Winning at Cannes Lions isn’t about having the biggest budget or flashiest production—it’s about telling a story that resonates. In this thoughtful and practical session, Noelle Hegarty, Kyle Bowles, and Keon Samavat from the Cannes Lions Learning team offer a clear look into how jurors think, what trends are emerging, and how to make creative work stand out. With Samavat offering guidance on the judging process and submission strategy, the team helps agencies of all sizes feel more prepared—and more confident—about showing up on the global stage.
Click some of the key moments below or catch the full episode below.
6:49 The Importance of This Session
9:44 What’s Trending at Cannes?
26:49 What Are the Judges Really Looking For?
29:48 Let’s Judge Some Work
59:58 AI and the Awards
1:02:13 One Entry, One Shot?
1:04:45 Beyond the Festival: Learning as a Tool
The Importance of This Session
This workshop is part of Cannes Lions Learning’s effort to make the festival more accessible and transparent. “We wanted to create something that gives people a real feel for what jurors look for,” said Bowles. The goal is to support creatives with tools and insight that make their work stronger—not just glossier.
What’s Trending at Cannes?
Hegarty pointed to a few creative trends that have stood out: stronger use of craft, looser but still smart brand insights, and ideas rooted in real cultural context. “Salience is what brands are after,” she said. Humor is also returning, but what matters most is that the idea feels relevant and well thought out.
What Are the Judges Really Looking For?
Juror Marco Venturelli shared his approach in a short video: “It has to be authentic, relevant, and responsible.” Jurors want to see work that makes a difference—not just something clever for the sake of it. He also emphasized that jurors are trained to spot inauthentic entries that seem made only to win.
Let’s Judge Some Work
The group walked through actual Cannes entries—Burger King’s “Whopper Island,” Heineken’s “Pub Museums,” and Pedigree’s “Adoptable”—and encouraged attendees to vote like a jury would. “Great doesn’t always mean fresh,” Venturelli said, noting how originality and cultural fit often matter more than polish alone.
AI and the Awards
A big question from the audience: How is AI judged? Samavat explained that Cannes now asks entrants to disclose how AI was used. “It doesn’t disqualify the work—it just gives the jury context,” he said. The goal is to focus on the creative value AI brings, not to discourage its use.
One Entry, One Shot?
For smaller agencies or new entrants, the idea of submitting just one campaign can feel daunting. Samavat reassured the group: “It’s not about volume. It’s about clarity.” He encouraged participants to explain cultural context and insight clearly in their entries. “Don’t assume jurors know your market—make it easy for them to understand.”
Beyond the Festival: Learning as a Tool
Hegarty and Bowles wrapped by highlighting the broader learning resources available through Cannes Lions—like the Creative MBA and effectiveness-focused workshops. “These are made for real-world use,” Hegarty said. Whether you’re working on your first big campaign or your fifteenth, these tools are meant to help you keep learning and evolving.
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Doug Zanger is the founder and editor-in-chief of Indie Agency News. He is also the founder of the Creative Bohemian consultancy, lives in the Pacific Northwest and is insufferable about it.
