Last week, as part of the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity, the Influencer EMEA and North America teams headed to the Influencer Villa in Cannes to welcome some of the world’s biggest brands, leading creators and industry experts.

The first event, Drink Outside the Box, in partnership with TikTok, combined cutting-edge industry insight with afternoon cocktails to kick-start the week. Ben Jeffries, Influencer CEO and Co-Founder was joined by Jonathan Kroopf, TikTok Head of BD, Creator Marketplace for the poolside discussion. Their discussion delved into the power of creators, outlining how their expert creativity and audience knowledge make them a necessity for so many brands and discussing how they’re especially effective as part of long-term partnerships. They also explored how the most innovative brands are using influencer marketing to redefine the collaboration model, and create content that deeply connects them with targeted communities.

On Tuesday, the Influencer team hosted The Social Feast, again in partnership with TikTok. Expert food creators John Gregory-Smith and Lina Jabbari joined industry specialists Luke Townsin, Creative Product Strategy & Ops at TikTok and Jenny Penich, SVP of Commercial North America at Influencer for a panel on how creators are not only revolutionising the food industry but the influencer marketing landscape as a whole. The conversation explored the change, opportunity and collaboration that food content creators are leading in the industry, with consumers increasingly trying new foods and turning to social media for recipes. The panel explored the abundant benefits for brands who are turning to creators during this shift, including how creators help them to engage with new audiences and more importantly, how creators are empowering brands to stand out. 

For Influencer’s third event, the Influencer Villa welcomed a panel of sports, marketing and creator experts including Misha Sher, Global Head of Sport at EssenceMediaCom; Emily Trenouth, Head of Influencer at Amazon; Brieane Olson, CEO of PacSun and Ocean Lewis, athlete, model and creator, moderated by Rachel Powney, VP of Marketing at Influencer. In anticipation for the Women’s World Cup, the talk hinged around the role of women, both as creators, as sportspersons and as leaders. Guests enjoyed a discussion which outlined how the opportunities for female sport creators are enabling new opportunities both for women in sport, but also for the representation of women in the wider marketing industry. 

The Influencer EMEA and NA teams proudly hosted insightful conversations around the opportunity and future of influencer marketing. They provided a platform for creators, brands and experts redefining collaboration in the food and drink, and sport and fitness industries, as well as highlighting the importance of championing inclusivity in the sector in order to create growth that is successful and sustainable. As influencer marketing makes a greater mark on the Croisette, and on the wider marketing industry, Influencer is delighted to have hosted such an excellent series of conversations and events. 

If you would like to learn more about any of the topics we discussed at Cannes, or how influencer marketing can benefit your business, please get in touch with us at contact@influencer.com