From rosé to revelations: The top PR trends unveiled at Cannes

Returning from Cannes a month ago, the glow of fresh ideas and a few extra pounds from the copious amounts of rosé still lingers. This year's festival was a whirlwind of activities, including engaging sessions, roundtables, and networking opportunities. Despite all the walking between venues, it feels like the rosé ultimately won.

In 2024, public relations emerged as a significant focus area amidst the traditionally ad-centric scene at the French Riviera festival. The growing presence of PR was undeniable, underscored by the sheer number of influencers attending the event, the presence of PR awards onstage, alongside the buzzing conversations around leveraging social media and reputation as key metrics to drive brand success.

From all the observations, here are the key trends that I found will impact PR this year:

The human heart of creativity

Creativity is taking centre stage like never before, with the spirit of humanity at its core. The days of dull, uniform work are over. Brands are embracing diverse perspectives and breathing new life into effective ideas that resonate with their audiences. As Deepak Chopra highlighted during his session, 90% of all decision-making happens subconsciously. Marketers and communicators who grasp the cultural fabric of their audiences—woven from myths, stories, songs, and rituals—can connect with their deep-seated aspirations and needs.

This human-centred approach will be a lasting force and the key differentiator between brands and agencies that excel. The most impactful campaigns will tap into relatability, empathy, and shared experiences. In this deeply intuitive world, PR professionals will excel, as who understands connections, collaborations, and emotions better than us? Even as we adopt advanced tech tools, we must preserve our core strength: Staying attuned to the subtleties of consumer behaviour. This ensures that our creative insights are not just driven by hard data, but also enriched with human qualities, making them fresh, instinctive, engaging, and original.

Humour makes a comeback

Humour made a vibrant return in campaigns this year, offering a refreshing break from the lingering gloom of recent years. Amidst the pandemic, global conflicts, and polarised opinions, it seemed we had lost our ability to laugh at simple things. But that's changing. Take the 'The misheard version' campaign for Specsavers. By transforming Rick Astley's 'Never gonna give you up' into a nationwide hearing test, Specsavers used humour to tackle a challenging brief. Another standout was the 'Michael CeraVe Super Bowl stunt’ where actor Michael Cera humorously pretended to be CeraVe’s founder, reminding us not to take ourselves too seriously.

The return of humour marks a shift towards more emotionally intelligent and relatable campaigns. It shows that serious messages don’t always have to be delivered in a boring manner. Even during challenging times, a well-placed joke or clever twist can significantly enhance message reception. I hope more PR campaigns follow this trend.

Purpose redefined

This year marked a significant evolution in how social impact campaigns are conceived and executed, showcasing a sophisticated blending of purpose and commercial objectives. In the past, simply having a social cause at the heart of a campaign was often enough to garner attention. However, the landscape has evolved. Today, it's about how brands can creatively intertwine these causes with their business goals.

A standout example is Renault's ‘Cars to work’ project, which tackles unemployment issues in France’s desert mobility areas by providing vehicles to individuals without financing options. Payment for the car leases is deferred until they secure employment. By addressing a significant social issue while boosting their sales, Renault showcased how purpose-driven initiatives can drive both impact and business growth. This trend showcases a more mature understanding that meaningful change and commercial success can be mutually reinforcing.

AI hype becomes practical

AI continues to be a hot topic, sparking conversations and demonstrating creative applications in many recent campaigns. For instance, Pedigree’s 'Adoptable' campaign used a bespoke AI model to transform shelter dog photos into studio-quality images, integrating them into digital ads to promote dog adoption and support Pedigree’s mission to end dog homelessness globally. As we move from experimentation to practical application, AI holds the promise of ushering in what Elon Musk describes as "an age of abundance." Yet, contrary to predictions of the “death of work,” AI will arm us with cutting-edge tools for deeper insights and grander ideas, enhancing our creative potential rather than replacing it.

The true differentiator will remain human intelligence, and how we use AI to enhance our work, not replace it. This has been vividly illustrated by Dove's ‘The code’ campaign, which tackles biases in AI’s depiction of beauty by pledging never to use AI to alter images of real people. This bold stance against homogenised beauty standards highlights AI's dual potential: It can either reinforce harmful norms or promote authenticity when guided by human values. As we navigate this new landscape, it is crucial that we remain the architects of our technological future, ensuring that AI serves as a force for good.

Think bigger and bolder

PR agencies are finally stepping out of the shadows of ad agencies and claiming their well-deserved spotlight. Winning Grand Prix, Titanium and Gold awards in several categories this year is a monumental achievement, especially given the fierce competition. This recognition is a call to break the mold, trust in our capabilities, and push the boundaries of what PR can achieve. I hope this inspires us to confidently present our boldest ideas to clients. It doesn't matter if some ideas get rejected; what matters is having the courage to think differently.

This shift in mindset will inevitably spark questions about budgets and other challenges, but let's save those discussions for another day. The real takeaway here is that these victories should empower us to think bigger and embrace our creativity. Now is the time to redefine the communications landscape.

Wrapping up

Reflecting on these trends, it’s evident that the PR industry is at a pivotal juncture. With AI advancements, instinctive storytelling gaining prominence, and our remarkable performance at Cannes this year, we’re set for significant growth. The integration of creativity, humanity, and humour into our strategies is no longer optional—it’s imperative. As we navigate this evolving landscape, cross-disciplinary collaboration will be key.

So, let’s roll up our sleeves, put on our creative hats, and show the world that groundbreaking ideas don’t just come from the “Mad Men” club. The future of PR is bright, and together we can shape it boldly—and maybe have a little fun along the way.
 

Nitin Mantri is group CEO of Avian WE and regional executive managing director, APAC for WE Communications.