Cannes Lions launches LIONS Creators
New experience will accelerate the growth of the creator economy within the creative marketing mix
New Initiative launches in partnership with Viral Nation, the global leader in social-first marketing
9 April 2024 - The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity has announced the launch of LIONS Creators. A new experience taking place on 18–20 June during the week of Cannes Lions, this dedicated forum will include a curated mix of exclusive learning and networking experiences for creators and those working in the wider creator economy.
In 2023, Goldman Sachs analysts estimated that the creator economy was a $250bn industry and could reach $480bn by 2027. Simon Cook, CEO, LIONS, said: “With potential growth of this scale, it’s crucial that the Festival plays a role in bringing together the platforms, the brands, the creators and the agencies, and a wider cross-section of the industry to have the most pressing conversations around how we co-create, collaborate and unlock greater value and progress for the wider industry in this space.”
Speaking about the initiative, Thea Skelton, VP of Events, LIONS, said: “Creators are an increasingly important part of the marketing mix, and their presence at Cannes Lions has been steadily growing for many years. LIONS Creators has been established in collaboration with creators from around the world who all see the value in convening, doing business and learning from each other at the International Festival of Creativity.”
For LIONS Creators’ first year, Cannes Lions has partnered with Viral Nation, the leader in social-first transformation. Skelton added: “We’re excited to be launching LIONS Creators in partnership with Viral Nation. Collaborating with a partner that is committed to innovation and excellence in social-first marketing means that we are well placed to bring our collective expertise and knowledge to this exciting launch.”
“Embracing the power of creators, the inaugural LIONS Creators signals a pivotal moment for the marketing industry, and we’re thrilled to be at the forefront,” said Joe Gagliese, Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Viral Nation. “Creators are at the heart of everything we do at Viral Nation. Through our social-first brand work, powered by our AI-based solutions, we're constantly helping brands and creators elevate consumer and audience engagement in authentic and innovative ways. By collaborating with Cannes Lions, we are not only amplifying the voices of creators but also solidifying influencer marketing's position as a cornerstone of social-first transformation, globally. We are excited to help steward a new era of brand collaboration at the heart of creative marketing in Cannes this June.”
Activities include a series of exclusive LIONS xChange Roundtables, filmed in front of a live audience of LIONS Creators delegates. Bringing together leading voices across the big players in the creator marketing economy – the platforms, brands, creators, agencies and others – the series will focus on discussing the biggest challenges we face in this rapidly growing and increasingly important part of the marketing mix.
LIONS Creators will take place on 18–20 June, incorporating the Social & Influencer Lions Awards Show on the Wednesday of Cannes Lions. Further information on how to be a part of LIONS Creators can be found here.
ENDS
Contacts:
Camilla Lambert
PR Director
Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity
Camillal@canneslions.com
Tash Naidoo
Senior PR Manager
Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity
Tashn@canneslions.com
Jen Raftery
PR Manager
Viral Nation
jraftery@viralnation.com
Sunshine Sachs Morgan & Lylis
PR for Viral Nation
viralnation@ssmandl.com
Press Portal:
press.canneslions.com
Notes to editors:
About LIONS
As The Home of Creativity, LIONS powers the marketing segment of Ascential and is a destination for those in the business of creativity. As the definitive benchmark of creative excellence and with unparalleled access to insight on how it works, LIONS provides those on the journey to creative excellence all they need, at whatever stage they are at and wherever they are. Our annual five-day Festival, Cannes Lions, is the meeting place for the global creative marketing community and a celebration of the world’s most excellent and effective work.
LIONS is part of Ascential
Ascential takes the world’s leading brands to the heart of what’s next for their industries.
We do this through our events, intelligence products and advisory services. Our 700 people serve a global customer base from more than 100 countries in the large and growing Marketing and Financial Technology sectors.
Ascential plc is listed on London Stock Exchange (LON: ASCL).
www.lionscreativity.com | www.canneslions.com | www.ascential.com
About Viral Nation
Viral Nation unlocks the full power of Social-First marketing to scale brands into the future.Since 2014, Viral Nation has been connecting the dots between Culture, Influence and Technology to drive meaningful results for clients ranging from the world’s biggest brands to the individual influencer. Today, as the leader in social-first transformation, we unite the social ecosystem through our full-service creative agency, a 360° digital talent representation agency and social-first suite of technology solutions. Named as one of the fastest-growing technology companies in North America for 2023 by Deloitte, Viral Nation is a global company and home to the largest influencer roster. Our multidisciplinary teams are as diverse as our portfolio, proud to fuel growth for global brands including Audible, Campbell’s, Chegg, The Coca-Cola Company, Disney, A24, Microsoft, Meta, Vivid Seats, Tencent, TJX, and Walmart. For more information, please visit www.viralnation.com and follow us on LinkedIn, X, Instagram and TikTok.
