17511: How To Be Remembered At Cannes—The True Version.

 

Advertising Age published fluff content titled, “How to be the person people remember at Cannes, according to 10 festival veterans”—featuring self-absorbed bullshit from forgettable nobodies.

 

Not mentioned among the contrived tips:

 

• Sexually assault someone.

 

• Admit your Lion-winning entry is scam.

 

• Woo potential clients with lavish gifts, expensive booze, and brazen sex acts.

 

• If you’re a person of color seeking to be remembered at Cannes, you must perform as an A-list entertainer.

 

How to be the person people remember at Cannes, according to 10 festival veterans

 

By Ad Age Staff

 

The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity is a rush of introductions, pitches and personalities—it can be extremely difficult to make a lasting impression. To make the most of your time among the industry’s top players, brushing up on your opener, among other steps, can make a big difference.

 

Ad Age asked 10 Cannes veterans about successful tactics for rising above the noise. See their tips and the reasoning behind them below.

 

Finesse up your opener

 

Amy Worley, global chief connections officer, VML

 

Cannes is undeniably packed with more brands, tech giants and business leaders than ever, but it’s still the Festival of Creativity. So instead of defaulting to “What do you do?” try asking, “What have you seen that’s inspired you this week?” I’ve found it gets past the small talk and into the good stuff much faster. And who doesn’t love to talk about what they love?

 

Rita Ferro, president, global advertising, Disney

 

One of the most memorable first impressions I’ve seen at Cannes came from someone who simply had the confidence to stop, introduce themselves, and ask a thoughtful question. You meet an extraordinary number of people in a single week, and the ones who stand out aren’t the loudest—they’re the ones who are genuinely curious, prepared, and intentional about creating a real moment of connection.

 

I always appreciate when first-timers, students or young professionals take that initiative. It signals hunger, humility, and an understanding that Cannes is ultimately about people.

 

Lead with your point of view over your title

 

Luis Miguel Messianu, founder, president and chief creative officer, MEL

 

The people who make the strongest impression at Cannes are rarely the ones trying the hardest to impress. The memorable ones are curious, generous and present.

 

I remember people who didn’t begin with a pitch, a title or a credential. They began with a point of view. They had seen something, felt something, questioned something. They asked smart questions about the work, about culture, about where the industry was going. That stands out because Cannes can be noisy, and real curiosity cuts through the noise.

 

The best first impression is not “look who I am.” It is “let’s have a conversation worth remembering.”

 

Leandro Barreto, global chief marketing officer for Unilever and Beauty and Wellbeing

 

The people who make the strongest impression are the ones who are precise about what they stand for but also approach Cannes with a real sense of curiosity. They don’t try to cover everything; they engage thoughtfully and land a perspective clearly. In a week that’s full of ideas, that kind of clarity cuts through.

 

I’ve always found it stands out when someone grounds the conversation in real work and real examples and then builds from there. But equally, the people you remember are the ones who are open to going beyond their usual circle—connecting with different brands, perspectives and parts of the ecosystem you wouldn’t normally engage with day to day.

 

Do the thing you said you’d do

 

Joe Paluska, chief marketing officer, Commonwealth Fusion Systems

 

The most memorable first impression I’ve ever seen at Cannes came from Anderson .Paak. After speaking at Amazon Port about authenticity, culture and co-creation, he came right up to the front of the stage. I mentioned that my son was studying hip-hop and was about to turn 21, and Anderson immediately shot him a personal happy birthday video. That moment said everything.

 

Cannes is full of people talking about authenticity, but Anderson practiced it in real time. He didn’t need to do it. There was no “brand benefit.” He just made a human gesture that my son will never forget. At Cannes, the people who stand out are not always the loudest or most polished. They are the ones who make a huge global stage feel personal. Anderson turned a celebrity encounter into a father-son memory, and that is the kind of impression no business card can compete with.

 

Crystal Foote, founder and head of partnerships, Digital Culture Group

 

One of the most memorable first impressions I experienced at Cannes came from the wife of a marketer attending the festival. She was curious about what I did and immediately started thinking about who I should meet. After learning more about Digital Culture Group and the work we were doing, she connected me directly to her husband. What stood out was how naturally she made introductions and created connections in the moment. Cannes moves fast, and some of the best opportunities come from people who are proactive, engaged and genuinely interested in helping others expand their network.

