Mastering Your Cannes Experience: The Unplugged Survival Kit

Cannes Lions is an equal mix of industry summit, fever dream, and social experiment. It's where ideas are traded on yachts, rosé flows like Wi-Fi (except more reliably), and you're somehow expected to walk 20,000 steps in platform shoes. If it’s your first time, we’ve got you. If it’s your fifth, you’ll still forget your charger. This isn’t a report—it’s a pep talk from your well-connected, slightly overtired best friend. Welcome to the Unplugged Survival Kit.

Arrival Strategy: Booked or Wingin' It

Still haven't booked? Stop reading and do that. Really. Cannes gets locked down fast, and while there’s always some option left, it might involve bunk beds and a broken fan. That said, if you’re rolling in late, don’t panic. We Cannes do anything... mostly.

Mike’s Move: The Pre-Cannes Detour My trick? Get ahead of the chaos. I come in a week early. A few days in London, a few in Paris—ease into the energy. Then take the train from Paris (Gare de Lyon) → Cannes (use Trainline or SNCF to book): five gorgeous hours of baguettes and window-staring before dropping you right in the middle of it all. No Uber battles, no stress. Bonus: you show up as the most well-rested person in a sea of jet-lag.

How do you Cannes?

• Pre-Cannes Detour
• Post-Cannes Escape
• No Rest - Land on Monday, Back home on Friday

The Lay of the Land: AKA What Am I Even Walking Into?

Cannes isn’t big, but during Lions, it stretches. The Croisette is your anchor—that long, sunny strip of chaos where nearly everything happens. One side is beaches turned brand playgrounds: Meta, Snap, Pinterest, Google. The other is lined with hotels like the Carlton, JW, and Martinez, each with their own rooftop moments or lawn activations. Somewhere in the middle? You.

Now here’s the real game: find the spots that welcome guests throughout the day—those are your go-to meeting hubs. Think yachts you can board with a wristband, penthouses with open programming, and pop-up cafés you’ll hear about in WhatsApp threads.

Café Roma? Great for a hit of caffeine and a hit of industry faces. Want to be seen? Sit outside on the edge. Just know every five minutes someone will stop by to say hi. It’s terrible for focused meetings—but perfect for catching up with 27 people without taking another step.

And if you’re heading to a villa outside the main strip? Build in a buffer. Traffic can turn a 10-minute ride into 40. We’re not saying don’t go—villas are vibey and often worth it—but don’t commit if you need to be back in an hour. This is Cannes. You make your plans, and then you make peace with them unraveling.

Keep Your Calendar (and Sanity) Intact

There are over 800 events. You will forget what you signed up for. That’s not failure—it’s physics.

Keith’s Move: Keep It Together (Literally) Keith is our resident systems brain, and honestly? Be like Keith. Sign up for curated lists like the one from Propeller Group. Keep a calendar with all your RSVPs and note which ones actually confirmed. Star your QR code emails. Color code if you’re fancy. Because the last thing you want is to be standing at the door to some rooftop activation with nothing but a shrug.

That said—RSVP to everything. Even if you don’t go. Just be on the list. Plans change hourly. If you’re not on it, you’re out. And sure, if your friend is well connected, you might still get in...but don’t make them use their magic unless it’s worth it.

Packing: The Real Talk Edition

You’ll be walking. You’ll be sweating. You’ll also be photographed in at least one recap post you didn’t know was being taken. So pack accordingly.

This means stylish but walkable shoes (platform Tevas are shockingly popular), day-to-night outfits that don’t wrinkle under pressure, and bags you can sling while holding a spritz and three branded fans. Bring a power bank. Bring two. And if you plan to yacht-hop (you will), wear shoes you can slip off fast. Painted toenails recommended.

Connection, Not Chaos

Cannes is overwhelming. That’s a feature, not a bug. The trick isn’t to see everything—it’s to make what you do count. Don’t spend your time racing from panel to panel just to say you were there. Instead, figure out where you can be most present—and most yourself. That’s where the good stuff happens.

James’s Move: Be Intentional With Your Energy He doesn’t chase every activation. He follows the people he wants to see. Think of it this way: where do your favorite conversations happen? Who’s worth a proper drink and a real talk moment? Make time for that. Let everything else orbit around it.

