Cannes Lions 2026 Preview: Salons, Submarines, Supper Clubs and More

Cannes Lions 2026 will descend on the Palais des Festivals this month, drawing brand marketers, agency leaders and experience architects from across the globe. Amid the recognition hardware being doled out and cmo-level content, we’re keeping track of how the experiential offerings are evolving this year. Check out our preview of a few of the activations, suites and exclusive events shaping the International Festival of Creativity. (Keep our editors posted on your happenings: kshea@eventmarketer.com)

 

ADOBE

The Festival, Far and Wide

As the first-ever headline partner of LIONS Creators, Adobe will be spread far and wide across the festival this year. Creator Beach behind the Palais will operate as a content and podcast studio, and venue for panels. The Majestic Hotel returns as Adobe’s home base, where the Adweek Sunset Cocktail Series with executives from the NFL, Ulta Beauty and Walt Disney Imagineering will take place. And additional programming includes an expanded experience at the Parvis with activations hosted alongside L’Oréal and Disney Imagineering, rooftop panels at The Carlton with LinkedIn focused on AI for marketers and creators, and sessions at Sport Beach.

 

BLOOMBERG

The Power Lunch, Elevated

Bloomberg Media is returning to BOBO Bistro with a “Good Business” programming hub that will play host to invitation-only lunches and curated dinners throughout the week, gathering senior leaders for discussions on thought leadership, corporate reputation and what it actually takes to move business forward, all topics that Bloomberg’s own research shows is top of mind for modern brand executives. “The Executive Table” video series, which debuted at Cannes 2025, will also return, capturing candid moments with marketing and biz leaders that will air on Bloomberg TV and digital platforms.

 

CADENT

The Hottest Ticket in Town: A Salon Chair

While La Croisette will be bustling with cabanas and exclusive suites, one team is carving out fresh real estate in town to solve a known pain point amid the French Riviera heat by offering touchups, blowouts, and a glass of champagne. In a full takeover and rebranding (inside and out) of local salon, CD Coiffure, adtech brand Cadent is partnering with Factory360 to offer beard shape-ups, scalp massages and blowouts available by appointment only June 22-24. Très magnifique.

 

MOLOCO

Above the Noise

While many brands have a presence on the beach, Moloco is heading upstairs. The adtech company’s Cannes penthouse overlooks La Croisette, and will serve as a destination for executive-level conversations, private meetings and curated events centered on AI commerce, and the future of the open internet. Panoramic views and intentional design will offer a premium backdrop for taking care of business.

 

PAYPAL ADS

The Sweetest Meeting on the Croisette

PayPal Ads is skipping the beach club in favor of something more culturally resonant. The PayPal Ads Pâtisserie, brought to life in partnership with DesignScene, will encompass a café-inspired space along the Croisette serving up coffee, pastries, informal networking areas, private meeting rooms and a dedicated content studio. The aesthetic will take cues form classic French pâtisseries, and include custom branding, floral details and a grab-and-go coffee cart.

 

PUBMATIC

The Future for Breakfast

AI-powered adtech company PubMatic will take over the Cartier (yes, that Cartier) Rooftop Suite in the heart of Cannes, offering a week of executive meetings, industry chats and programming for advertisers, agencies publishers and tech leaders. Highlights will span an “Untapped Growth” breakfast session on powering the agency of the future, and an invitation-only panel with NVIDIA focused on the future of live sports.

 

UBER ADVERTISING

From Takeoff to Last Call

For its fourth year at Cannes Lions, Uber Advertising is making the case that it’s everywhere. Literally. The company’s presence will be visible at the festival from start to finish, with engagement beginning in the air, as travelers encounter Uber Advertising on their flights, then in airport OOH screens, as well as inside the Uber app before they even touch down.

On the ground, in partnership with DesignScene, the Uber Advertising Villa will return with three days of programming, happy hours, a convenience cart and a digital wall of ad experiences updated with live World Cup content. Thought leadership sessions will dig into AI, commerce media and tying cultural moments to outcomes. Beyond the Villa, Uber will shuttle people around the Croisette in branded Mini Mokes, roll up to Sport Beach with exclusive soccer fandom data, and once again take over the Vesuvio pizza window from 1 to 3 a.m. to serve free late-night eats.

 

YAHOO 

Setting Sail for Discovery

Yahoo is going big, and back, at Cannes Lions this year with the Yahoo Explorers Society, an activation inspired by the spirit of Jacques Cousteau, and the brand’s standing as one of the internet’s OG search guides. Slated to be equal parts hospitality, tech showcase and cultural hub, the experience will focus on Yahoo Scout, the company’s new AI-powered search engine. The centerpiece of it all: a giant purple submarine that will pop up on the beach at the Explorers Society, and later by the Palais des Festivals. Also on the agenda: a soccer celebration with Yahoo Sports, a journaling and meditation session, and an exclusive Wednesday night concert headlined by Tiësto.