Digiday covers the latest from marketing and media at the annual Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. More from the series →
Our coverage of the Cannes International Festival of Creativity is brought to you by Centro, a provider of media services and software that aims to improve campaign performance and digital media teams’ productivity.
Let’s face it: Going to the Cannes Lions is a recipe for disaster. There are just too many ways to become far too intoxicated by drink and “inspiration.” You have to think how this is going to come off to others, particularly because you’re going to tweet, Instagram, Facebook, Tumblr and Foursquare the whole thing.
We’ve come up with some danger signs that you’re at risk for passing from hard-working ad guy unwinding a bit in the Riviera and into the category of douche.
Don’t order the magnum of rose at the Carlton Terrace
Don’t wear white sunglasses.
Don’t wear The Creative Guy Fedora.
Don’t complain how Cannes used to be more fun when the clients weren’t there.
Don’t pass out on the sidewalk.
Don’t don the speedo just because you’re in France.
Don’t pose for photos with the mother and daughter prostitute team.
Don’t close down the Gutter Bar at 6 a.m. (Leave at 5:30 a.m.!)
Don’t Instagram the bill of your outrageous bar bill.
Don’t Instagram your helicopter ride from the Nice airport.
Don’t carry around your Cannes Lions the night after you win — gotta act like you’ve been there before.
Don’t check in on Foursquare on a yacht.
Don’t lose your phone, and then ask people to tweet you because you lost your phone.
Don’t wear your name badge everywhere you go.
Don’t be the married lecherous dude — it isn’t a good look.
Don’t take it all too seriously.
More in Marketing
How the MAHA movement influenced food and beverage brands in 2025
The MAHA movement has come to stand for different things in different people’s eyes, depending on which initiatives they most closely follow.
Why Georgia-Pacific is turning its programmatic scrutinty to the sell side
The company is turning its attention to the sell side, zeroing in on the ad tech firms that move inventory for publishers — the supply-side platforms.
Future of Marketing Briefing: Why ‘just good enough’ is generative AI’s real threat to marketers
When characters and mascots are allowed to live inside generative systems, they stop being event-based and start becoming environmental.