 

Mona Munayyer Gonzalez, president, Pereira O’Dell

 

After speaking on the Cannes Creator stage last year, I had several people approach me who mentioned that something I mentioned in my speaker bio—my specific career path, my Palestinian roots—spoke to them and made them want to stop by and say hi. It was incredibly thoughtful and purposeful, which felt deeply refreshing amidst a sea of sales pitches and superficial hellos.

 

Talk to people standing in line with you

 

Alejandra Haro, regional leader, Circulo Creativo USA

 

Absolutely. I once met a person who is now a speaker at the festival, and it happened in the most unplanned, unhurried way. We simply couldn’t get into the same venue, ended up waiting together, and that was it. To me, that’s what a truly memorable first impression looks like: not a polished elevator pitch, but a real human moment. The kind that makes you think I’d love to work with this person someday. So don’t be afraid to talk to strangers; everyone is there to connect.

 

Kimberly Wilson, board advisor, Fullscale Holdings

 

The people who stand out most at Cannes are usually quietly moving through the experience. I’ve always been drawn to individuals who lead with authenticity versus transaction.

 

I remember meeting the chief revenue officer of a pretty big agency who skipped a networking event entirely and instead opted to join me for an impromptu lunch to discuss how culture, creativity and consumer behavior were shifting in real time. It immediately changed the energy of the interaction because it felt genuine and thoughtful rather than transactional.

 

People remember how you made them feel far more than your title or company affiliation.

 

Make time for the work—it leaves an impression too

 

Jorge Plasencia, co-founder, chairman and CEO, Republica Havas

 

I do not have one specific “first impression” moment with a person that comes to mind. For me, the most memorable first impressions at Cannes have often come from the work itself.

 

Over the years, there have been so many campaigns that have impacted me and stayed with me. One example is the Lacoste work from my colleagues at Havas’ BETC, which used the brand’s iconic crocodile to draw attention to endangered species. It was simple, powerful and deeply memorable.

 

Those are the moments I never forget. Cannes is full of people, meetings, conversations and events, but the work is what stays with you. The best ideas make a first impression that lasts.

17510: Yum! Brands Says Yuck! To Pizza Hut.

 

Advertising Age reported Yum! Brands is slicing Pizza Hut from the corporate portfolio.

 

The sale scenario posed an opportunity for WPP, which could’ve acquired the restaurant chain and created a new unit—WPPizza—delivering pies to clients and White advertising agencies in the network.

 

Such an enterprise also could’ve offered employment possibilities for the thousands laid off by the single White operating company.

Pizza Hut is being sold for $2.7 billion

 

Yum Brands Inc. is selling its struggling Pizza Hut division for $2.7 billion, allowing the restaurant operator to focus on its better-performing KFC and Taco Bell chains.

 

Private equity firm LongRange Capital will acquire Pizza Hut excluding China for $1.5 billion, Yum stated Tuesday. Yum China Holdings Inc. will buy the rest of the business for $1.2 billion. The transactions are expected to close in the third quarter.

 

Yum’s shares rose as much as 3.6%. The stock had gained 2.2% this year through Monday’s close, trailing the S&P 500’s 10% advance.

 

Investors had been expecting Yum to offload Pizza Hut, which it has owned since the restaurant company spun off from PepsiCo Inc. in 1997. The sale should help Yum sharpen its focus, Bloomberg Intelligence’s Michael Halen said.

 

“This enables them to divert their resources, their people, their energy and their capital toward one very high-growth chain and one very solid-growth chain,” he said.

 

Bloomberg reported in May that LongRange had entered exclusive talks with Yum to buy Pizza Hut. The company said last year that it was conducting a strategic review after years of trying to revive stagnant sales at the chain known for its pan pizzas with thick, buttery crust.

 

Domino’s pressure

 

Domino’s has trumped Pizza Hut in areas including menu innovation, marketing, ordering technology and delivery infrastructure, said Neil Saunders, managing director at GlobalData. Pizza Hut also is a less popular option for casual diners who are eating in, as they look for larger menus and more contemporary environments, he said.

