Hi {{first_name|there}},
The irony? We’re heading into the world’s biggest celebration of creativity… at a time when creativity is in crisis.
As Cannes Lions nears, the State of Creativity 2025 says what many have been feeling: brands are playing it safe. In this edition, we dig into what that means for marketers, who’s pushing back, and how leadership (and a little youthful pressure) might reset the tone.
🚨 Creative Confidence Is Faltering—Here’s Why That Matters
With Cannes Lions just days away, the State of Creativity 2025 report lands with a clear message: brands are playing it safe—and it’s costing them.
Only 13% of companies see themselves as risk-friendly, and over half admit they struggle to develop insights strong enough to power bold ideas. This results in fewer breakthrough campaigns, slower responses to culture, and declining creative confidence.
🔑 The two biggest barriers holding creativity back:
Weak insights → 51% of brands say their insights aren’t good enough to spark great work
Culture lag → 57% can’t move fast enough to react to cultural moments
And yet, the opportunity is real. Brands that take creative risks see 4x higher profit margins and are 33% more likely to drive long-term revenue growth.
🧠 What marketers and creatives should take away:
Insight is everything: Deep research beats surface-level observations. Strong agency–brand partnerships and diverse thinking lead to sharper insight development.
Speed is a competitive edge: Streamline approval processes and empower teams to act in the moment—not weeks after it passes.
Creativity can’t be automated—but AI can help: Use AI to identify emerging signals and shape better inputs.
Culture is a two-way street: Connect with communities, don’t just commentate on trends. Cultural fluency is built through proximity, not performance.
💬 Want to talk more about overcoming the insight gap or responding faster to culture?
👉 [Chat with the ClickZ team]
🚀 For CMOs Who Want to Lead Differently
Looking for more than just a seat in the audience? The CMO Accelerator Programme offers a space where top marketing minds gather not just to listen—but to lead.
Created in partnership with LIONS and led by legendary CMO whisperer Jim Stengel, the Accelerator is a two-day (19 June & 20 June), hands-on experience designed to help you deliver sustainable, endurable brand value inside your organisation.
This is built for those who carry the weight of brand-building on their shoulders.
🧭 What you get:
A full-week delegate pass to Cannes Lions
Two days of curated sessions at a 5-star hotel in Cannes
Welcome event, Accelerator Dinner, and private networking opportunities
Gold pass benefits and exclusive pre/post-festival sessions
One-on-one mentorship from Jim Stengel and strategic guidance from Suzanne Tosolini
🧠 Key themes you’ll unpack:
Creative excellence: How to drive breakthrough ideas across teams and partners
Future-facing brand building: Keeping pace with culture and tech
Leading with creativity: Tools to thrive in the C-suite—personally and professionally
💡 Ideal for: CMOs, Chief Brand Officers, Growth Officers, VPs of Marketing, and other senior marketers with 15+ years of experience—especially those responsible for brand-building across global, B2C or B2B organisations.
🧩 The Marketing Challenges Senior Leaders Keep Naming
One of the reasons the programme continues to attract global marketing leaders is simple: it gets to the heart of the real, day-to-day challenges they face.
And three pain points in particular keep coming up:
Triangulation paralysis. There’s just so much noise out there in the marketing world—GA4, incrementality, MMM. There are so many tools and metrics, so many things to pay attention to, that it's really hard for marketers to just make a decision at the end of the day.
Marketplace measurement. We know we have to measure across different channels, but when it comes to marketplace spaces—like Amazon—it’s just as important. Otherwise, you’re missing a big chunk of the picture.
Siloed data. Often, finance, marketing, and other teams speak different languages when it comes to measurement. That misalignment makes it hard to prove ROI and collaborate strategically.
👉 That’s where a partner like Fospha steps in.
While programmes like the CMO Accelerator build leadership capability, Fospha supports that ambition with the tools to deliver—closing the loop on measurement, aligning teams, and making marketing investment easier to defend.
💬 Want to explore how Fospha could support your team’s growth goals this year?
🌱 Not quite a CMO (yet)? Here's your moment.
If you're earlier in your career but already hungry to lead, the Young Lions Competitions are built just for you. This is where emerging talent gets the global spotlight.
🦁 Young Lions Competitions: Creativity Under Pressure
Each year, the world’s best young creatives go head to head at Cannes Lions. If you’re 30 or under and have something to prove, this is your chance to do it in 24 hours—with the world watching.
🧠 What to expect:
→ A live brief delivered at the Festival by a charity, NGO, or cause-driven brand
→ 24 hours to respond with your campaign (48 hours for Film)
→ A final pitch to the Young Lions Jury made up of industry leaders
There are seven categories to choose from—Design, Digital, Film, Marketers, Media, PR, and Print. Each tests a different creative muscle, but all are designed to showcase bold thinking and execution.
Want a preview of what to expect?
👉Relive the magic of the 2024 competitions
📲 Like what you’re seeing?
Stay tuned for more Cannes Lions coverage next week from us.
Unofficially Cannes Lions Team
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