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Day 3 of Cannes Lions Festival
Talk 1: Class Talk with Bianca Fernandez
Rating: 10/10
Reflection:
When John Essom, a classmate in the program, mentioned Bianca Fernandez’s profile, I knew I would enjoy her talk. When we have personal talks, they are definitely more engaging and interesting. While looking at her profile, I was blown away by all the experience she has gained at such a young age. I really enjoyed it when she mentioned how it is okay to leave a job within a year or two. I always get scared and nervous that I will have to stay somewhere for a long time to succeed. After her discussion with the class, I asked her what her next chapter would look like. As of now, she is at Palm Tree Crew, but I enjoyed hearing her response to my question. She confidently said she does not know but hopes to open her own marketing agency one day. I would definitely recommend this talk, and I enjoyed it because I got reassurance that it is okay to jump around jobs and to not know the unknown.
Talk 2: From Fairway to Fast Lane: How Brands and Athletes Extend Across Sports
Rating: 5/10
Reflection:
I am not going to lie: I went to this talk because everyone was going and it’s Lando Norris. I did not know much about him before (other than the fact that he is a Formula One driver), and I am pretty disappointed with my first impression. The talk was about how Lando Norris switches from the sports car to the golf course (playing golf to clear his mind). I did enjoy hearing about his love for another sport and how it helps him with balance, but I feel like the topic could definitely have been something else and could have spoken more to branding. His team is McLaren, and he did speak to this connection, but I wanted to know more about building a brand across multiple sports. I also do not know enough about Formula 1 and wanted to get into it, and I feel like I did not learn anything about it.) The entire talk was a bit too informal for me, and I was looking to get something out of it that I didn’t get. In fact, I would not be mad if I skipped this one next year. I think it's because of the name I went with, but honestly, sometimes the known people are the ones who have the most disappointing talks.
Talk 3: The Talent Is the Brand: Creating Lasting Conversations
Rating: 7/10
Reflection:
When I was little, I used to wear Kevin Durant’s sneakers and never really knew who he was or how powerful this legend was. Therefore, I felt an immediate draw to this talk at Sport Beach. Kevin Durant mentioned the value of partnerships and what audiences want to see/hear. I learned that last year, Durant did a CeraVe ad, and as a result, the company saw 43% sales growth. It took Durant two years to agree to do the ad. It was not just about revenue; more specifically, it was about his trust and values within the company. He mentioned how people want to see athletes do normal things, not just the trick shots and shots in the hoop. The success of the ad also came from developing a good relationship and reputation with CeraVe. The talk mentioned that if you are authentic and know you are obsessed with your craft, it will allow you to transcend. With that, I learned that athletes are among the most influential people in the world, and that the power of sports lies within the communities they build that extend across the planet. This is a very powerful tool and one that should not be taken advantage of, and it seems that Durant has an understanding and respect for his power. One of the final things Durant mentioned was that the better the communication, the better a product can get. Hearing from fans, peers, and partners helps improve and value a conversation and relationship. This was one of the more valuable talks because it was about branding, trust, and authenticity. As someone who will be using marketing and hospitality in my career. Durant’s focus on saying yes to the right partnerships for stronger brands and success on both ends makes a lot of sense.
Talk 4: Student Event at Havas Cafe
Rating: 6/10
Reflection:
I decided to go to the student event at Havas Cafe instead of going to a talk. I personally think I failed myself at this event. I went in a small group, and I feel like we ended up talking to each other rather than really looking for new connections at that moment. I did end up briefly networking with someone, but it was cut short when a classmate joked about it. In this program, I was neither perfect nor close to it. I always want to try to be, but honestly, I wish I tried more. I did not give it my full effort to reach out more, and I selfishly chose to stay in a group when I could have been more independent and successful in my searches for connections.
Talk 5: Beca Michie and Davis Burleson at Meta
Rating: 8/10
Reflection:
I chose to go to this talk because this was Connor’s girlfriend. I have been following Beca for the past year, and I really enjoy her content. Beyond being a model, she is a social justice advocate and an open person. The talk at Meta Beach was mainly about how creators group their platforms and the difference between being real to your audience and being fake. I obviously did enjoy the talk because I was really looking forward to seeing her. The emphasis on brands should focus more on creators who have built trust with their audience and engage with them, which makes sense. I am not looking to be a creator, but I found it interesting that creators can actually introduce trends and products before traditional media picks them up. In this way, creators make key partners, especially for brands trying to stay culturally relevant. Another thing that stood out was that they did not mention Meta as much, and Beca mentioned that if you want to grow your audience, you have to keep pushing and cannot be lazy about sharing your content. I would recommend this talk if you are studying social media or are looking to grow your social media platform.
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