Welcome to Fetch’s coverage of the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity 2023! As the festival unfolds, we’ll be providing readers with real-time updates and delivering a comprehensive account of exciting, on-the-ground happenings.
Consider this space a front-row seat to speakers, panels, events and more. Bookmark the page, keep refreshing and get ready for an immersive journey into the world of advertising, marketing and innovation.
6/23/2023 @ 3:01 p.m.
Competitors at Cannes
With today’s lighter programming schedule, we spent some time reviewing competitor submissions. Here are some of our favorites.
6/23/2023 @ 2:35 p.m.
Getting Comfortable with Failure: How Iconic Brands Approach Innovation
Failure is uncomfortable for every business, but for many, it is the most efficient way to experiment. In an afternoon session, Diageo Chief Innovation Officer Mark Sandys discussed why it’s important to build a culture of innovation. Embracing “false starts” and fostering a test-and-learn culture allows people the freedom to be curious, experiment and think outside the box.
Sandys gave specific examples of “false starts” and their subsequent innovations for two iconic brands: Guinness and Johnie Walker. He shared insights on how to build and sustain an innovative work culture that stays ahead of consumer trends.
Our key takeaway? Get comfortable with messing up. Iconic brands understand that innovation requires taking risks and a willingness to experiment. In fact, test-and-learns can be essential for new brand partners when they first launch with Fetch. Understanding how audiences react to offers – and testing various offer thresholds – can drive a strong incremental return, maximize spend efficiency and reap the greatest benefit to the brand and their customers.
6/23/2023 @ 11:04 a.m.
Meta at Cannes
Meta has a large presence at this year’s festival.
The organization has dedicated their space to showcasing WhatsApp, acquired in 2014, and Reels, Instagram’s short-form video content.
6/22/2023 @ 2:47 p.m.
Changing Minds: Accelerating Iconic Brand Performance Through Data-Powered Creativity
This afternoon, Mars Chief Brand and Content Officer Rankin Carroll joined Bain & Company Partner Sinead Fox to discuss how brands can strike a balance between brand awareness and performance marketing. The session aimed to showcase Mars Wrigley’s successful sponsorship model, which engages the entire organization in its performance marketing journey.
The conversation began with an in-depth overview of how Mars Wrigley shifted from a brand-building mentality to adopting a more balanced approach to marketing. More specifically, Carroll shared that the organization now combines brand, creative and performance marketing to achieve desired outcomes.
Fox further emphasized the critical aspect of human performance – particularly behavior change – in driving marketing success. She shared practical strategies for building a new culture of experimentation within organizations, but also insights for shifting consumer behavior to align with brand marketing efforts.
For example, platforms like Fetch help brand partners engage with high-intent shoppers in the moments where it matters most: When they’re making a shopping list, heading to the grocery store or planning meals for the week. Bringing together individuals from brand strategy, creative, performance marketing and data analytics, these platforms can accelerate brand performance while delivering true value to consumers.
6/22/2023 @ 1:45 p.m.
This Year at Cannes, TikTok is “Inescapable”
While generative AI is the topic du jour at Cannes, one brand has been more visible than the rest: TikTok, who expanded their footprint at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity this year. Last year, the social media company had a place on Cabana Row. This year, they have a more visible position at the Carlton Hotel.
The brand’s upgraded position at the festival makes clear that the video app wants to cement itself as a major player in the advertising world.
6/22/2023 @ 12:27 p.m.
“But Seriously Though” – Why We Need To Make People Laugh
Sometimes, brands should just have a laugh. Earlier today, BBDO Worldwide President and CEO Andrew Robertson chuckled his way through a session about humor’s role in advertising and its ability to drive serious business results.
Humor is something we tap into daily in the Fetch app. From quirky push notifications to playful post-snap Pointling animations, we fill Fetch with moments of delight that drive in-app engagement and introduce our partner brands to happy, active shoppers.
6/22/2023 @ 12:04 p.m.
Scenes from Cannes
The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity is vibrant with brand activations and installations.
Amazon has a big presence this year. Their activation, called Amazon Port, is designed to help visitors “navigate a sea of change” and “set sail towards brighter, more meaningful customer connections.”
BCG returned to Cannes, but this time as an official Cannes Lions partner.
Whalar, in partnership with Tubular, is hosting Masterclasses each day of the festival, covering topics like NFTs in the Creator Economy, the New Age of Influence with TikTok and Reaching Diverse Audiences and Communities.
