Author: Siwelile Thusi, lead senior strategist at M+C Saatchi Abel

While I disagree on us being equal-equal and being back to zero Lions, we have all knowingly felt that feeling of “it’s fair game” after the festival ends. Some see the anxiety of the clean sheet and the call to start the race to the Cannes stage, all over again. Some see another dance with chance. And some are already grafting and crafting.

With Cannes Lions 2025 (and its promenade hangovers) having ended exactly a month ago, there has been the luxury of time to assess where we are as an industry, just over 30 days into adland new year.

A healthy dose of skepticism

While the industry patted itself on the back for another year of 'creativity that drives growth', a closer look at the lauded work reveals a few uncomfortable truths that are a little less glamorous than a Grand Prix.

Let's begin with the elephant in the palais, or perhaps, the AI-generated elephant in the room: the integrity of case studies. This year, the whispers of 'scam ads' escalated into full-blown roars, culminating in the embarrassing withdrawal of a Grand Prix for work featuring AI-altered news footage (see here). Kudos to Cannes Lions on the call to withdraw the award, but isn’t there a bigger problem here?

Cannes Lions has announced its new 'integrity standards' and an 'AI Integrity Handbook' for 2026, but one can't help but wonder if this proves that, year in and year out, the industry has quietly tolerated a certain level of creative embellishment. When AI isn't just generating content but also seemingly generating the receipts of its prowess, we've entered a hall of mirrors where reality, to many, might just be a suggestion.

The relentless march of purpose-driven marketing

Every year, brands and their agency partners descend upon the town of Cannes, all vying for the title of 'Brand Love Generators of the Year'. While genuine social impact is commendable, needed and increasingly expected by consumers, the festival often feels like the Olympics of the Virtuous, where the most earnest, tear-jerking narrative, at most times, is given more props and stage time than actual, measurable change. As with other years, we saw campaigns tackling everything from domestic violence to climate change, often with a budget that could probably solve a small portion of the problem, directly.

The skepticism continues to creep in when a brand's profound commitment to saving society seems to be directly correlated with its desire for a shiny Lion, and not the longevity of the solve started. Which is disappointing to me, because I truly believe in the spark that purpose work starts. A hard question: Are juries awarding ideas that are there to merely hint at what is possible and then just stop at that?

Following the question above, as an industry we have still not, earnestly answered whether these campaigns are truly about purpose, or whether they are simply the most effective way to win awards in an increasingly crowded, attention-starved but ethically awake landscape. It’s a delicate dance, trying to change the world, selling, and winning. At Cannes, the choreography often feels more polished than the actual impact achieved.

Impact, as hyperbolic claims

The 'single print ad that changed a nation's voting habits' or the 'four billboards that saved an entire ecosystem' – we’ve all been mesmerised by these hooks. The case studies, meticulously crafted and often more compelling than the work itself, present a narrative of unparalleled success, complete with impressive (but often unverifiable) statistics. The pressure to inflate results, to turn a modest local activation into a global phenomenon, is palpable. It's as if agencies believe that if they tell a story of monumental success loudly enough, the jury will simply nod along, too dazzled by the brilliance to ask for actual receipts.

The veil of 'creative ambition' is starting to become increasingly thin and will continue to be lifted by enlightened clients and juries, who respectively have every right to question the ideas and the legitimacy of their reported campaign results.

Beyond the work itself, the festival shouldn’t feel like a self-congratulatory room, where we continue to mark our own homework. The prevalence of 'sequels' to previous winning campaigns suggests a lack of genuine originality and a safe bet on past glories rather than a daring leap into the unknown. And while the global industry gathers, a significant portion of the Grand Prix and Lions still gravitate towards the same winners, raising questions about diversity of thought in jury rooms and whether Cannes truly represents the cutting edge from every corner of the creative world.

Ultimately, Cannes Lions 2025, for all its dazzling displays and champagne toasts, served as a potent reminder that the advertising industry, while undeniably creative, is also deeply entrenched in its own ecosystem of self-promotion. The work, at its best, inspires and moves; at its worst, it’s a masterclass in illusion, where the biggest trick isn't the campaign, but the story told about it.

So, the real challenge for the adland new year is two-fold

For the Agencies: How do we get back to creativity with integrity of ideas?

Firstly, by starting internally before submissions happen and prioritising an internal anti-scam culture. Agencies should champion the integrity of work they submit just as much as the integrity expected from the people that they hire.

Secondly, taking heed to the growing appetite of judges who now check how long work has flighted, as shared at the Creative Circle Full Circle event in the last two weeks. Purpose work cannot possibly garner the impact it is intended to within two days of flighting.

For Cannes Lions: How do we return to the festival in 2026, sans the skepticism?

A possible solution could be to firstly relook the provisos of purpose-led work entries, where work of this nature can only be entered after a stipulated period of time has passed. In this way, both impact receipts and continued commitment to the idea by agency-brand partnership can be proved more credibly and trusted with greater comfort.

Secondly, by creating a reality check jury and leveraging the use of AI and content detection tools to analyse case study videos for manipulated media, limited public visibility, or misleading claims. If AI is used to create, it surely can be used to detect.

In closing, for the industry’s street cred’s sake, if we don’t take heed to the above, as an industry we then run the risk of more questioned, hole-poked work year after year, more proverbial 'haibo’s' from marketing naysayers, and more collective disillusion towards an industry we all work so very hard in.



For more:

• Cannes Lions special section and search
• More info: Google News, Cannes Lions Twitter
• Official site: http://www.canneslions.com, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram

As media partner to the Creative Circle SA, we’re proud to publish exclusive daily snapshot updates from Cannes. Don’t miss the first Diary of Creative Circle at Cannes from the SA cohort on the ground in Cannes, every day from 19-24 June! Also Book Now for The Full Circle event, brought to you by the Creative Circle - an inspiring showcase of the top trends, insights and award winning work from the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.