive experience of our platform, welcoming attendees to explore the home of creativity: Spotify. 

From Monday, June 17, through Thursday, June 20, Spotify Beach will be a sunup-to-sundown hub of activity with daytime sessions from some of the world’s most influential voices, including EGOT-winner John Legend, 10-time Grammy-nominated singer Janelle Monáe, and singer-songwriters Tyla and Shaboozey. We’ll also be hosting two evenings of can’t-miss concerts featuring Benson Boone, Tyla, Shaboozey, and Arcade Fire, and a DJ set from Justice. John Legend will perform during o​​ur special opening-night soirée taking place at a secret location as well. 

“Spotify is home to premier content that drives culture. It’s part of our DNA to stay innovative, and we use this superpower to create impactful connections between artists, listeners, and brands,” said Brian Berner, Spotify’s Head of Global Advertising Sales & Partnerships. “This year, we’re spotlighting the culture-defining creators that live on Spotify and how we’ve evolved as a platform to become the destination for advertisers looking to creatively engage with fans in an authentic and impactful way.”

“More than ever, this year’s Spotify Beach lineup features the next generation of superstars like Tyla, Shaboozey, and Benson, who have captured the eyes and ears of music fans in 2024 and have some of the hottest songs of the summer,” said Joe Hadley, Global Head of Artist Partnerships & Audience at Spotify. “We’ve always taken pride in our Spotify Beach stage. It’s a place where superstars and rising talents are celebrated, a real-life representation of Spotify’s commitment to growing careers at every level.”

Spotify Beach will also be the spot for a series of interactive, immersive experiences, including a Jam Bike offering daily Jam playlists for guests to contribute to, a Song Psychic experience, a personalized Mix Bar featuring beach-vibes music made just for you, an interactive coffee bar where guests can listen in live to our podcast recording sessions, and much more. Spotify’s ever-changing daylist playlists will be the guiding theme of our Spotify Beach space. We’ll ask our guests the question on everybody’s minds this year: “What’s on your daylist?” Additionally, our meeting rooms and podcast studio will be styled in a daylist motif so guests can step into the  daylist experience. 

Here’s what’s happening daily:

Monday, June 17

in your fandom feels monday morning

Spotify’s a global brand, so we have a unique understanding of the themes that fuel music, sports, and brand culture and the magic that happens when you connect these areas. Join us for a conversation on brand partnership and creative content with Shaboozey and PepsiCo’s International Beverages Chief Marketing Officer, Mark Kirkham.

iconic gen z groove monday afternoon

Gen Z is culture. Spotify is culture. So is Gen Z…Spotify? We say yes, but don’t just take our word for it. Join us for a discussion on the bond between artists and fans, building community on Spotify, and defining your brand with Tyla and comedian, content creator, and podcast host Jake Shane. 

Tuesday, June 18

a legendary talk tuesday morning

John Legend is renowned as a chart-topping R&B icon, an EGOT winner, and senior coach on The Voice. He’s also added entrepreneur to his resume, with the launch of his skincare line, Loved01; pet-food brand, Kismet; a signature line of wines, LVE Collection; and more. Spotify Chief Public Affairs Officer Dustee Jenkins will talk to John about how his inspiration, authenticity, and creative spirit led to the creation of his powerful professional and personal brands. 

podcast trends takeover tuesday afternoon

Our Podcast Trends Tour comes to life via a live, custom Spotify game show. Hosted by creator Robyn Delmonte aka Girlbosstown, U Up? cohosts Jordana Abraham and Jared Freid square  off against Colin Rosenblum and Samir Chaudry from The Colin and Samir Show. Contestants will be tested on how well they know their podcast partners, as well as their opinions of the latest podcast trends.

Nighttime performances featuring Benson Boone, Tyla, and Shaboozey. DJ sets from Tinea Taylor & Arthi.

Wednesday, June 19

future creator core wednesday morning

Gen Z has been called the most creative generation yet, and this session will put the innovative spirit of some imaginative young leaders on full display. French creator and videographer Sally will share what creativity means to her, followed by a celebration of the most innovative ideas from the 2024 Future Lions competition with global digital design and communications agency AKQA. 

melodic ai dive wednesday 

Spotify’s Global Head of Music Partnerships and Audience, Joe Hadley, and  Xavier “X” Jernigan, Spotify’s original AI DJ, discuss the ever-evolving landscape of creativity and authenticity in the era of artificial intelligence with Janelle Monae. This session will cover everything from the exploration of AI’s impact on artistic expression to the intersection of technology and human curation. X will also host an interactive game of AI bingo, quizzing guests on their true audio intelligence.

Nighttime performances featuring Arcade Fire and a DJ set from Justice. DJ sets by Pearl Thusi & Arthi.