With just two days left at the festival, attendees are feeling the pressure to see everything they can.
6/22/2023 @ 11:32 a.m.
CMOs in the Spotlight: Diageo, Reckitt, Logitech
This morning’s CMOs in the Spotlight session featured executives from Diageo, Reckitt and Logitech Europe. The conversation, featuring Reckitt’s Fabrice Beaulieu and Diageo’s Cristina Diezhandino, offered a unique view into the challenges and opportunities marketers will face in the coming months.
As with other CMOs in the Spotlight sessions, topics ranged from technological innovation to remaining agile and creative when encountering obstacles. The industry landscape is fast-changing, but these leaders are forging a path ahead.
6/22/2023 @ 11:20 p.m.
Creative Impact Unpacked: Can Purpose Rediscover its Purpose?
How can a brand’s purpose fuel its creativity? Earlier today, Mondelez SVP of Global Brands Mie-Leng Wong and Chief Creative Officers from Ogilvy and VCCP took to the Terrace Stage to discuss that question.
The conversation centered around a highly successful Cadbury campaign grounded in the confectionary brand’s core purpose: to bring more generosity to the world. That mission helped add over $1.4B retail sales value and 40 million new customers to the business.
At Fetch, it’s our purpose to deliver more value to consumers on every trip to the store. That vision has helped guide our UX development, grow our brand partner lineup and fuel our brand growth.
6/21/2023 @ 5:01 p.m.
Unveiling Hispanic Sentiment: Insights for Forward-Looking Industry Strategy
This afternoon, the We Are All Human Foundation and Nielsen, in partnership with Toluna and TelevisaUnivision, unveiled the latest Hispanic Sentiment Study. The report found that only 48 percent of Latinos feel that their values are reflected or shared by the majority of Americans in 2023 – by 67% of the community feels represented by small businesses.
Additionally, Latinx folks expressed higher trust in Hispanic/Latinx news and media compared to mainstream media – an increase from 25% to 32%. Spanish language usage has also significantly increased – from 63% to 77% over five years.
Inclusion is a key tenet here at Fetch, and we’re always looking for ways to provide the best user experience possible. That’s why we created the full Fetch app experience in Spanish.
Our authentic Spanish-language experience includes personalized offers, communications, in-app celebrations and jokes our Spanish-speaking user base can connect with. And, within the first six months of launching Fetch in Spanish, monthly active users who use the Spanish-language app grew by 39%.
In a statement, founder and CEO of We Are All Human said: “The time to act is now… There is a massive opportunity to win the Latino market, and also an opportunity to engage the general market by celebrating the Latino values that we all share, like and admire.”
6/21/2023 @ 4:37 p.m.
Heard and Be Heard: How to Serenade Gen Z
An afternoon session discussing Gen Z featured executives from Coca-Cola and VMLY&R, as well as artist Jon Batiste. The discussion shed light on the influence of music in capturing the attention of Gen Z. With an emphasis on cultural exchange, collaboration and connection, the featured platform – Coke Studio – has become a powerful tool for reaching and resonating with this generation.
“57 percent of Gen Z identifies as multicultural. It’s important to talk to them – not past them,” said My Code Media’s Alexandra Kennedy in a separate panel at MediaLink Beach.
No matter the message’s medium, it is essential for brands to prioritize their Gen Z audience. With spending power on the rise, this generation will be a crucial investment in the years to come.
6/21/2023 @ 2:55 p.m.
Pouring Into Work that Works: Miller Lite’s Love Letter to Beer
This afternoon, Molson Coors CMO Sofia Colucci joined DDB Worldwide Global President and COO Alex Lubar to discuss the principles of effectiveness, the importance of fame and the role of emotionally driven creativity in growing deeper, broader relationships with audiences.
The conversation centered the transformative journey of bringing Miller Light messaging into new spaces, leveraging bold and unexpected strategies to engage both new and existing audiences. Both Colucci and Lubar emphasized the importance of authenticity in driving meaningful and creative work. By staying true to a brand’s values and purpose, the two unpacked how embracing a brand’s essence can ignite creativity and resonate with a diverse audience.
Toward the end of the session, Lubar and Colucci touched on the increasing need for boldness, innovation and the unapologetic commitment to pushing boundaries in creative marketing.
6/21/2023 @ 12:35 p.m.
