Cannes Lions is a time capsule, a snapshot of the most inventive ideas, the boldest experiments, and the creative sparks that helped shape the world each year. It’s a place where culture, commerce, and creativity collide. And this year, I have the incredible privilege of being the Titanium Jury President.
This moment means a lot. Not just personally, but for what it represents. Titanium isn’t about the best ad. It’s about the work that doesn’t fit neatly into a category, the unexpected, edge of imagination ideas that often change the way we define creativity altogether. They are the ideas that stays with us long after the festival ends.
Last year, Edelman’s Move to -15 campaign for DP World won Titanium. Why? Because it did what the best Titanium work always does: it challenged the status quo. It redefined the playing field. We took a technical B2B brief and turned it into a global movement that has the potential to slash carbon emissions across the frozen food shipping industry by simply raising the global standard from -18°C to -15°C. This is real, meaningful impact that starts with creativity and ends with systemic change.
Why Titanium Work Stands Apart
Titanium ideas aren’t just category-defying, they’re often industry-defining. These are the ideas we show clients when we say, this is what’s possible. The rigor of the Titanium judging process, especially the live presentations, exposes the heart, soul, and sweat behind every idea. You’re not just watching a case film; you’re interrogating the thinking and uncovering the risk, and the bravery that went into it.
We Don’t Need More Content. We Need Better Content.
Today, every brand competes with culture, not just with their competitors. And in a world where billions of pieces of content are uploaded every week, attention is the most valuable commodity in business.
This is where AI enters the chat. Yes, it can help us create content faster. But what we really need is content that matters. Content that earns its place in the feed. Content that’s worth being shared. That’s why I keep saying: we don’t need more content, we need better content.
What I’m Excited About at Cannes 2025
At Edelman, we’ve pushed ourselves to go deeper, be braver, and create work that doesn’t just land; it lives in culture.
- eBay’s Endless Runway: We brought secondhand luxury fashion to the front row at Fashion Week, reminding the world that sustainability and style aren’t mutually exclusive. It wasn’t just a show, it was a shoppable statement about circular fashion done right.
- Taco Bell’s Encore Hours: After listening to fans in the UK who had nowhere to eat post-concert, we extended restaurant hours based on the timing of live encores. Those late-night hours quickly became the most profitable of the day. That’s culture-powered commerce.
- OMO (Dirt is Good): In Turkey, where only 19% of kids regularly play outside, we turned outdoor billboards into playgrounds with soccer pitches, basketball nets, and more, all designed to give space back to kids, reclaiming their right to play. It’s lo-fi, out-of-home creativity that speaks volumes.
Trends I’m Watching
- Simple wins. The best ideas aren’t overdesigned or overexplained, they just hit. One line. One action. One moment that sticks.
- Culture is the brief. The strongest ideas live where people are: shared, memed, talked about, remixed.
- Do vs Say. Don’t tell me what you believe. Show me. The boldest brands are proving it with what they do, not just what they say.
Lead With Relevance. Act With Bravery.
What I hope people walk away with, whether they’re creatives, strategists, clients or leaders, is the understanding that creativity isn’t just a marketing tool; it’s a business solution. Creativity isn’t just an output, it’s an input. It’s how we solve real problems, in real time, in a way that makes people care.
This is the year to be bold and to show what creativity can do when it’s used not just to sell, but to shape. Let’s make work that earns its place in the world and earns its way into the time capsule.
Judy John is Global Chief Creative Officer at Edelman.