 

Pizza Hut’s U.S. business has underperformed peers in recent years, according to data from restaurant research firm Technomic Inc. The category got a lift as Americans ordered in during the pandemic, but sales have petered out since. Chains have launched a bevy of deals to boost traffic. Pizza Hut has struggled to compete.

 

“This is as promotional an environment as I’ve seen,” Halen said. At Pizza Hut, “the quality of the product wasn’t good, and the real estate here in the U.S. was a problem. You have these big stores and nobody is coming to your stores to sit down and eat.”

 

Pizza Hut’s share of Yum’s revenue has declined every year since 2019, shrinking to about 12% in 2025 from more than 18% six years earlier, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. During that period, Pizza Hut’s revenue has hovered around $1 billion, while Yum’s revenue grew by about 47% to $8.2 billion last year.

 

The deal will leave Yum with KFC, its largest brand at $3.5 billion in annual sales, Taco Bell ($3 billion) and Habit Burger & Grill ($570 million).

 

“Pizza Hut has dragged on the otherwise solid results from the group,” Saunders said in his note. “In essence, the good numbers from KFC and Taco Bell have been clouded by the ongoing sales slides and profit slips at Pizza Hut.”

 

For Yum China, acquiring Pizza Hut in China will give it control of what it describes as the largest casual dining brand in the country, with segment revenue of $2.3 billion last year. It plans to boost locations to more than 6,000 by 2028 from roughly 4,400 at the end of March.

 

LongRange, based in Stamford, Connecticut, owns companies including 24 Hour Fitness.

17509: Reducing Redundancies At Omnicom Media US Operations.

MediaPost reported Omnicom Media has apparently worked through the C-suite restructurings, redundancies, and RIFs in US operations resulting from the Omnicom acquisition of IPG.

 

And the survivors-winners are—drumroll, please—White people!

 

Omnicom Media Reboots U.S. Management, Blends Former IPG Leadership

 

By Joe Mandese

 

Seven months after its acquisition of Interpublic, Omnicom this morning unveiled a reorganization of Omnicom Media’s U.S. operations, blending the senior talent of both organizations.

 

Former IPG Mediabrands exec Stacy DeRiso becomes general manager-U.S. of Omnicom Media, a new position created after she held the dual role of global brand president and U.S. CEO of Initiative.

 

Long-time Omnicom exec Susanne Grundmann becomes global brand president of Initiative, while former IPG Mediabrands’ Rob DiGiovanni becomes U.S. CEO of Initiative.

 

Grundmann previously served as CEO of the EMEA operations of Omnicom’s PHD unit and prior to that served as CEO of OMD Germany.

 

DiGiovanni steps into the U.S CEO role following four years as president-global business lead at Initiative, overseeing several of the agency’s biggest accounts.

17508: Sir Martin Sorrell Surveys His Failures.

Adweek interviewed Sir Martin Sorrell, who vomited vitriol in standard Sorrellian style.

 

The trade journal stated, “Sir Martin Sorrell has been an expert on M&A for almost half a century.”

 

Has he? It could be argued Sorrell’s expertise seriously eroded over the past decade at least.

 

His S4 Capital venture seems closer to breakdown than breakthrough.

 

Meanwhile, Sorrell’s notorious achievement—WPP—is a flaming dumpster. Indeed, the White holding company was death-spiraling toward a catastrophic crash landing long before Sir Peanut pulled the ripcord of his golden parachute.

 

Sir Martin Sorrell has been an expert…? At this point, he’s an expert has-been.

Sir Martin Sorrell Sees No Easy Exit for Holding Companies

 

Accenture should buy WPP and more insights from the S4 Capital executive chairman.

 

By Ryan Joe and Alison Weissbrot

 

Sir Martin Sorrell has been an expert on M&A for almost half a century. He founded WPP through reverse acquisition in 1985, and built it up into a towering ad giant that snapped up major agency brands like J. Walter Thompson, Ogilvy & Mather, and Young & Rubicam. 

 

Following an ignominious departure in 2018—WPP accused him of misusing company assets—Sorrell plotted a comeback, founding S4 Capital just weeks later. 

