Post by Simon Cook

Many of this year’s winners spent as much time showing the making of the work as the work itself. Not just the finished idea, but everything it took to get there. Persistence, patience, precision. Craft. Above all, the people. I just don’t think that’s accidental. This year, 40% of entrants told us AI had played some role in their work. Regardless of the tools or process, what we heard again and again was that exceptional work still depends on things much harder to quantify: taste, curiosity, experience and care. It made me think about our own team, and the work behind the work. For one week each year, Cannes Lions comes to life. What people see is the finished experience. What they don’t see are the many months of planning, the thousands of decisions, the problems solved before they become visible, and the countless acts of care that make the week what it is. So this is simply a thank you. To our team - the creative, kind people at LIONS - and to the many people in every organisation whose best work is often invisible because it exists to make something else visible. To our Juries, for their time, commitment, passion, and humanity. We make a lot of space to recognise the finished article - and rightfully so. Today, we are grateful for everyone in the making. To everyone who took part in Cannes Lions this year, thank you. The week belongs to you. #canneslions | Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity | Anupriya Acharya Andrés Ordóñez Aaron Starkman Bertille Toledano @Chaka Sobhani Chris Beresford-Hill Dana Tahir David Ohana Greg Quinton Gugu Mthembu Jessica Apellaniz joaquin cubria Kainaz Karmakar Sato Kazoo Laurence (Lolly) Thomson Marcel Marcondes Matt Murphy Mihnea Gheorghiu Monique Nelson Oriel Davis-Lyons Pelle Sjoenell Phil Camarota Pip Smart Pum Lefebure Rafael Gil Rafael Pitanguy Sarah Lemarié Shannon Washington Sindhuja Rai Tracey Brader Tyrona Heath