Need a reason to expense rosé and Riviera sunsets? Just tell finance you’re off to Cannes Lions for some “competitive analysis.”

This year’s festival had it all. AI-powered everything, brand purpose overload, celebrity cameos, and a whole lot of perfectly timed champagne sips. But behind the yacht parties and buzzword bingo, there were actual insights for marketers paying attention (and sober enough to take notes).

We’re recapping the biggest wins, wildest stunts, and what’s actually worth caring about after the glam fades. Plus, your weekly dose of digital and social updates, served hot by The Viral Venti from Akari & Co.

Marketing

Cannes Lions 2025: Highlights From Adland’s Loudest Week

Another year, another pilgrimage to the French Riviera where the world's creative community descends to celebrate the best in advertising—and justify some seriously questionable expense reports. Cannes Lions 2025 wrapped up its 72nd edition between June 16-20, and this year's festival delivered everything from accessibility breakthroughs to campaigns that'll make you rethink your entire creative strategy.

If you missed the yacht parties and €50 cocktails, don't worry—we've got the highlights that actually matter for your next campaign pitch.

Key Details

• Entry Overload: 26,900 submissions flooded Cannes Lions 2025, up 0.5% from last year’s 26,753, with independent agencies boosting their presence by 18%, per Campaign.

• AI’s Big Moment: From generative campaigns to predictive storytelling, AI was the belle of the ball, but winners leaned on human emotion to avoid being just another tech gimmick.

• Purpose Is the Brief: Campaigns tackling systemic issues, like Dove’s real beauty push and India’s “Lucky Yatra,” dominated, showing purpose isn’t a checkbox—it’s the whole game.

• Creator-Led Boom: The updated Social & Creator Lions saw 18% of entries in new sub-categories, spotlighting micro-influencers and creator-driven content as marketing’s new favorites.

• 150+ Hours of Content: The festival packed in talks from Apple, Duolingo, YouTube, McDonald's, and Xiaohongshu—basically a masterclass in how to make your CMO jealous. 

Notable Wins 

• Budweiser won the Audio & Radio Grand Prix for "One Second Ads," created by Africa Creative and DDB Brazil—a campaign featuring just the first notes of popular songs to test music fans' knowledge

• Burger King won for its “Hidden Value Menu” — a campaign where exclusive deals were only revealed to customers through subtle app-based scavenger hunts.

• Apple’s “Privacy on iPhone” campaign went meta by spoofing ad tracking, while being an ad. The jury loved it.

• Heinz’s "Unmistakably Heinz" leaned into visual branding with bold, minimalist creatives that worked globally.

What Marketers Should Do Next

• Embrace Creators: Micro-influencers and creator-driven content are outpacing traditional ads. Start scouting niche voices for your next campaign.

• Purpose or Bust: Consumers are done with hollow CSR. Your brand’s purpose needs to be baked into the brief, not tacked on for clout.

• AI as a Sidekick: Use AI for insights or creative amplification, but keep human storytelling at the core—nobody’s awarding Lions to soulless briefs.

• Optimize for Social: With Social & Creator Lions gaining traction, platform-specific formats are your ticket to visibility.

The Bottom Line

Cannes Lions 2025 was a glitzy reminder that creativity still rules, but the game’s changing. AI’s here to stay, creators are the new ad stars, and purpose-driven campaigns are non-negotiable. If you’re banking on old-school ads to carry you, you’re as outdated as a flip phone. Diversify your platforms and lean into authentic storytelling. Whether you’re working with a Cannes budget or a Canva subscription, what sticks is what resonates.

Social Media Trends

The Weekly Scroll 📱

Instagram/Facebook/Threads

🔁 Instagram Tests a Reposts Feature Instagram is testing a dedicated tab for Reposts on profiles, finally giving borrowed content a home that’s not just your grid. 👉 Check your profile 

📽️ Facebook Renames All Videos as Reels Meta’s pulling a classic rename move. Now, all videos on Facebook are called Reels. If it moves, it’s a Reel. Simplicity or chaos? You decide. 👉 Reel it in

⚠️ Threads Tests Spoiler Text Option Zuck confirms Threads is testing spoiler tags—so now you can hide plot twists and hot takes behind a polite gray blur. 👉 Spoil responsibly

TikTok

⏳ TikTok Ban Delayed by Another 90 Days The U.S. TikTok ban just got kicked down the road—again. Trump granted a 90-day extension, giving ByteDance more time to sell (or stall). Decision? Still buffering. 👉 Stay tuned

✅ TikTok Adds Account Check Feature TikTok is testing a new tool that checks your account for spammy behavior and recommends fixes. Basically, a vibe check for your profile. 👉 Run the check

YouTube

📈 YouTube Shorts Hit 200B Daily Views YouTube Shorts are racking up 200 billion daily views. That’s not just scroll-stopping—that’s screen-gluing. 👉 Go vertical

X / Twitter

Nada this week!