 

S4 built itself up through acquisition, notably production agency MediaMonks and performance agency MightyHive, positioning itself as a digital-first holdco. Lately, that thesis has been severely tested as many tech clients, where S4 has heavy exposure, pulled back on marketing spend to invest in AI. 

 

Revenue contracted, and shares fell about 38% over the course of last year, though its early 2026 results have indicated improvement. S4 currently views itself as being in a period of stabilizing its business before revisiting growth-by-acquisition. 

 

ADWEEK sat down with Sorrell to get his read on the market, who should buy whom, his competitors (whom he’s never been shy to criticize), and S4’s next steps.

 

This interview has been edited for length and clarity. It was conducted before Publicis said it would buy LiveRamp, and Accenture said it would buy Whalar.

 

ADWEEK: The ad agency holdcos have gone from the biggest industry acquirers to acquisition targets. What’s the outlook?

 

SIR MARTIN SORRELL: There are very few, if any, exits. No activists have stepped in.

 

There are no takers. Most of the big deals would involve syndicates. One PE firm couldn’t write the check for WPP or Dentsu. Maybe Bain Capital could have done it on their own.

 

Besides Publicis, is any big holdco a buyer at this point?

 

Omnicom probably isn’t. Dentsu is not going to be in buying mode. Stagwell will try. The irony may be, this is the time to take the risk because valuations are so battered. But I don’t think people would take a risk.

 

If anyone was going to take a risk, who do you think it would be? 

 

Well, Havas. Maybe not of scale. But [Havas CEO Yannick] Bolloré always sends you in the wrong direction. Always. Keeps you guessing.

 

And I think Accenture. If I was [Accenture CEO] Julia [Sweet], I would go for WPP. With them, they could get significantly better. I think the media piece in their hands would be very valuable. But whether they’ve got the balls though… It would be messy. But you’ve got David Droga there.

 

Publicis has been on a successful run. Is it sustainable?

 

What Publicis does—everybody says it’s all proprietary trading, which is why I think The Trade Desk thing is dangerous territory for them, they’re going to turn the microscope on themselves—is they look at the client as a whole.

 

Omnicom and WPP are falling into the trap of the matrix being driven by capability. The reorganization of WPP and the reorganization of Omnicom is capability-first, client second, geography third. Publicis and, indeed, ourselves is geography first, client second, capability third.

 

What’s wrong with organizing around capability?

 

You have warring factions. If you do it by country, you have inter-country rivalry, inter-region rivalry, that’s true, but you get people to integrate what they do. Publicis got it right. Can they maintain it? Well, the industry wisdom is these things go in cycles. 

 

Actually, John Wren, if you look at Omnicom Advertising Group before they acquired IPG, had a better strategy. He was trying to push them together. Publicis didn’t nudge. They were quite forceful. And it was painful for them. They were more violent than probably I would have been. But directionally, it was the same thing.

 

What do the holdcos look like in three years?

 

I don’t know what [WPP CEO] Cindy [Rose] is going to do. She has huge balance sheet problems. But I would guess Omnicom will still be here. Publicis will still be here. Dentsu will be in a different form. Havas will be in a different form. WPP will be in a different form.

 

Let’s talk about S4. You guys had a tech winter. Where are you in all of this?

 

It’s tough. We rely on wholesale AI adoption. We really depend on more car verticals, more financial services verticals, more packaged goods. If we can get a little bit more traction, it will be fine. But we need more traction. And we’re not organized enough. Our integration has not been perfect by any means. Liquidity is much better.

 

What does that traction look like and how do you get it?

 

Traction looks like building relationships. If you look at our biggest relationships—Google, Amazon, T-Mobile, Disney, GM, Meta—there’s good stuff there, but the problem is that 45% of it is tech. And they’re all spending money on capex.

17507: On Elephants In The Room At BP.

This BP employee training video empowers people to speak up against disrespectful and/or abusive behavior in the workplace.

 

Okay, but based on historical accusations, maybe the visual metaphor should’ve been a White elephant in the room.

17506: On Hiring At White Healthcare Agencies In The AI Era.

PharmaLive published a perspective on how AI impacts hiring at White healthcare agencies.

 

The opinion piece is questionable on a few levels.

