Justine Frostad, CMO of Cognitiv is taking part in NDA’s ‘Panel Power: Making Cannes Count’ event at 10am on Wednesday 24 June at the Maison NDA hub in Cannes. You can register to attend here…
Everyone talks about “showing up” at Cannes, but what’s the difference between being visible and being genuinely memorable, and have we collectively confused the two for too long?
I think for a long time our industry treated visibility as a proxy for impact. If you were at the right party, on the right stage, or posting the right photo, it signaled success. Today, I think that equation is changing.
The most memorable brands and people at Cannes understand a simple principle from both marketing and human behavior: people remember how you made them feel, not just how many times they saw you. That’s why we spend less time thinking about scale and more time thinking about experience design — who’s in the room, what conversations are sparked, and whether someone will leave with a new idea or connection they’ll still be talking about six months later. In an era where attention can be manufactured, genuine memorability has become far more valuable.
The old Cannes formula was proximity to power, parties, panels, and posting proof you were there. What actually creates long-term career momentum now, especially for people without a huge profile or senior title?
Career momentum today comes from contribution and connection, not just credentials.
Cannes is an incredibly unique experience and it’s a privilege to be there. For one week, some of the most creative, ambitious, and curious people in the world are all in the same place surrounded by curated experiences and activations to interact with.
The people who build momentum at Cannes aren’t necessarily the most senior; they’re the ones who contribute something useful, an insight, an introduction, a fresh perspective, a thoughtful question. Wherever you are in your career, value creation doesn’t require a title.
One meaningful conversation can become a mentor, a client, a future colleague, or a career-defining opportunity. That’s how momentum is built.
There’s a growing sense that seniority alone no longer guarantees influence. So what makes someone genuinely worth talking to at Cannes today, and can you build that reputation before you even arrive?
I’ve definitely seen that you don’t need a lofty title to have influence. Seniority might get someone into the conversation, but it doesn’t guarantee they’ll be the most interesting person in it. The people I look forward to engaging with at Cannes are rarely the ones repeating conventional wisdom. They’re the ones helping others see around corners.
And yes, you can absolutely start building that reputation before you arrive. Some of the best Cannes conversations actually begin months earlier. You notice someone sharing thoughtful ideas, challenging assumptions, or offering a fresh perspective online or at another event, and by the time you meet on the Croisette, it feels like you’re continuing a conversation rather than starting one.
Influence today is less about authority and more about contribution. If people consistently learn something from you or remember a meaningful interaction with you, you’ve already started building influence long before Cannes begins.
Some of the most valuable conversations at Cannes happen away from the main program, often accidentally. How do you create the conditions for meaningful networking rather than just high-volume networking?
The best networking usually doesn’t feel like networking at all.
A lot of networking advice focuses on volume. The better question is: how do you intentionally create space for serendipity? The most valuable Cannes conversations often happen because the right people unexpectedly cross paths in the right environment. That’s why thoughtful hosts obsess over things like seating charts, group size, and discussion topics. Great networking isn’t about maximizing interactions; it’s about increasing the odds of meaningful ones.
Cannes increasingly feels like a live content performance—LinkedIn updates, hot takes, selfies, recap posts. Where’s the line between strategic visibility and performative noise, and authenticity?
I think the distinction is simple: are you documenting value or manufacturing it? There’s nothing wrong with sharing your Cannes experience and I think a little performance is part of the fun.
The question is whether you’re contributing something meaningful to the conversation. For us at Cognitiv, content plays an important role in our Cannes strategy, but it’s a reflection of what we’re already doing, not the reason we’re doing it. Whether it’s an innovation session exploring the science behind significant AI advancements evolving our industry, a dinner bringing together different perspectives, or our annual Pride event supporting The Trevor Project, the goal is always to create something meaningful first. Great content coming out of it is a bonus.
People can tell the difference between content that captures value and content that exists solely to signal that value.
