Hiya! I’m Lucy from Hype Yourself, cheerleader for the self-employed. This is your unofficial guide to making the most of Cannes Lions (or any big creative conference) when you’re not with a big brand or agency.
A bit of backstory
When I first moved to France, I naively thought I could live the same London life, albeit with a sunnier backdrop. I imagined flitting back to the UK for work.
Two major shifts changed this trajectory:
- A high-risk pregnancy with baby number three meant staying local.
- Life in rural Provence reset what success meant to me.
With too much time at home with a newborn the “I’m being left behind” narrative crept in. I saw invites sent to others, watched peers rise, and I gave more attention than necessary to comparison bugs.
But here's the plot twist: being overlooked gave me space.
Nobody else was doing work like me in the rural French space I was playing in. Once I embraced my own doorstep, the doors started opening further afield.
Why Cannes Lions, and Why now?
My first Cannes was in 2011. I was a PR agency executive corralling journalists and drinking rosé. In 2016 and 2018, I returned representing clients from my own agency whom I had landed keynotes.
Then I moved nearby.
At first, I told myself the Lions was my “old life.” I’d just catch up with contacts. But then I started spotting fellow solopreneurs, not just attending but speaking and leading.
In 2024, I learned about the Creator (€1,185) and Start-Up (€1,295) passes. Given what some “experts” charge for a single-day workshop in London, this pricing isn't wild to me.
I rejigged my thinking about taking up space at a big festival and want you to as well.
How to Get the Most Out of a Big Festival
1. Own your value
Look at the lead keynote from Sir John Hegarty for 2025 “Adapt or Die: Why Giants Can’t Dance”
In today’s fast-moving world, size can be a liability. Big companies often drown in process, avoid fresh ideas and lose the very thing that made them great: creativity
Hello, self-employed teammates. Our size is our strength. And while I wish a smaller independent player gave a talk like this, I’m just grateful for the topic as a reminder for us all.
2. Know Who You Want to Meet
Cannes can be overwhelming. Here are a few things I would look at:
- Use the official app to book sessions & meetings.
- Reach out in advance and be specific. Most people want to connect so name a time and place.
- Don’t ignore fringe events and niche talks where more intimate conversations can happen.
💁🏻♀️My story: When I was invited as a guest to Adobe Max LA I sought out Chris Do by buying his book, gifting him mine, and starting a chat. I didn’t pitch. Within a year, I was teaching for The Futur.
3. Follow the Inspiration, Not the Hype
I’m a fan of geeks in their niche. Headliners are often available on replay.
Big festivals are full of brilliant marketers and innovators. Even if a session isn’t “for” your niche, go anyway. Filter it through your lens. I love taking big business learnings and applying them to my creative entrepreneur audience.
4. Try all the activations and take the free stuff
Yes, queue for demos. Yes, take the merch.
Why? Because:
- Learn from how brands show value.
- Borrow ideas for your own business.
- Get inspiration for future community gifts.
Pro tip: Someone please give out branded ponchos or umbrellas. It’s rained three years running.
2025 themes
One of the key themes for this year is creativity as a force for business growth and meaningful change.
It sounds like a lot of you who are reading this.
The new Entrepreneur Passes were created to support the festival themes of access and inclusion and open up a broader spectrum of talent and perspectives.
Cannes still focuses on DE&I, but I’m curious to see how it fares against the US budget cuts and backpedalling on diverse hiring. While more space has opened up, the festival is still powered by big business.
My friend and anti-racist brand consultant shared honest reflections in this piece questioning if Cannes was truly ready to embrace diversity. When we caught up two years later, she found her most recent experience to be “less joy, more racism — hidden behind token gestures.” You can read her reflections on LinkedIn here.
Not all experiences of the festival are equal, yet.
New to attending a big event? This is how I would begin
- Post on social — let people know you’re coming.
- Register for fringe events (start with this Adobe Community event - it also lists some of the major ones!)
- Draft a wishlist: who to meet, what to say.
- Want to speak? Let organisers know you’re available for last-minute slots for relevant talks. Flights get cancelled, and people get sick.
- Dream Big. You never know who you will meet. Know your one-liner.
- Looking after talent? Request the press list here.
Quick Day Bag Packing list
- Bottle of water.
- Suntan lotion.
- Plasters. The blisters from walking in heat can be real. Or help someone else.
- Note: supermarkets don’t sell painkillers anything medical-related head to the pharmacy
- Umbrella (for shade or showers) thank me later.
- Chargers with French adaptors. The easiest way to make new connections.
- A hat.
Local tips
Escape the madness for a bit because it is intense.
- Take a walk around the recently refurbished museum of contemporary art at La Malmaison Cannes, prebook your ticket here.
- Book a 15-minute taxi to the old part of the next town Le Cannet. Shop from one of the 50 small businesses and local artisans on the Rue Saint-Sauveur and book a table at Chouchou
- Staying on for the weekend? France will be celebrating the Fete de la musique at the same time. Catch one of the free concerts in and around the town.
- Beyond the Croisette head to the marché (market) Forville, Monday’s it’s a brocante (flea market) but every other morning get your fresh fruit and veg, grab a drink from a nearby cafe and watch the locals go by
- Recommended restaurants (definitely reserve now for Lions!): Le Cirque Cannes, Bobo Bistro
Big festivals are not just for big names :
If you’ve ever thought: “I don’t have a team or a fancy title…” that’s precisely why you should go. Often, when we put ourselves where we feel we don’t belong, we make the work and life leaps that can define us.
Questions? Want help hyping yourself while you're there?
Drop me a message or forward this to a solopreneur who needs the nudge.
A bientot!
Lucy x
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