Our team has just landed from an insightful week at Cannes 2025, energized by bold ideas, meaningful conversations, and a renewed focus on where our industry is headed. We left the Croisette with clear takeaways—and we’re already working on how to put them into action. See what stood out and what’s next for Butler/Till below.
Independents Are Gaining Ground—For Good Reason
There’s a growing recognition that independent agencies are uniquely positioned to lead through change. Without the weight of bureaucracy or internal silos, we’re seen as decisive, agile, and ready to test and learn at the pace innovation demands. Independents are able to lead with conviction, navigate complexity with clarity, and hold themselves accountable to higher standards.
Innovation Requires Infrastructure
We heard loud and clear: there’s an appetite for innovation. From alpha and beta test opportunities to cross-tactic collaborations, partners are asking for clarity on what success looks like and how we get there together. The future doesn’t belong to those who experiment. It belongs to those who operationalize experimentation.
Platforms Are Being Held to Account
The buy-side/sell-side tension was more visible this year, especially as margin transparency and long-term value alignment take center stage. SSPs and DSPs are facing real scrutiny, and marketers are asking tougher questions about what’s really driving value. We’re committed to staying sharp, advocating for our clients, and aligning with the partners who prioritize transparency, performance, and trust.
AI’s Evolution Continues
Gone are the days of AI as a flashy conference topic. Cannes made it clear: the leaders are no longer piloting but rather they’re scaling. AI is being embedded into systems, informing creative, media, and measurement strategies alike. But amidst the acceleration, a universal truth remains: people still matter. The most effective strategies will continue to be those where machine intelligence is enhanced, not replaced, by human insight.
A Week of Momentum, Connection, and Possibility
Beyond the panels and keynotes, what made this year so powerful were the serendipitous meetings, the deep conversations, and the shared belief that this work—when done right—can truly drive impact. We strengthened existing partnerships, from Amazon to OpenX to The Trade Desk, and formed new ones with platforms like Wurl and Chase Media Solutions. Several of these conversations led directly to invitations to participate in upcoming alpha/beta tests, reinforcing our role as a trusted, innovative partner.
We also explored new ways to expand our thought leadership, whether through cross-industry content initiatives or even AI-supported panels that help capture the evolving voice of our space. And we’ve taken home concrete action items including deepening our data partnership with Experian, exploring local CTV marketplace collaborations with Samsung and Magnite, and testing direct SSP integrations with Index Exchange and IQVIA.
What’s Next: Bringing Cannes Energy Into the Year Ahead
Cannes is a collision of creativity, commerce, and conviction. It’s where the big questions get asked, and sometimes even answered. As we reflect on this year’s experience, a few commitments stand out:
- Scale What Works: From testing frameworks to measurement standards, we’re focused on codifying and scaling the things that make our work great.
- Show Up Boldly: We’ll continue leaning into our strengths as an independent, but we’re also ready to challenge our comfort zones and deepen our leadership voice across the industry.
- Invest in People: The relationships we build, whether with clients, partners, or each other, are the real engines of transformation.
Cannes 2025 reminded us that polish doesn’t equal progress. It’s not about the splashiest activation. It’s about showing up with purpose, building with integrity, and having the courage to lead when the path forward isn’t clear. We’re proud to represent Butler/Till on this global stage, and even prouder to bring back insights that will help us do better work, together.
Contributors: Scott Ensign, Amanda DeVito, Gina Whelehan