 

First, the authors are HR executives. Sorry, but HR does not make hiring decisions at White healthcare agencies—or any White advertising agencies or firms in Adland. The viewpoints on the topic, therefore, lack credibility, authority, and professional expertise.

 

Next, the article feels like it was crafted via AI, which sorta makes sense given HR executives are not writers, typically only capable of drafting descriptions of basic benefits and simple policies. Using AI to write about AI, however, is lazy, shameful, and hackneyed.

 

Of course, the nearly 1000-word exposition on hiring makes no references to DEIBA+ considerations.

 

Finally, the content is illustrated with an AI-generated image (depicted above) featuring a hand with six fingers. That PharmaLive editors and designers approved the graphic underscores a simple reality: pharmaceutical advertising sucks.

 

The AI-era interview: What healthcare agencies are really hiring for

 

By Beth Bogacz and Lexi Abbagnaro, AbelsonTaylor Group

 

AI has quickly become part of the hiring process on both sides of the table. Candidates are using it to write resumes, polish portfolios, rehearse and answer interview questions, and generate writing samples. Agencies are simultaneously exploring how AI can improve recruiting efficiency, support onboarding, and accelerate workflows across departments.

 

But as AI becomes more embedded in the hiring experience, it is also exposing something important about healthcare marketing talent: The abilities agencies value most are increasingly the skills AI and automation struggle to replicate.

 

That tension is especially visible in medical advertising, where the work depends on a combination of strategic thinking, scientific understanding, collaboration, and communication. Candidates may arrive with increasingly refined materials, but polished documents alone do not tell recruiters whether someone can navigate a difficult client conversation, synthesize conflicting feedback, or contribute meaningfully to a brand team operating under pressure.

 

When every resume looks impressive

 

The interview itself has become more revealing than ever. Over the last year, we have seen a noticeable shift in how candidates present themselves during the application process. AI tools now make it easy to create resumes and writing samples that appear highly sophisticated, regardless of experience level. In many ways, that is the new baseline. Candidates are encouraged to submit professional, well-organized materials, and most people will use available technology to help accomplish that.

 

The challenge is determining where AI assistance ends and authentic capability begins. That distinction usually becomes clearer in conversation. In interviews, candidates have to think in real time. They have to explain how they approached a problem, describe why a campaign worked or failed, and demonstrate how they collaborate with others. Those moments reveal far more than a perfectly formatted resume ever could.

 

The interview as the new litmus test

 

We have also encountered situations where candidates appeared to be actively relying on AI during interviews themselves. Sometimes the signs are subtle: delayed responses, eyes moving to another screen before answering the question, polished answers that contrast with hesitant or less articulate opening remarks. These inconsistencies in the interview rhythm can disrupt the flow of conversation and make it difficult to assess how the candidate actually thinks.

 

That does not mean candidates should avoid AI altogether. In fact, many are using it productively, preparing for interviews through mock questions, role-playing scenarios, or refining how they communicate their experience. The issue is not whether candidates use AI. The issue is whether they can function independently without the technology.

 

Why human judgment still matters

 

Within healthcare communication agencies specifically, that distinction matters because so much of the work depends on judgment. Teams are constantly balancing scientific accuracy, client expectations, regulatory considerations, and audience needs. There is rarely one perfect answer. People have to navigate ambiguity, make decisions with available information, and communicate clearly across disciplines. Those are deeply human skills.

 

Emotional intelligence remains one of the clearest differentiators in hiring conversations today. So does curiosity. Candidates who ask thoughtful questions, actively listen, and engage in genuine discussion tend to stand out quickly. Creativity also continues to matter, particularly the ability to challenge assumptions or generate unexpected ideas within highly regulated environments.

 

AI can accelerate execution. It can summarize information, organize thoughts, and improve efficiency. But it still cannot replicate the instinct behind a strong strategic insight or the interpersonal awareness required to build trust with clients and colleagues.

 

New expectations for emerging talent

 

There are changing expectations for junior talent as well. Increasingly, entry-level candidates are expected to arrive with at least baseline familiarity with AI tools and an openness to experimenting with new technologies. In many cases, early career professionals are introducing workflows or tools that more established teams may not yet be using. What matters most is adaptability.