Today’s schedule of sessions includes great content from Brand Innovators and Influential Beach. A panel from Mediahub unpacked the importance of helping clients build their own infrastructure. Speakers discussed a recent effort to support Black-owned business in Brooklyn as an example of creating memorable and impactful campaigns.
6/21/2023 @ 11:55 a.m.
CMOs in the Spotlight: L’Oreal Groupe, Kraft Heinz, Booking.com
Today’s CMOs in the Spotlight series featured executives from three powerhouse brands: Asmita Dubey of L’Oreal Groupe, Diana Frost of Kraft Heinz and Arjan Dijk of Booking.com. The three shared their perspectives on emerging trends, innovating technologies and market opportunities that will be crucial in the coming months.
Our key takeaway? Creativity will be a significant driver of brand success in the near- and long-term future. Additionally, working alongside emerging technologies – like actionable zero-party data and precise and dynamic audience targeting – will foster brand success and customer engagement that lasts.
6/21/2023 @ 10:41 a.m.
The Real Beauty of Long-Lasting Brands
This morning, two Unilever executives took the stage at the Lumiere Theatre to discuss the company’s approach to building brands that last. Chief Digital and Commercial Officer Conny Braams and Alessandro Manfredi provided attendees with valuable perspectives on brand growth and the role of innovation, purpose and creativity in driving brand impact.
They two emphasized the importance of long-term thinking, aligning brand purpose with societal needs and fostering strong connections with consumers. Specifically, Manfredi shared the success story of Dove, highlighting how innovation, purpose and creativity played pivotal roles in the brand’s growth and impact.
Toward the end of the session, both Braams and Manfredi discussed the future of brand building. Their conversation touched on the challenges and opportunities of venturing into new territories while maintaining both brand authenticity and responsibility.
6/20/2023 @ 4:45 p.m.
From Missteps to a Billion Dollars: The Journey of Creative Risk-Taking
In a session this afternoon, General Mills Chief Brand and Disruptive Growth Officer Doug Martin and Global Creative Director Melissa Wildermuth joined esteemed professor Scott Galloway to discuss the role of creativity in driving business value, growth and problem-solving – especially in challenging economic times.
The session began with the acknowledgement that creative advertising is the most efficient and effective way to build a brand and drive sales. Both Martin and Wildermuth emphasized the power of creative inspiration, which can transform into long-term campaigns and an engaged consumer base. With over 100 brands under General Mills’ umbrella, the panelists recognized the unique opportunity for knowledge-sharing and learning between young and legacy brands within the company.
Both Martin and Wildermuth also acknowledged that taking risks is an inherent part of creative endeavors. It is essential to create a supportive environment that encourages experimentation and embraces failure as a learning opportunity. Marketing teams play a crucial role in navigating risks associated with creative endeavors, turning setbacks into valuable lessons. Legacy brands need to foster an entrepreneurial spirit, encourage cross-team collaboration and leverage emerging trends and technologies to stay relevant in a fast-paced market.
Attendees left with valuable insights into the role of creativity, the importance of embracing failure and strategies required to remain agile in the ever-changing landscape of brand building.
6/20/2023 @ 3:21 p.m.
The Female Quotient, a woman-owned business and networking organization, set up their Equality Lounge at the Hotel Martinez. FQ focuses on working with companies and leaders to bring visibility to women in the workplace and to advance equality.
This year, the FQ Equality Lounge is exploring the ways creativity can help close the gender gap. The organization is partnering with Understood.org, a nonprofit raising awareness for the skills, challenges and strengths neurodivergent people experience in the workplace.
6/20/2023 @ 3:04 p.m.
The Next Reset
This afternoon, the Cannes Lions festival welcomed Mark Pritchard, Chief Brand Officer at Proctor & Gamble, to share his insights on leveraging the power of creativity for brand growth. The session explored the fundamental principles of brand building that remain constant – while also addressing the ever-changing landscape of consumer engagement and disruptions shaping the industry.
During the session, Pritchard discussed the rapid advancements in technology, the rise of digital platforms, shifting consumer behaviors and the increasing importance of purpose-driven marketing. These disruptions have transformed – and will continue to shape – how consumers engage with, experience and make purchasing decisions about brands.
Pritchard emphasized the need for brands to adapt to new touchpoints and channels, embracing the need to create personalized experiences that resonate with consumers on a deeper level.
Understanding these shifts can help brands cultivate meaningful connections and drive loyalty in an ever-evolving marketplace.
6/20/2023 @ 2:51 p.m.
