In Between the Lines – A Quiet Reflection on Cannes Lions

At a festival like Cannes Lions, it’s easy to feel like you’re supposed to walk away inspired, connected, transformed. But for me, the experience was quieter—less a spark, more a pause.

I attended panel after panel filled with big, abstract ideas: “authenticity drives impact,” “creativity is everything,” “brands must find their purpose.” Thoughtful words, no doubt—but I found them a bit vague and myself wondering where the real substance was. What about the small ideas, the messy execution, the how of it all?

I’ve realized I’m drawn to creativity not just as a philosophy, but as a craft. I like seeing how a campaign unfolds step by step, how a seemingly crazy idea is translated into real-world constraints. I want to see behind the scenes, not just on the stage.

I want to be part of those teams.

Some sessions did strike a chord, one of which is a presentation by L’Oréal and Oxford people, who shared that marketing mainly influences a limited segment of consumers—the ones already open to being persuaded. It was refreshingly grounded, a rare moment of acknowledging limits rather than limitless ambition.

Socially, watching peers effortlessly networking, I felt a bit like a confused outsider. Many people seemed fluent in a cultural shorthand I hadn’t fully learned—referencing agencies and campaigns that felt just out of reach. I’ve studied in New York and interned in Shanghai, but still, the whole ad world carries its own codes. I wasn’t always sure how to contribute.

But perhaps that, too, is part of learning.

Confusion is its own kind of clarity. Maybe I didn’t find a lot answers here—but I’m taking these questions with me into the next part of my path. I didn’t leave Cannes with a notebook full of breakthrough insights. But I did walk away with something else: certainty on what excites me, what doesn’t, and where I still have room to grow.

Thinking alone.