Other Platforms

📢 WhatsApp to Show Ads in Status + Promote Channels WhatsApp is stepping into ad land—expect to see ads in Status updates and promoted Channels, plus a shiny new subscription option for creators. 👉 Preview the changes 

⚠️ CapCut’s Terms Raise Eyebrows CapCut quietly updated its TOS to claim broad rights over user content, including licensing and reuse. Edit your vids, but read the fine print first. 👉 Check your rights

🚫 Tumblr AI Is Over-Filtering Again Tumblr users say the platform’s AI is flagging innocent posts as “mature.” It’s safe-for-work chaos—and once again, the bots are the problem. 👉 Flag the flagging

💬 Reddit Upgrades Comments With Stats + Sharing Tools Reddit now lets you track comment stats, share them easily, and show off engagement like a true karma chaser. Your hot takes, now with analytics. 👉 Track your comments

Digital Marketing Trends/Ads

Tour de Headlines

Meta

🛡️ Meta Secures Top Ad Safety Certifications Meta just earned MRC, IAS, and TAG seals of approval for brand safety and transparency. Your ads now come with a certified “not shady” stamp. 👉 Flaunt the badge

🤖 Meta Rolls Out New AI Ad Tools Meta’s latest AI features include video generation and “Business AIs” that can chat with customers for you. Marketing? Automated. Coffee? Still manual. 👉 Test the tools

🔐 Messenger Adds Passkey Login Option Messenger is rolling out passkey login for easier, safer access—no password, just a fingerprint or face scan. Less typing, more swiping. 👉 Set it up

TikTok

🛍️ TikTok Shop Sales Jump 120% in 2025 TikTok reports a 120% surge in in-app Shop sales this year. Turns out, bingeing haul videos turns viewers into buyers—and sellers. 👉 Tap to sell

Google / YouTube

🎧 Google Adds Audio AI Overviews to Search Google’s testing audio summaries in Search—because sometimes you want your search results read aloud like a podcast for your questions. 👉 Press play

🛒 YouTube Shorts Get Shoppable Stickers YouTube Shorts now include product stickers, turning your scroll into a checkout line. Tap, watch, buy, repeat. 👉 Stick to it

🎓 YouTube Supercharges Educational Content with Monetization YouTube’s Player for Education now lets creators earn from their learning content—because dropping knowledge should pay more than just clout. 👉 Teach and earn

X (Formerly Twitter)

📉 🧼 X Scrubs Hashtags from Ads Elon just banned hashtags in X ads, calling them an "esthetic nightmare." Also? Bigger ad formats now cost more. TL;DR: fewer #ads, more clean vibes.
👉 Brands, time to rethink your playbook

Other Platforms

📲 WhatsApp Makes Channels & Businesses Easier to Find WhatsApp is revamping discovery with trending tabs, categories, and better search. Because sometimes finding a good Channel shouldn't feel like detective work. 👉 Discover more

🧠 Reddit Adds AI-Powered Community Insights Reddit’s testing AI tools highlight top discussion themes and suggest smart replies, so you can sound insightful without overthinking it. 👉 Try the tools

💼 Snapchat Tests Opt-In Brand Collab DMs Snapchat now lets brands slide into your DMs—with your permission, of course. Opt in, and your inbox could turn into a partnership pipeline. 👉 Get ready to collab

Interesting Stats

Show these to execs when they question you

🌏 Aussies Get News via Social: 26% of Australians prefer social media for news, slightly above online news (23%), marking the first time social media leads over traditional news sources. 

🎧 Podcasters Toppling Traditional Media: Over 50% of Americans under 35 are now turning to podcast hosts like Joe Rogan as go-to news sources, reflecting a shift from conventional outlets. 

🎥 Short‑Form Video Ads Lead: 78% of social media users now prefer short-form videos (like Reels, TikTok) for product discovery. 

👥 Facebook Care Hub: 31 minutes/day on Facebook remains steady, while 18–24-year-olds only spend 22 minutes/day, showing youth migration to newer platforms.

🤖 AI Chatbots for News:15% of Americans under 25 and 6% of Australians now turn to AI chatbots for news.

Recommendations/Resources

Tools & Apps We’re Loving Right Now 🛠️

Best AI Image Creator – Leonardo AI is blowing our minds. We’re ditching clunky design tools because this one’s got the magic touch.
👉 Give it a go

Best for Tracking TikTok Metrics & Competitor Benchmarking – TokBackup has become our secret weapon for TikTok insights. If you’re not using this, you’re flying blind.
👉 Explore TokBackup

See Competitor Ads in Real-Time – Meta Ads Library lets you spy on your competitors' strategies and campaigns. Lurking in here is basically a full-time job.
👉 Peek inside

Google Ads Campaign Insights – Google Ads Transparency Center lets you see where ad dollars are flowing. If you like data with a side of snooping, this tool’s for you.
👉 Go snoop

Best AI voiceovers - So, your talent flubbed a line, or you changed your script after recording? ElevenLabs lets you turn text into hyper-realistic voiceovers so seamless, no one will ever know.
👉 Fix it

Best AI Video Generation- HeyGen is this cool AI tool that lets you create videos with super realistic avatars that talk just by typing a script. It’s great if you hate being on camera or want to make content fast—plus, it can speak over 40 languages, so it’s perfect for reaching a global audience. Super easy, saves you time and money, and the results actually look professional.
👉 Try It

Ad Creative Analytics - Beautiful creative reporting to help your team generate more revenue from your paid social ads.

👉 Try it out

Shower Thought  🚿💭

Self-driving cars are just introverts on wheels — avoiding small talk with Uber drivers.