Variety Partners With Canva, Google TV, Uber Advertising, Deloitte and Others for Expanded Slate of Cannes Lions Events
Attendees of the 71st Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity — dedicated to honoring creative innovation and excellence in marketing, advertising, design, communications and related disciplines — may notice that Variety has expanded its presence this year through its partnerships with Canva, Google TV, Uber Advertising, Deloitte and Samsung Ads, resulting in a full slate of events running throughout the week.
'At Canva, we believe creativity thrives in community,' says Kristine Segrist, Canva global head of consumer marketing. '[We're] all about fueling connection, creativity and bold ideas, and partnering with Variety helps us create these moments in all the right ways.'
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Last year's inaugural partnership with Variety proved so successful, Segrist wanted to do something even more special in 2025 by going bigger — and beachside — with its first Canva Creative Cabana, right on the iconic Croisette.
The two-day (June 17-18) Canva Creative Cabana will serve as the venue for Variety in the C-Suite Presented by Canva, a series of intimate conversations with marketing leaders from brands and industry leaders, including Mark Weinstein, chief marketing officer, Hilton; Karen Kovacs, president, advertising and partnerships, NBCUniversal; Lisa McKnight, EVP and chief brand officer, Mattel; Raja Rajamannar, CMO, Mastercard; Domenic DiMeglio, chief marketing officer and head of data, Paramount+; Patricia Corsi, chief growth officer, Kimberly-Clark; Zach Kitschke, chief marketing officer, Canva; Rita Ferro, President Global Advertising, Disney; Marisa Thalberg, CMO, Catalyst Brands; and will.i.am, founder and CEO, FYI.AI.
Several of those luminaries will attend the Variety Canva Supper on the Croisette, an exclusive networking dinner on June 16, hosted by Variety co-editors-in-chief Cynthia Littleton and Ramin Setoodeh and Kitschke.
'We've designed this beautiful and inclusive space where brand builders, creative thinkers and leaders can come together to connect over big ideas from the future of AI to building brand love at scale,' says Segrist.
On June 17, attendees can unwind and absorb insights at the Variety Sports Culture Happy Hour, presented by Uber Advertising. The event will be headlined by a panel discussion exploring how the sports community is creating valuable connections to today's audiences. Panelists will include Olympic champion gymnast Jordan Chiles, NBA chief marketing officer Tammy Henault, American Express exec VP of global brand advertising Jess Ling and Georgie Jeffreys, head of marketing for Uber, U.S. and Canada.
The same day, Setoodeh will moderate a panel with Amanda Batula, star of Bravo's 'Summer House,' and Kerry Nelson, head of brand marketing, Samsung Ads, at the Business of Reality private event on the Samsung Ads Floating Penthouse. The conversation will explore how on-screen authenticity translates to real-world value, and how brands can harness reality programming's loyal fandom.
The Variety TV Innovation Brunch, presented by GoogleTV, is set for June 18. It will kick off with a keynote conversation with WNBA champion and TV host Candace Parker, which will be followed by an executive roundtable exploring how marketers are advancing the TV experience for audiences and their partners, featuring Shalina Govil-Pai, VP and GM, Google TV; Ryan Gould, co-president, advertising, Warner Bros Discovery; and Nicole Parlapiano, CMO, Tubi.
Also on June 18, Littleton will record a live 'Strictly Business' podcast with Michelle McGuire, principal and chief commercial officer of Converge by Deloitte, alongside Ruba Borno, vice president of global specialists and partners of AWS. The invitation-only taping, hosted on the Room's yacht, will focus on how crucial mastering the latest marketing data trends and technologies is to elevating audience fandom for sports, media and entertainment experiences.
Segrist says she's looking forward to spotlighting what's possible for marketers with the latest tools, as well as sprinkling in a few 'surprise-and-delight moments' along the way.
'The people. The energy. The ideas. There's something incredibly electric about being surrounded by creative minds and leaders from around the world who have a shared passion for discovering and shaping what's next,' says Segrist.
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