What people say versus what they mean at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity

Digiday covers the latest from marketing and media at the annual Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. More from the series →

Everyone knows industry speak can be overwhelming. It’s a whole other language entirely when that corporate lingo is taken to the French Riviera.

In case you need a refresher, here’s a cheeky digest of what people might say while they’re at Cannes Lions — and what they actually mean:

Be there soon!

You’ll be there in 20 minutes actually because you’re coming from the other side of the Croisette and you still have to bob and weave through the ego circles to get there.

Coffee in the morning?

You’ll email an apology for not making the appointment — 30 minutes after it was scheduled to take place.

Let’s chat when we’re back in New York!

You don’t want to make time to meet with them in Cannes and you’ll likely stop responding as soon as you’re away from your mutual beach setting.

I’m going to go for a run in the morning.

You have the best intentions to bring peace to your body and mind, but you will not do that. Instead, if you’re lucky, you’ll spend that time responding to emails from bed.

Is there any chance I can bring a +1?

Please add my colleagues to your RSVP list so we can schmooze in packs.

One more at the Gutter Bar?

Are you up for being awake for two more hours? Because between the hordes of people and wait time for drinks, that’s how long it will take.

More in Marketing

Marketers strain to juggle media budgets, AI and high expectations from CEOs

A new survey reveals sustained pressure on budgets as CMOs struggle to deliver on marketing goals and AI objectives.

Digiday+ Research: Marketers optimize GEO strategies amid the effects of zero-click search

While AI-generated search results are still relatively new compared to traditional search results, marketers are deeply feeling the effects.

‘Google doesn’t care that it’s terrible’: Brand, agency execs air frustrations with The Trade Desk, Google’s Performance Max, Meta’s Advantage+

Think transparency is hard to come by in programmatic advertising? Well, get a bunch of brand and agency executives in a room, and they’ll get super transparent about how opaque the digital ad market has become.