Last week, Spotify returned to the Croisette for our 11th year at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity-bringing together artists, creators, brands, and fans for three days of inspiring conversations, unforgettable performances, and bold ideas at Spotify Beach.Spotify's Cannes Lions highlights This year, Spotify was recognized across several categories at Cannes Lions, reflecting our commitment to creativity and innovation. Highlights include:
Grand Prix Lion for Innovation for the Sounds Right campaign in partnership with United Nations and AKQA.
Gold Lion for Design-Driven Effectiveness for the Spreadbeats campaign in partnership with FCB New York.
Silver Lion for Digital Design for Spreadbeats in partnership with FCB New York.
Bronze Lion in Corporate Purpose & Social Responsibility for the Sounds Right campaign in partnership with United Nations and AKQA.
Shortlisted for Excellence in Craft for the Do You Speak Anitta? campaign.
Shortlisted for Consumer Services/Business to Business and Innovation in Branded Content & Social Behavior for Spreadbeats.
Shortlisted for Fan Engagement & Community Building for the Singing in Your Inglish campaign.
Shortlisted for Rebrand/Refresh of an Existing Brand for Spotify Italy's Bloombeats in partnership with Dentsu Creative.
Shortlisted for Design for Behavioural Change for Spotify Japan's Pride Code in partnership with TBWA\HAKUHODO.
Spotify Beach in action From exclusive panels and a star-studded soir e to exceptional musical moments, here's a look back at the most memorable scenes from Spotify's week in the South of France.
Monday, June 16 Spotify Beach kicked off with powerhouse programming featuring Paris Hilton, Louis Theroux, and Charlie Puth. Moderated by Spotify's Global Head of Podcast Advertising & Business Development, Emma Vaughn, Mic Check: In Conversation With Louis Theroux, featuring Paris Hilton explored the power of storytelling across podcasts, documentaries, music, and memoirs. Paris reflected on using her podcast to highlight meaningful stories and connect with others:
With my social [channels], I can showcase the more fun, glamorous, and playful side. But through my podcast, I can talk about things that are very meaningful to me [ ] and use my voice to be a voice for others.
Puth joined Spotify's Global Head of Business Marketing, Bridget Evans, for Rhythm and ROI: Amplifying Music in Your Marketing Strategy, sharing insights on how music drives brand storytelling-and even teasing a new Broadway project and his upcoming album.
The evening wrapped with Spotify's annual soir e, where Puth performed fan favorites like Attention and See You Again, plus a surprise rendition of Bonnie Raitt's I Can't Make You Love Me. Guests included Antoni Porowski, Winnie Harlow, Kyle Kuzma, Bill Nye, Dylan Efron, Rachel Lindsay, Jake Shane, Bowen Yang, and Matt Rogers.
Charlie Puth and Bridget Evans (Photo by Dave Benett/Getty Images for Spotify)
Winnie Harlow (Photo by Dave Benett/Getty Images for Spotify)
Charlie Puth (Photo by Dave Benett/Getty Images for Spotify)
(Photo by Antony Jones/Getty Images for Spotify)
Louis Theroux and Paris Hilton (Photo by Antony Jones/Getty Images for Spotify)
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Tuesday, June 17 Day two put fandom and authenticity in the spotlight. In our Culture Club: The Influence and Impact of Fandom panel, creators Jake Shane, Morgan Absher, and Rachel Lindsay discussed the evolution of podcasting and the power of connecting directly with audiences with Spotify's Global Head of Creative Lab, Kay Hsu.
For The Power of Presence: How Authenticity and Resilience Forge Global Influence, Mark Ronson sat down with Spotify's Chief Public Affairs Officer, Dustee Jenkins, to share stories from his collaborations with Amy Winehouse, Bruno Mars, and RAYE and discuss the creative process behind hits like Uptown Funk. He also chatted about creating the Barbie soundtrack and previewed his upcoming memoir:
The great thing about Spotify is you can do enhanced audiobooks with hundreds of songs. It's a book about DJing, so of course there are songs everywhere. The audiobook can be a really fluid experience.
That night, emerging talent took center stage at Spotify Beach. Alex Warren, sombr, and Royel Otis wowed the crowd with energetic sets, while DJs Baby J and Dre Tala kept the party going. Notables like Ronson, Diplo, Ilona Maher, and Josh Richards were spotted among the revelers.
Otis Pavlovic (Photo by Dave Benett/Getty Images for Spotify)
Alex Warren (Photo by Dave Benett/Getty Images for Spotify)
Alex Warren (Photo by Dave Benett/Getty Images for Spotify)
(Photo by Dave Benett/Getty Images for Spotify)
Xavier X Jernigan, Morgan Absher, Rachel Lindsay, Jake Shane, and Kay Hsu (Photo by Antony Jones/Getty Images for Spotify)
Jake Shane and Rachel Lindsay (Photo by Antony Jones/Getty Images for Spotify)
Royel Maddell (Photo by Antony Jones/Getty Images for Spotify)
Sombr (Photo by Antony Jones/Getty Images for Spotify)
Mark Ronson and Dustee Jenkins (Photo by Dave Benett/Getty Images for Spotify)
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Wednesday, June 18 Innovation and artistry defined day three. In our From AI to IRL: Navigating Creativity in the Now panel, Xavier X Jernigan-the voice of Spotify's AI DJ in English-joined Seal and a lineup of industry leaders to explore how technology, cultural insight, and editorial expertise are powering the next wave of creativity on Spotify. The conversation highlighted how brands are leveraging Spotify's AI and personalization tools to craft winning global campaigns.
Creative director and content creator Rob Mayhew called out the power of Spotify's new Gen AI Ads tool, saying, Historically, creating an audio ad would take maybe two days. This isn't just quicker and efficient