 

Healthcare marketing has always evolved alongside changes in media, technology, and consumer behavior, but the pace of change is different now. Candidates who thrive tend to be the ones comfortable learning continuously, working across functions, and wearing multiple hats when needed. That is especially true at small and midsize agencies, where collaboration across departments is often essential to how work gets done.

 

The rise of ‘power skills’

 

The industry is also placing greater value on what many organizations now call “power skills”: cross-functional thinking, communication, adaptability, and strategic leadership. Those qualities consistently surface in recruiting conversations across levels and disciplines. While leadership expectations naturally increase with seniority, even junior employees are expected to collaborate across teams and contribute beyond defined responsibilities.

 

At the same time, hiring teams have become more intentional about how they assess authenticity during interviews. Behavioral and situational questions have become more and more important because they help reveal how candidates think, process challenges, approach decisions, and communicate under pressure. It is not the specific answer that matters most but it is how someone arrives there.

 

AI fluency vs. AI dependence

 

So far, AI has not fundamentally changed the structure of many hiring exercises within healthcare agencies. Case studies, writing assignments and role-specific exercises were already common practice long before AI became prevalent. What has changed is the conversation surrounding them. In some cases, candidates may even be encouraged to use AI tools as part of the exercise, depending on the role. Familiarity with AI is becoming part of professional fluency. But fluency is not the same as dependence.

 

The candidates who stand out today are usually the ones who understand how to use AI as an enhancement rather than a substitute. They know how to leverage technology to improve efficiency while still bringing original thinking, strong communication, and independent judgment to the table. That balance is becoming one of the defining hiring questions for healthcare agencies.

 

The future workforce will almost certainly be more AI-capable than the one before it. The agencies that succeed will not be the ones trying to avoid that reality. They will be the ones that learn how to identify talent capable of combining AI technology with the human skills healthcare marketing still depends on most.

17505: More On WPP And Publicis Groupe Battling Over Coca-Cola.

 

More About Advertising opined on The Coca-Cola Company launching a media, data, and technology review that will pit WPP against Publicis Groupe.

 

MAA rightly points out the review is focused on media, data, and technology business currently with WPP.

 

The North America media business with Publicis Groupe is not in review.

 

Plus, WPP is apparently not at risk of losing global creative and PR business—even though the White holding company sought to prune PR from its portfolio.

 

Is Publicis Groupe sneakily seeking to incrementally acquire the entire Coke business?

 

Is WPP desperately seeking to retain business with delusional hopes of someday regaining the North America media business from Publicis Groupe?

 

And what’s the real thing’s real objective?

 

MAA argued back in the day, White advertising agencies wouldn’t tolerate such shenanigans from clients.

 

Okay, but back in the day, the Cola Wars were waged with breakthrough creative executions that struck emotional chords to seize market share.

 

Now the worldwide battles aim to control media, data, and technology—although the collateral damages and casualties are civilians.

 

Pitch-prone Coca-Cola reviews business still at WPP

 

By Stephen Foster

 

Winning all of Coca-Cola’s agency marketing business was one of the few good things to happen to WPP during the end of CEO Mark Read’s reign — but what a business it is to mind.

 

WPP started off winning everything but [then] lost North America media to Publicis, probably the most profitable part. Now Coke, which seems painfully addicted to reviews, is holding a shoot-out twixt WPP and Publicis for its media, data and technology everywhere except North America (don’t they want to upset Publicis’ Arthur Sadoun?), Japan and Korea where it works with Dentsu. Creative doesn’t seem to included officially although it’s hard to see how it can [be] left out with all this going on.

 

The ostensible reason for the review, to be handled by Mediasense, is to create a “digital-first marketing operating system for future growth. This includes a shift in mindset from traditional media planning to the emerging ways we need to reach consumers through technology, including agentic tools.” Which might mean anything, or nothing.

 

One has to feel for newish WPP CEO Cindy Rose and her team who can probably envisage a future in which all they do is repitch for chunks of Coca-Cola.

 

Back in the day a big, confident agency would have shown a client, even one as big as Coca-Cola, the door over these shenanigans. The same thought may have occurred to Publicis CEO Sadoun unless he’s pretty sure it’s all coming his way. Coke’s use of “agentic” may be a clue.