For months before I arrived, Cannes Lions seemed to generate more excitement among the people around me than it did for me. Friends, colleagues, clients, and industry peers all had the same reaction when they heard I was attending. "You're going to Cannes?" It was usually followed by questions about award entries, shortlisted work, or jury duties. When I explained that I was travelling from India simply to learn, observe, and be inspired, the reaction was often one of surprise. In an industry obsessed with outcomes, perhaps we have forgotten that inspiration can be reason enough. My first lesson at Cannes came before I had even entered the festival. 

The badge collection process, which I had mentally prepared myself to spend half an hour navigating, took barely a minute. Thousands of people from across the world, yet everything moved with remarkable efficiency. It set the tone for what would become a day full of unexpected moments. 

Instead of rushing to a keynote, I headed straight to the exhibition area beneath the Palais to look at the work. For someone who has spent nearly two decades in communications, there is something special about standing inches away from campaigns you have only read about from afar. I found myself lingering over projects like I Wool Survive, Dad, I Fell in Love with an Alpha, and India's Longest Saree. As I was looking through the work, a Cannes Lions jury member happened to stop nearby. What began as a casual exchange quickly turned into a conversation about some of his favourite campaigns from India. He spoke warmly about his time in Mumbai, recalled work that had stayed with him over the years, and shared his admiration for Indian creativity.

Ten minutes into Cannes and I was already discussing creative work with someone I had never met before. That was the moment I understood what makes this festival different.

Yes, the stages are impressive. Yes, the speakers are world-class. But the real value often sits between the sessions, in conversations that were never planned.

My first session of the day featured AB InBev. Several ideas stayed with me long after I left the room: that we are fundamentally in the human business, that consistency is often underrated, and that the ability to dream big while remaining humble is what sustains organisations over time. 

Later, I found myself fascinated by discussions around creativity in the age of AI. One session explored whether creativity can influence both large language models and human minds in the same way. The answer, unsurprisingly, was no. Humans and machines process creativity differently, creating entirely new questions about how impact will be measured in the future.

The sessions from the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute and Mini MBA brought a completely different energy. Sharp, witty, and refreshingly direct, they challenged conventional thinking around brand purpose while reinforcing the enduring importance of mental availability. Even when I disagreed, I found myself taking notes.

What struck me throughout the day was that every session seemed to offer at least one idea worth carrying home. Between sessions, I spent time meeting people from different corners of the industry. Surprisingly, many of them were attending Cannes for the first time as well. Despite coming from different countries and disciplines, there was a shared sense of curiosity that made every conversation feel easy. 

There was, however, one topic everyone seemed united on. The heat. Apparently, I had arrived on one of the hottest days France had seen in recent memory. Whether discussing creative effectiveness, AI, media, or branding, conversations inevitably found their way back to the weather.

As I write this after a long day of learning, walking, meeting people, attending sessions, and ending the evening at a PR networking dinner over a few glasses of rosé, one feeling stands out above everything else. Gratitude. Not because I attended Cannes. Not because I heard great speakers or saw award-winning work.

But because after 20 years in communications, I still felt excited enough to walk into a room full of strangers, learn something new, and leave inspired.

And for a first day at Cannes, that feels pretty special.

The author is founder and CEO, Ebony & Ivory PR.