Actor, singer, podcaster and television personality Keke Palmer spoke on her experience of being a brand mogul. In conversation with Latasha Gillespie, she shared her thoughts on the importance of personal branding.
6/20/2023 @ 2:30 p.m.
Everything Is Different. Nothing Has Changed.
Earlier today, Gary Vaynerchuk, CEO and Co-founder of VaynerMedia took stock of the current advertising industry landscape in a talk titled “Everything Is Different. Nothing Has Changed.” Gary outlined the evolution of advertising and arrived at a curious conclusion: Social media advertising should be marketers’ number one priority to stay relevant with consumers.
However, from recent privacy changes and to ebbs and flows in social platforms’ popularity to ongoing challenges with measurement, social media advertising alone is far from the silver bullet that modern marketers need to successfully reach consumers.
As Vaynerchuk aptly stated, “In today’s marketing landscape, relevance is the biggest elephant in the room.” While social media advertising remains important, there are new, more powerful ways to stay relevant to consumers.
For example, Fetch is a powerful omnichannel performance marketing tool with an unmatched ability to cut through the noise and reach consumers effectively. Powered by zero-party data, Fetch has capabilities for audience targeting, marketing measurement and attribution that put it head and shoulders above other marketing channels – particularly social media advertising.
6/20/2023 @ 2:02 p.m.
Golden Rules of Redefining Loyalty: From Consumers’ Wallets to the Sky
We sat in on a conversation earlier with two CMOs – American Express’ Glenda McNeal and Delta’s Tim Mapes – led by MediaLink CEO Michael Kassan. The trio discussed the state of consumer loyalty today, and how partnerships and personalization are key to successful loyalty programs.
While it’s a massive challenge for many brands, Fetch’s approach to creating consumer loyalty is simple: show consumers you are loyal to them. The Fetch platform creates real, tangible value in exchange for a shopper’s commitment to a particular brand.
It’s a fair trade – one that benefits both shoppers and brand partners.
6/20/2023 @ 11:34 a.m.
Cannes Lions attendees are taking photos in front of the iconic red carpeted stairs – made famous by the Cannes Film Festival, which took place just a couple of weeks ago.
6/20/2023 @ 11:30 a.m.
CMOs in the Spotlight: Unilever and e.l.f. Beauty
This morning, e.l.f. Beauty CMO Kory Marchisotto and Unilever Personal Care Global CMO Samir Singh shared the stage to discuss challenges, trends and opportunities facing today’s marketing professionals.
Among the panelists, Unilever stood out for their cutting-edge marketing efforts – like tapping into the power of Fetch. Utilizing advanced technologies enables the powerhouse app to precisely target customers most likely to buy, driving meaningful connections with consumers. e.l.f. also continues to push the boundaries of marketing innovation, reaffirming the strategic role of creativity in the months and years to come.
6/20/2023 @ 10:03 a.m.
Day two has begun, and everyone is lining up to get their coffee fix. MediaLink Beach has a day of sessions planned and lots of brand meetings.
6/19/2023 @ 3:01 p.m.
The Product, the Hero
This afternoon Scott Bell, Chief Creative Officer at Droga5, Kenny Mitchell, CMO at Levi’s and Tracey Panek, Director of Levi Strauss & Co. Archives explored the power of making a product the centerpiece of storytelling, then utilizing the narrative to build a thriving community. Levi’s, renowned for its iconic 501® jean, exemplified this approach with their latest global creative platform, “The Greatest Story Ever Worn.”
In this session, leaders discussed how brands can successfully create enduring connections with consumers by letting an excellent product speak for itself.
That’s our north star here at Fetch: Prioritizing the user in every product decision that we make. We stick to the idea that if you have that excellent product, we’ll do more than intrigue shoppers – they’ll stick with you for the long haul.
“At Fetch, our goal is to create an engaging experience that delights our users and adds tangible value to their lives,” says Chief Marketing Officer Birk Cooper. “We make sure that every inch of our app serves the greater goals of 1) saving shoppers of the world money and 2) making sure they have fun doing it. With 18 million monthly active users, 11 million receipts scanned a day and visibility into $152 billion in consumer spending annually it’s clear that this approach has paid off for us, as we continue to reinvent how consumers and brands connect.”
6/19/2023 @ 2:47 p.m.
How A Promise To The Customer Gives Campaigns The Edge
Business strategy author and CEO advisor Roger Martin and Jann Schwarz, Global Head of LinkedIn’s thinktank The B2B Institute, discussed the importance of meeting or exceeding customer expectations. This need is driven by a new mental model of thinking called a “Promise to the Customer.”
