Retail Media Radar: Cannes Lions 2025 debrief
This year’s Cannes Lions Festival confirmed what many in the industry have long anticipated -Retail Media is no longer just an emerging category; it's a central pillar in modern marketing strategy. From mainstage panels to awards recognition, the convergence of creativity, commerce, and technology dominated the Croisette.
📍Cannes’ New Era: Retail Media & Tech Take Center Stage
This year marked a turning point as Retail Media gained formal recognition with a dedicated sub-category in the Media and Creative Commerce Lions. Retailers such as Albertsons, Carrefour, and Tesco showcased how they are evolving from media sellers to experience builders. Campaigns blending storytelling with commerce measurement earned top honours, signaling that creativity and conversion are no longer mutually exclusive. The conversation moved from click-through rates to brand-building outcomes.
🎤 Amazon’s CEO Named Media Person of the Year
Andy Jassy, CEO of Amazon, received the Media Person of the Year award -a milestone not just for Amazon but for retail media at large. The accolade acknowledged Amazon’s pioneering role in building one of the largest global advertising businesses rooted in retail data. However, several commentators noted that retail media still exists somewhat on the periphery of traditional media and creative circles, with physical and philosophical divides between the Palais and commerce venues. Find out more here.
🔄 Brands & Platforms Partnering Across Channels
New partnerships between retail media networks and social platforms were a major theme. Pinterest, Reddit, and Snapchat highlighted innovative commerce integrations that bring shopping moments into everyday scrolling. The blend of inspiration, entertainment, and transaction is driving increased interest from both endemic and non-endemic brands. Expect deeper integrations of social commerce into retail media playbooks. Find out more here.
🧠 Cannes Thought Leadership: Convergence & AI
The dominant strategic themes were ‘Convergence’ and ‘Creative Intelligence’ - how data, creativity, and AI can coexist to serve brands better. Workshops and panel discussions explored how AI is revolutionising creative development, enabling personalisation at scale, and creating efficiencies in media planning. Retailers and brands alike showcased early use cases for generative AI in content creation, product recommendations, and dynamic ad formatting. A great article on the future of Agency work in the world of AI is here.
🍾 Industry Leaders & M&A Momentum
3C Ventures’ Michael Kassan was a key presence, using Cannes to convene M&A leaders, holding companies, and brand executives. The Skydance–Paramount transaction and increased investment interest in retail-tech platforms were hot topics. Kassan’s '3CV Plage' gatherings became a hub for conversations on the future of agency consolidation and data-enabled brand building. Find out more here.
✨ Cannes Moments & Special Mentions
“Night Fishing”, a short film, won the Entertainment Grand Prix, highlighting Cannes’ ongoing commitment to emotionally resonant storytelling. See the film here.
Comedian Sebastian Maniscalco took a playful jab at Jeff Bezos and Amazon logistics during a late-night gala. See it here.
Jimmy Fallon’s surprise 'Dirty Dancing' lift created one of the most talked-about social moments of the week. Watch it here.
Creator economy insights came from Emira D’Spain, Jake Shane, Haley Kalil, and others—spotlighting how retail brands are co-creating with influencers. Find out more here.
🎯 The Key Cannes’ insights for Retail Media Marketers
Retail Media is mainstream - Shift mindset from test-and-learn to long-term brand building and sustained investment.
Commerce + Social = powerful - Partner with platforms offering native shopping experiences; co-develop creative with influencers.
AI & personalisation are core - Adopt tools for predictive personalisation and test AI-powered content generation.
Network creatively - Leverage convergence events to align marketing, media, commerce, and innovation teams.