Cannes Lions returns next week and the creator economy is no longer a fringe conversation happening in a side room. It’s on the main stage, on the beach, and at the centre of the deals being made across the Croisette. LIONS Creators has expanded into its own beachfront venue. Talent managers are being invited into conversations they were previously excluded from. And the industry’s biggest question is no longer “Should we work with creators?” but “How do we do it better?”
Ahead of what promises to be the most creator-focused Cannes yet, here are five things we’d like to see move beyond discussion and into action.
1. Creators Treated as Partners, Not Placements
The era of the one-off sponsored post should be behind us.
The brands leading the way are no longer treating creators as media inventory. They’re building long-term partnerships, involving creators in strategy, and measuring success on outcomes rather than audience size alone.
At Cannes 2026, we’re hoping to hear less about creator campaigns and more about creator relationships. The conversations around trust, creative freedom, performance, and shared goals are far more interesting than another discussion about follower counts.
2. Talent Managers Brought In From the Beginning
For years, talent management has been treated as the final step in the process. The brief gets written, the creative gets approved, and only then does the manager receive the email.
The strongest partnerships don’t work that way. Talent managers understand their clients, their audiences, and what will actually resonate. Bringing them into the conversation earlier often leads to stronger creative, smoother execution, and better outcomes for everyone involved.
More talent managers are attending Cannes this year than ever before. The opportunity now is to ensure they’re not just present, but actively shaping the conversation.
3. Honest Conversations About Measurement
Reach isn’t a result. Impressions aren’t impact.
The creator economy has spent years talking about measurement, but too often the discussion remains theoretical. Cannes presents an opportunity to get more practical.
What does outcome-based creator compensation look like? How should brands attribute value across creator-led campaigns? What metrics genuinely matter?
These are questions talent managers, creators, and marketers grapple with every day. The industry doesn’t need another panel explaining why measurement matters. It needs clearer answers on how to do it properly.
4. AI Used to Empower Creators, Not Replace Them
AI will undoubtedly dominate conversations across Cannes this year.
The more interesting question isn’t whether AI can create content faster or cheaper. It’s how it can help creators do what they already do better.
From smarter creator discovery and campaign matching to audience insights and attribution, AI has the potential to strengthen the creator ecosystem rather than undermine it.
What it can’t replicate is authenticity, trust, and cultural relevance. Those still belong to creators.
5. The Creator Economy Treated as Infrastructure, Not a Trend
For years, creators have often been positioned as an emerging channel. A promising addition to the marketing mix. Something brands should probably be paying attention to.
That conversation should be over. Creators sit at the heart of how modern brands build awareness, community, and commerce. They’re no longer an optional add-on or experimental budget line.
With a dedicated LIONS Creators venue and more creator-focused programming than ever before, the infrastructure is already in place. The question now is whether the wider industry’s mindset has caught up.
Cannes Lions 2026 runs from 22–26 June in Cannes, France. We’ll be watching closely to see whether this year’s conversations signal real progress for creators, talent managers, and the wider creator economy.