In 2023, Goldman Sachs analysts estimated that the creator economy was a $250bn industry and could reach $480bn by 2027. Simon Cook, CEO, LIONS, said: “With potential growth of this scale, it’s crucial that the Festival plays a role in bringing together the platforms, the brands, the creators and the agencies, and a wider cross-section of the industry to have the most pressing conversations around how we co-create, collaborate and unlock greater value and progress for the wider industry in this space.”
Speaking about the initiative, Thea Skelton, VP of Events, LIONS, said: “Creators are an increasingly important part of the marketing mix, and their presence at Cannes Lions has been steadily growing for many years. LIONS Creators has been established in collaboration with creators from around the world who all see the value in convening, doing business and learning from each other at the International Festival of Creativity.”
For LIONS Creators’ first year, Cannes Lions has partnered with Viral Nation, the leader in social-first transformation. Skelton added: “We’re excited to be launching LIONS Creators in partnership with Viral Nation. Collaborating with a partner that is committed to innovation and excellence in social-first marketing means that we are well placed to bring our collective expertise and knowledge to this exciting launch.”
“Embracing the power of creators, the inaugural LIONS Creators signals a pivotal moment for the marketing industry, and we’re thrilled to be at the forefront,” said Joe Gagliese, Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Viral Nation. “Creators are at the heart of everything we do at Viral Nation. Through our social-first brand work, powered by our AI-based solutions, we're constantly helping brands and creators elevate consumer and audience engagement in authentic and innovative ways. By collaborating with Cannes Lions, we are not only amplifying the voices of creators but also solidifying influencer marketing's position as a cornerstone of social-first transformation, globally. We are excited to help steward a new era of brand collaboration at the heart of creative marketing in Cannes this June.”
Activities include a series of exclusive LIONS xChange Roundtables, filmed in front of a live audience of LIONS Creators delegates. Bringing together leading voices across the big players in the creator marketing economy – the platforms, brands, creators, agencies and others – the series will focus on discussing the biggest challenges we face in this rapidly growing and increasingly important part of the marketing mix.
LIONS Creators will take place on 18–20 June, incorporating the Social & Influencer Lions Awards Show on the Wednesday of Cannes Lions. Further information on how to be a part of LIONS Creators can be found here.
ENDS
Contacts:
Camilla Lambert
PR Director
Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity
Camillal@canneslions.com
Tash Naidoo
Senior PR Manager
Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity
Tashn@canneslions.com
Jen Raftery
PR Manager
Viral Nation
jraftery@viralnation.com
Sunshine Sachs Morgan & Lylis
PR for Viral Nation
viralnation@ssmandl.com
Press Portal:
press.canneslions.com
Notes to editors:
About LIONS
As The Home of Creativity, LIONS powers the marketing segment of Ascential and is a destination for those in the business of creativity. As the definitive benchmark of creative excellence and with unparalleled access to insight on how it works, LIONS provides those on the journey to creative excellence all they need, at whatever stage they are at and wherever they are. Our annual five-day Festival, Cannes Lions, is the meeting place for the global creative marketing community and a celebration of the world’s most excellent and effective work.
LIONS is part of Ascential
Ascential takes the world’s leading brands to the heart of what’s next for their industries.
We do this through our events, intelligence products and advisory services. Our 700 people serve a global customer base from more than 100 countries in the large and growing Marketing and Financial Technology sectors.
Ascential plc is listed on London Stock Exchange (LON: ASCL).
www.lionscreativity.com | www.canneslions.com | www.ascential.com
About Viral Nation
Viral Nation unlocks the full power of Social-First marketing to scale brands into the future.Since 2014, Viral Nation has been connecting the dots between Culture, Influence and Technology to drive meaningful results for clients ranging from the world’s biggest brands to the individual influencer. Today, as the leader in social-first transformation, we unite the social ecosystem through our full-service creative agency, a 360° digital talent representation agency and social-first suite of technology solutions. Named as one of the fastest-growing technology companies in North America for 2023 by Deloitte, Viral Nation is a global company and home to the largest influencer roster. Our multidisciplinary teams are as diverse as our portfolio, proud to fuel growth for global brands including Audible, Campbell’s, Chegg, The Coca-Cola Company, Disney, A24, Microsoft, Meta, Vivid Seats, Tencent, TJX, and Walmart. For more information, please visit www.viralnation.com and follow us on LinkedIn, X, Instagram and TikTok.
