The Sixth Suite Q-Series kicks off live from Cannes Lions 2026 with Aaron Reitkopf, CEO of DAWN.

Recorded from Cannes, this conversation explores creativity, leadership, storytelling, independence, and how the future of marketing is evolving as brands, agencies, and creators rethink the way they connect with audiences.

Aaron shares his perspective on navigating change, building meaningful businesses, and why strong ideas and authentic storytelling continue to matter in an increasingly complex media landscape.

This Q-Series is also part of The Sixth Suite’s campaign to raise awareness for NABS Canada, a charity supporting professionals across Canada’s media, marketing, advertising, and communications industries through financial assistance, career support, and mental wellness resources.

A huge thank you to our sponsors for helping make this campaign possible:

Locala Vertical Impression DIVE Silverpush YQ – A Business Advisory Firm

🎧 Follow The Sixth Suite for more Q-Series conversations recorded live from Cannes Lions 2026.

💬 Enjoyed the conversation? Share this episode with someone working in media, marketing, advertising, or business.

#CannesLions2026 #TheSixthSuite #QSeries #NABSCanada #AaronReitkopf

🎙️ Q-Series at Cannes Lions 2026: Vertical Impression

In this Q-Series episode of The Sixth Suite, recorded live at Cannes Lions 2026, Nikki Stone and Clare Ravenstreet sit down with Nicolette from Vertical Impression for a sharp conversation about attention, contextual relevance, media innovation, and the power of ideas.

What is really shaping the future of advertising and media?

Nicolette shares her biggest takeaways from Cannes, exploring stronger systems, smarter strategy, emotionally resonant campaigns, and technology designed to create better experiences for both brands and consumers.

The conversation dives into why ideas are a form of currency, why winning is never a solo sport, how IR Code is changing live and immersive experiences, and why protecting your mornings may be some of the most valuable life advice you can follow.

💡 In this episode: • Ideas as a currency • The evolving attention economy • Contextual relevance in advertising • Smarter media and marketing strategy • IR Code and immersive brand experiences • Emotional resonance in campaigns • DV360, passion, and purpose • Why protecting your mornings matters

💙 Supporting NABS

This Q-Series is dedicated to raising awareness for NABS — the National Advertising Benevolent Society — supporting Canadian media, marketing, and advertising professionals through financial assistance, career support, and mental wellness resources.

If this conversation gives you a new perspective, share it with someone working in media, marketing, advertising, technology, or business who needs to hear it.

Follow and subscribe to The Sixth Suite for more Q-Series conversations from Cannes Lions 2026, industry insights, bold ideas, and life advice worth sharing.

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 – Welcome to the Q-Series from Cannes 01:18 – Nicolette from Vertical Impression joins The Sixth Suite 02:25 – Cannes insights: systems, strategy, and smarter campaigns 03:38 – Ideas as a currency and the power of contextual relevance 06:44 – IR Code, emotional resonance, and immersive brand experiences 09:40 – DV360, passion, and finding what fuels your soul 11:24 – Life advice: protect your mornings

🔎 Topics

Cannes Lions 2026, The Sixth Suite, Q-Series, Vertical Impression, Nicolette, attention economy, media innovation, advertising, marketing, contextual intelligence, attention-based media, NABS Canada, brand experience, IR Code, DV360, marketing strategy.

#CannesLions #TheSixthSuite #QSeries #MediaInnovation #NABS

Everyone at Cannes has an AI pitch. Almost nobody survives a direct question about it. In this Q-Series episode of The Sixth Suite — live from the Croisette — Nikki Stone and Clare Ravenstreet sit down with two people who don't do vague: Hadrien Bailly, Managing Director of Locala Canada (11 years in), and Grant Gudgel, Locala's new CMO — formerly SVP Marketing at Verve and Head of Teads Studio, here on his eighth Cannes. Hadrien's mission this week: ask the direct questions, cut the bullshit, and find out who's actually building with AI versus who just found a prompt. It's the backdrop for Locala's sharpened positioning — using AI as the concrete bridge from insight to activation, so brands can adapt as fast as the market moves. Grant calls it now: after a decade of "the year of mobile," we've entered the 10-year year of AI — and the smartest things at Cannes aren't being said on stages. They're said one-on-one. Then it gets personal: two pieces of life advice that have nothing to do with adtech and everything to do with how you build a life. Keep fighting. And never confuse keeping your options open with being free. 💗 THIS SERIES SUPPORTS NABS CANADA Our Cannes Q-Series is part of our campaign to raise funds and awareness for NABS — the National Advertising Benevolent Society, the only Canadian charity dedicated to supporting media, marketing and communications professionals through financial assistance and mental wellness support. @NABS_Canada ► Donate + learn more: nabs.org • How to tell real AI capability from a rebrand with a prompt — ask direct questions • Locala's new positioning: AI as the bridge from insight → activation • Why the smartest Cannes conversations happen one-on-one, never on panels • The 10-year year of AI — and the discrete applications that actually matter • NABS, the BEC, Volley BEC & Le Bal En Noir: how industry community builds careers • Hadrien: "Keep fighting" — a deeply personal story of hope • Grant: optionality is not freedom — commitments give life its meaning ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ ► CHAPTERS ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ 00:00 — Live from Cannes: welcome to the Q-Series 01:27 — Meet Locala: Hadrien Bailly & Grant Gudgel 02:00 — Real AI vs. buzzword theatre 03:15 — Eight Cannes in: the magic is one-on-one 05:00 — NABS, the BEC & community that builds careers 07:35 — Life advice: keep fighting, commit like you mean it ► GUESTS: Hadrien Bailly — Managing Director, Locala Canada, Grant Gudgel — Chief Marketing Officer, Locala Locala — AI-powered advertising, from insight to activation → asklocala.com · LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/ask-locala ► HOSTS: Nikki Stone — Founder, YQ → thinkyq.com · @YQ_growonpurpose · Clare Ravenstreet — @Clareravenstreetteam The Sixth Suite is brought to you by YQ → thinkyq.com ► SUPPORT NABS CANADA NABS Canada is the safety net for Canadian media and advertising professionals — from financial assistance to mental wellness support, when our community needs it most. 🌐 nabs.org · 📸 IG: @nabs_canada · 💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/nabs-canada · FB: @nabsCanada 💗 Every view, share, and dollar helps. Donate → nabs.org ► FOLLOW THE SIXTH SUITE ▶️ YouTube: @thesixthsuite 🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5oBGB4Ig2dzaZOVfurpQTc?si=2593024656d843b5 🍎 Apple Podcasts: search "The Sixth Suite" 📸 Instagram: @thesixthsuite · 🎵 TikTok: @thesixthsuite 💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/the-sixth-suite ►IF YOU LOVE THIS EPISODE 🔔 SUBSCRIBE — more Cannes drops are landing all week. 💬 COMMENT: what's the most concrete use of AI you've actually seen this year? 🔁 SHARE this with someone drowning in AI buzzword bingo. 💗 DONATE to NABS Canada → nabs.org #TheSixthSuite #QSeries #CannesLions #Locala #AI #AdTech #Marketing #NABSCanada #NABS