Cannes Lions: Marketing Mavens Talk AI, Industry Headwinds, the Allure of ‘Cultural Moments’ and America’s Armpits

Cynthia Littleton Business Editor If anyone is equipped to analyze the turmoil in the presidential race that was catalyzed by Thursday’s debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump, it’s CBS News anchor John Dickerson. Dickerson is network’s chief political analyst and anchor of “The Daily Report with John Dickerson” streaming broadcast. He’s written extensively about American presidents and the political dynamics of our age in his role as a contributor to the Atlantic and author of the 2020 book “The Hardest Job in the World: The American Presidency.” What’s more, Dickerson also co-hosts the Slate podcasts “Political Gabfest” and “Whistlestop.” Since the June 27 faceoff between the candidates, Dickerson has been working overtime trying to sort out the impact of Biden and Trump’s performances in the debate held unusually early in the campaign cycle.

The indie market is feeling pretty good. A big film from India Kalki 2898 AD may unseat RRR’s North American opening weekend. June Squibb-starrer Thelma is blowing through midweek shows and stands at $3.75 million heading into week 2 steady at 1,280 theaters. Searchlight Pictures Kinds Of Kindness by Yorgos Lanthimos (Poor Things) starring Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons jumps to 500 screens from five after the best limited opening of the year last weekend.

Not since the noughties has WAG fashion been so on trend, but with England gearing up for a big game in the Euros, it's not just the players making headlines.The partners of some of England's most cherished footie stars are stealing the spotlight in Germany, rocking initial necklaces in homage to their significant others.Tolami Benson, the fashion-forward girlfriend of Arsenal and England ace Bukayo Saka, has been turning heads with her chic ensembles, earning her the unofficial title "WAG of the Year" from adoring fans. In a loving gesture captured on Instagram just before game time, Tolami sported PRYA's Personalised Bubble Charm Necklace, £60 here, boasting a 'B' for Bukayo alongside a darling heart charm.

Jack Dunn Variety’s Cannes Lions Studio, presented by Canva, concludes after a week of hosting the industry’s most influential voices to discuss their work and future visions for marketing, media, and Hollywood. Highlights include Queen Latifah and the senior vice president of commercial strategy and marketing at Novo Nordisk Tejal Vishalpura, as well as CMO of NBCUniversal Josh Feldman and CMO and SVP of customer experience and brand marketing at Volkswagen of America Rachael Zaluzec.

Rafa Sales Ross Guest Contributor The Mediterrane Film Festival kickstarted its second edition with the international premiere of Alexandre de La Patellière and Matthieu Delaporte’s “The Count of Monte Cristo.” The film, shown at the heart of Malta’s capital of Valletta on Saturday night, was followed by a reception at the historic Mdina Ditch Gardens, in which Malta Film Commissioner Johann Grech highlighted the importance of the festival as an event to “unite the nations of the Mediterranean through film.” The sentiment echoes this year’s festival theme of Unity Through Film, with Grech adding that he hopes the festival will bring nations together to “share stories that celebrate not only our diversity but also our shared outlook.” The film commissioner emphasised the success of the festival’s first edition, claiming the return to the local economy “far exceeded our investment, showing once again what a force for good film is in our country.” Several members of the local film industry were present at the gathering as well as international attendees in this year’s jury president Jon S. Baird (“Tetris,” “Stan and Ollie”) and “Triangle of Sadness” actor Zlatko Burić, who was part of last year’s jury.

Prince William is a Swiftie, and he has the dad — sorry, we mean, dance — moves to prove it!

A London theatregoer has described the moment Sir Ian McKellen fell off stage and into her lap, saying she “went into shock.”

Lexi Carson Variety is back to host the second annual Executive Interview Studio, presented by Canva. The industry’s top business and marketing execs stopped by during the 2024 Cannes Lions Festival to chat about how they are navigating the ever-expanding worlds of media and entertainment.

It should go down as one of the best ever saves from a Scottish keeper at a Euros, writes Scott McDermott in Cologne.

Variety and Canva have returned for the second annual Executive Interview Studio. Top CMOs and senior marketing executives participated in the studio and attended the festival. The Studio took place from June 18-20 at the Canva Villa, and Variety journalists moderated all conversations.

Blackish star Yara Shahidi and her mother Keri Shahidi have made the move into audio production, calling a collaboration between their production company and SiriusXM “something we were waiting for.”

Uber-producers and rappers Timbaland and Swizz Beatz have explained why they were persuaded to bring their Verzuz webcast series to the X platform via the distribution partnership revealed yesterday.

A pair of summer music festivals have new headliners. Tyler, the Creator has canceled his shows at Lollapalooza in Chicago and Outside Lands in San Francisco, replaced by Megan Thee Stallion and Sabrina Carpenter, respectively.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Writer/directors Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij, who were behind the recent critically acclaimed FX limited series “A Murder At the End of the World,” have struck a deal with indie production shingle Sister to develop, write and produce original film and television projects. The deal, described as a “multi-year creative partnership,” reunites Marling and Batmanglij with Cindy Holland, the global CEO of Sister.

Longtime L’Oreal ambassador Andie MacDowell says that she feels comfortable saying “Because I’m worth it” for the first time in nearly 40 years, after viewing a film about the woman who first came up with the enduring slogan.

EXCLUSIVE: Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard, the filmmaking duo behind BAFTA-nominated Nick Cave pic 20,000 Days on Earth, have just wrapped filming a new performance film dubbed The Extraordinary Miss Flower. The project brings to life the remarkable story of Geraldine Flower and the discovery of a suitcase of letters sent to her in the 1960s and 1970s that inspired acclaimed Icelandic singer-songwriter Emilíana Torrini to return to the studio. 

Sophia Bush and Ashlyn Harris look happy and in love. The two made an appearance at Cannes Lions, a creative festival where Harris was a speaker alongside other professional athletes. Sophia Bush’s new girlfriend Ashlyn Harris: who is the soccer star?Sophia Bush confirms rumored relationship with Ashlyn HarrisBush and Harris posed for some photos together, with the two looking stylish in their different styles.

Sharareh Drury Variety has won two best cover awards from the American Society of Magazine Editors. Variety‘s “Michael J. Fox Tells His Story” issue, which ran May 17, 2023, and features an in-depth interview with Michael J.

Robert Marich As digital media mushrooms, advertising messages get disseminated across a growing variety of platforms — in increasingly inventive ways. Rather than the products being sold, it’s these marketing communications that take the spotlight at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.

Agnieszka Holland, who won the special jury prize at last year’s Venice Film Festival for her film Green Border about refugees on the Polish-Belarussian border, believes it serves as “collective psychotherapy” for those affected by the situation.