Brand New Perspectives from Cannes and Gen Z Shopping Behavior

In this episode, Linda and Finley share their perspectives on their recent trip to the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity. They discuss why some Cannes activations felt instantly on-brand, how The Ordinary and Kit Kat turned strong ideas into standout campaigns, and why creator content and shoppable experiences are shaping modern marketing. They also recap Finley's speaking engagement on how Gen Z is revamping the shopper journey. Retailers take note: if you're not creating a frictionless shopping experience, you're missing out!

Key topics

• In this episode, Linda and Finley break down what Cannes feels like on the ground.
• The Ordinary’s campaign, The Periodic Fable of Elements, gets highlighted as a strong example of brand-aligned creativity.
• Kit Kat’s Great Heist is a great example of turning an unexpected real-world event into a multi-layered, social-first marketing moment.
• The conversation notes that the creator economy felt much more central at Cannes this year, with creators showing up in speaking slots and drawing major crowds.
• YouTube’s role in both short-form and long-form creator content comes up as a major shift, especially as brands look for more effective creator-generated marketing.
• The discussion shifts to Love Island as a case study in modern brand integration, with examples from CeraVe, Maybelline, and Poppi.
• Finley explains how Gen Z shopping often starts on social media search, then moves to Google and reviews before a purchase is made.
• The episode explores why Gen Z trusts user videos, reviews, and authentic creator opinions more than brand-generated ads.
• The importance of ease, unboxing, and shoppable content comes up repeatedly, including how online ordering and in-show shopping reduce friction.
• Linda and Finley close by talking about how shoppers still want personalization, but not pushy retail behavior.

Timestamps

00:00 - Cannes kickoff and first impressions of the festival
01:45 - Why Cannes feels less like work and more like a glamorous trade show
03:07 - Which brand activations felt memorable and on-brand
05:01 - Why Cannes exists to celebrate creativity, not just activations
06:09 - The Ordinary’s The Periodic Fable of Elements campaign
07:07 - The Great Kit Kat Heist campaign
08:36 - The growing focus on creators at Cannes
09:57 - YouTube’s push into short-form creator content
10:47 - Creator sessions that drew standing-room-only crowds
11:57 - Why Love Island is such a powerful brand environment
13:31 - How Poppi turned fan culture into a product partnership
15:09 - The risk of tying a brand to one influencer versus a broader property
16:03 - Gen Z shopping behavior and why it was discussed on stage
17:26 - How Gen Z discovers products through social media first
18:25 - Traditional advertising versus modern discovery habits
20:00 - Why word of mouth still matters more than ads
21:02 - Social search, TikTok research, and creator recommendations
22:59 - Why Gen Z trusts reviews and user videos
24:43 - How ratings and reviews factor into purchase decisions
25:39 - Convenience, Apple Pay, and buying from bed
26:33 - Unboxing as part of the shopping experience
27:52 - The balance between personalization and being too pushy
28:57 - How retail associates can recommend without overwhelming shoppers
30:03 - Shoppable ads tied to Love Island moments
31:29 - Moving from inspiration to purchase in a few clicks
32:12 - Why shopping is often a social, multitasking experience
33:26 - Why Gen Z insights matter for marketers
33:54 - Wrapping up and looking ahead to another Cannes