Our Junior Creative, Bronte Littlewood, recently shared her reflections from Cannes Lions 2026 in an article for Creative Moment, exploring the ever-growing presence of creators and influencers at the world’s biggest creative festival.
While Cannes Lions has always been a destination for brands, agencies and marketers, Bronte observed how creator culture now sits at the centre of many of the event’s most talked-about moments. From immersive beach activations and exclusive experiences to endless social content opportunities, the festival has become a powerful example of how brands are competing for attention both on and offline.
Her article also explores a question many marketers continue to grapple with: what really separates a creator from an influencer? While the terms are often used interchangeably, understanding the distinction can help brands make smarter partnership decisions and drive stronger results.
One of the strongest observations from Bronte’s article is the growing influence of influencers at Cannes Lions and the value brands place on creator engagement. As she writes, “Creators and influencers are an excellent tool for visibility; that’s no secret. But what I find most interesting is the bits we don’t see.” Beyond the content shared during the festival, it’s often the planning, partnerships and unexpected moments that generate the greatest impact.
Perhaps the most interesting takeaway is that, despite the carefully curated activations, the moments that generate the most excitement are often the unexpected ones. In a world built for content, authentic experiences still cut through the noise.
Read Bronte’s full article on Creative Moment.
More from us
From creator partnerships and influencer marketing campaigns to live events and experiential activations and social-first brand strategy, our team of creative agency campaign specialists helps brands create moments people want to talk about, share and remember. Explore more from our team:
- What is a creative agency?
- The questions you should be asking your creative agency
- The value of influencer marketing
- Paid vs gifted: What to consider with your influencer partnerships
If you’d like to find out how we can support your brand and kickstart your next creative campaign, start the conversation and get in touch at hello@thephagroup.com.