Also: bring or find a buddy. Cannes is better in tandem. You can divide and conquer, name-drop each other at doors, and decode “vibe check” texts in real time. Even if your calendars don’t align, having someone to regroup with at the end of the day helps turn the chaos into something way more human. Bonus points if they bring snacks.

Evening Energy: Let the Games Begin

Ah yes. The nightlife. It’s the part everyone warns you about—and yet, somehow, everyone still underestimates it. Equal parts electric and exhausting, this is where agendas dissolve, champagne multiplies, and connections get made in places your calendar never predicted.

By day, everyone talks about purpose and panels. By night, they’re running to see a surprise guest DJ on a yacht. You’ll hear whispers of concerts, villa ragers, and branded dance floors that seem to appear out of thin air. Some events are tighter than the Met Gala—invite-only, velvet rope, wristbands that may as well be made of gold. Others? You’ll wait in line for an hour just to find out they’re at capacity...and then somehow still end up having the time of your life standing on the boardwalk with a can of rosé in hand.

Here’s the truth: everything is a gamble. But that’s the fun. Sometimes the “meh” party turns into a fever dream of karaoke with strangers who become new clients. Other times, you’ll ghost the scene entirely and find yourself deep in conversation over martinis at the hotel bar—and that ends up being the highlight of your week.

Don’t burn yourself out chasing what’s hot. Follow your vibe. And always keep a pair of flats (or a backup outfit) in your bag. The night often lasts a lot longer than you planned—and if you’re doing it right, that’s a very good thing.

After the Madness

Cannes doesn’t end when the parties do—it just shifts gears. The adrenaline fades, the group chats quiet, and suddenly you realize: your feet hurt in places you didn’t know had nerves, your inbox has exploded, and you’ve been running on espresso, rosé, and charm for six straight days.

This is when the comedown kicks in. Give yourself space to process. Don’t schedule back-to-back meetings the moment you get home. Don’t book a 7 a.m. flight thinking you’ll just “sleep on the plane.” You won’t. You’ll stare at the ceiling wondering if that conversation on the lawn was a real business opportunity or a fever dream.

Erica’s Move: The Post-Cannes Cool Down You’ll hit 47,000 steps in a day and drink your weight in rosé. By week’s end, your soul needs electrolytes and silence. Erica’s trick? Escape. She heads to St. Tropez—not the scene-y part. Think: Lily of the Valley, where the robes are plush and the playlists are French and mellow. Do a beach club day (Club 55 is a classic), then go horizontal and stay there. You earned it.

Whatever your version of that is—find it. Reflect, rest, replay the wins. Because Cannes moves fast, but your body (and brain) deserve a minute to catch up. steps. The sun. The social battery drain. It all hits at once.

Final Unplugged Reminders

WhatsApp is your lifeline. DMs are for emergencies. Don’t try to “win” Cannes. Try to enjoy it. Follow up with the people who made you smile. Let the rest go.

Say yes, take breaks, drink water. And if you're ever feeling lost, look for us—we’ll be the ones under an umbrella with a chilled glass of rosé in hand, waving you over.

You made it to Cannes.

The rest is just extra.

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✨ TL;DR (Totally Lions-Driven Recap) + Bonus Intel

Didn’t read the full guide? We’re not judging. Here’s the distilled wisdom you need to survive (and maybe even thrive) at Cannes Lions:

• Yes, you need to RSVP. To everything. No really...everything!

• Always be charging. Phone, battery pack, social battery—prep all three.

• Bring walking shoes you won’t complain about. Cannes is cardio.

• Badge schmadge. The best moments happen off-strip and off-schedule.

• Plan less. Show up more. Follow your people, not the hype.

• Don’t ghost the week. Follow up. You’re building something, not just posting.

And a few fresh-from-the-group-chat extras we picked up:

🍷 Nightlife Wisdom: Be social, not sloppy.

🩹 Blister kit + fan + hydration = smarter than you think.

👯 Buddy up: Cannes is better (and safer) with a sidekick.

🍳 Know your limits: The Gutter Bar giveth and taketh away.

🧭 Location sharing with your crew = sanity. No more “where are you?” chaos.

🧠 Know Your Lane: Cannes is big. You don’t need to be everywhere. Show up where you make sense and make it count.

🧃 Future you deserves better: Bring hangover helpers, eye drops, and a face mist. Cannes takes no prisoners.