YouTube creators take center stage in Cannes

YouTube made a big splash at this year’s Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. Neal’s keynote set the stage, followed by activations featuring creators, product demos and more. We strolled up to the beach where Elizabeth Hartnett, Head of Creator Marketing in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, and Julia Liebergall, Product Marketing Manager on the YouTube Ads team, shared the inside scoop.

Q: YouTube went big this year in Cannes. What did our presence look like and why were we there in the first place?

Julia: For YouTube, the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity is an opportunity to showcase what we stand for and what we offer to culture, creators and advertisers. With this year being our 20th anniversary, we wanted to celebrate, and so we were everywhere - from a dedicated presence at Google Beach (including demos of Dream Screen, Veo Effects on Shorts, and an interactive Culture & Trends installation), to prominent out-of-home (OOH) media placements (even the Nice airport!), all the way to the main festival stage, with Neal delivering the Innovation Keynote alongside creators like Amelia Dimoldenberg, Alex Cooper and Brandon B.

Q: Why was it so important to have creators center stage and what role did they play?

Elizabeth: This is not the first time creators showed up at Cannes Lions. However, Cannes clearly opened its doors wider this year, welcoming a record number of creator attendees and elevating creators in their programming. We invited dozens of creators from around the world, from CGI storyteller Dani Verdari (Germany) and Chef Ranveer Brar (India) to avid adventurists Yes Theory (Canada) and lifestyle vlogger Haley Kalil (US). These creators hosted our Creator Collectives, participated in brand and agency talks, and shared the buzz on social. The presence of so many creators across the Festival and related events really demonstrates just how influential they are becoming to the advertiser and marketing space. It was thrilling to see them empowered as industry thought leaders.

Q: With the world’s most creative people all gathered in one place, what were the biggest takeaways from the events, talks and panels you attended?

Julia: Two words: Creator partnerships. Brands are moving past seeing creators as mere influencers that can push their products; they see them as genuine partners who shape culture and build real connections. For YouTube, this means reinforcing our position at the epicenter of culture and our value as the home for creator trust, influence, and authentic, long-term relationships over quick trends.

Another huge takeaway was, of course, AI - specifically that AI has democratized creation and helps you do more, faster ... but it's your unique perspective, storytelling, and ability to truly connect with your audience that makes content genuinely resonate. YouTube Creator Brandon B nailed this sentiment all week, especially when demo-ing Veo 3 creations for the first time during Neal’s festival keynote.

Elizabeth: Cannes signals a shift in the industry where creators are being recognized not only as the world’s best storytellers but as CEOs in their own right. Advertisers are more ready than ever to work with creators. For creators, this presents an opportunity to prove your value to brands by demonstrating the commercial value of your work. It is vital to deeply understand your analytics, know your audience inside and out, and break down how your content contributes to a brand’s business results. At YouTube we remain committed to supporting creators on your journey as entrepreneurs with more formats and tools to channel your creativity, along with providing more ways to earn.