The model explains how brands need to be able to explain their value to a customer, not just deliver it. Campaigns that are based on promises, which should employ a combination of demand capture and demand creation, build trust and improve brand perception.
LinkedIn created a model around this promise, encouraging brands to ask themselves: Does your strategy make a clear promise to your end user? In order to achieve this promise, brands must be memorable, valuable and deliverable.
The speakers noted that creating social buzz can feel good in the short-term, but it’s not going to create long-term brand help.
For example, Fetch integrates promises to our consumers in every aspect of the business. We deliver a clear expectation of the app: Have fun and save money. Consumers have a mutual understanding that their data helps create custom offers for them to earn rewards. Fetch emphasizes ease of use and accessibility as core to its consumer experience.
On the brand side, we make a promise to our partners to deliver powerful results from their marketing spend with precise measurement. From Mars Wrigley to General Mills, our partners know they can motivate consumer behavior with Fetch.
6/19/2023 @ 2:27 p.m.
What’s Now, Near and Next in the Digital Revolution
Today at the Cannes festival, S4Capital Executive Chairman Sir Martin Sorrell shared how marketers can leverage emerging technology to help brands overcome today’s biggest challenges and unlock transformative growth.
In a session titled “What’s Now, Near, and Next in the Digital Revolution,” Sorrell outlined the biggest issues confronting brands today, sharing his vision for the future and breaking down the key innovations and strategies that marketers and creatives need to stay ahead of the curve.
Sorrell emphasized the urgent need for differentiation amidst fierce competition, the quest for bottom-line impact in an uncertain economy and the pivotal role of AI in driving industry-wide innovation.
The digital revolution has already upended the advertising industry – signal loss from third-party data restrictions is one of the most significant challenges facing marketers today. Fetch, America’s #1 Rewards App and a leading consumer-engagement platform, offers a powerful solution to this problem, designed to meet the needs of brands and consumers in the evolving digital landscape.
Fetch is the only place where brands can see purchase data across every retailer at scale, then activate shoppers to shift their purchase behavior. The platform can help brand partners increase market share, drive incremental sales, incentivize repeat purchases, convert competitive buyers and even drive consumers into specific stores and restaurants.
At a time when marketing dollars are precious and incremental results are paramount, Fetch can leverage that zero-party data from the millions of receipts snapped each day to quantify the value that brand partners get from the platform. This capability makes partnership with Fetch an easy choice for CMOs looking to justify spend – and it’s all possible because of the platform’s rigorous and scientific approach.
6/19/2023 @ 2:00 p.m.
CMOs in the Spotlight: PEPSICO, Not Co., Eli Lily
This morning, PepsiCo CMO of International Beverages Mark Kirkham joined Not Co. CMO Fernando Machado to discuss the challenges and opportunities they experience as executive marketing officers. The session provided an inside look into the minds of two of the world’s most innovative marketing executives – and it certainly delivered.
Kirkham shed light on where powerful CMOs are placing their bets for marketing investments in the next 18 months. He emphasized the importance of leveraging advanced technologies and innovative partnerships – like PepsiCo’s collaboration with Fetch. Through this partnership, PepsiCo is able to unleash their creative prowess and deliver engaging, impactful campaigns that resonate with their target audience.
Here’s an example of how PepsiCo has innovated on the Fetch app.
6/19/2023 @ 1:00 p.m.
Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev) Wins Creative Marketer of the Year
AB InBev is the only brand in history to be awarded Cannes Lions’ Creative Marketer of the Year award two years in a row. This award is presented to a brand that has exemplified outstanding achievement in creative and business strategy. AB InBev’s Chief Marketing Officer Marcel Marcondes accepted the award and spoke about the increased need to connect with consumers in meaningful ways.
6/19/2023 @ 11:30 a.m.
Reddit’s messaging is: “Reddit is the place where the world finds its answers.” Every second, and average of two people ask Reddit communities for a recommendation – and they receive an average of nineteen personalized responses in return.
6/19/2023 @ 11:00 a.m.
Pinterest’s theme for this year is “Manifestival,” manifesting your goals and the best consumer journey.
6/19/2023 @ 10:00 a.m.
Today is the first day of Cannes Lions, and people from all over the world are getting ready to learn and network!
Brand activations are in full swing and ready to greet guests.
Team Fetch
The latest from Team Fetch.