“The Best Photo I Took At Cannes Lions 2023”

The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity 2023 last week was whirlwind. From seven shortlists, which resulted in two wins, to a re-creation of the Cheetle statue in Cannes, this was a record-breaking year for Citizen.

And while seeing the work recognized on such a global platform – amongst the best of the best – is a great honour in itself, Cannes is about an entire industry of creatives and marketers coming together, learning from each other and basking in all the inspiration found on the French Riviera.

We asked our Citizen Cannes-goers to share their best picture from the week with us – here’s what they had to say!

Abeer Verma – Creative Director

“Only Spike Lee would start an acceptance speech with “The fact that I’m up here is an accident…” and end it with “Keep doing your thing”. A storyteller still very much in love with their craft. Also, a lesson is personal branding and style.”

Nick Cowling – CEO

“Having our name on seven shortlists and walking away with our first agency-led Lion (x2!) is tough to beat – but I have to say, seeing the Cheetle statue getting its own Cannes badge was pretty cool! What a week.”

Shirley Xu Wang – Art Director

“This was definitely one of the most creative talks I went to – it was a musical! The artistry was incredible and they delivered such a great message on how our voice is everything when it comes to creativity. And the fact that I was learning from incredible creatives from Japan shows how Cannes brings so many people together from around the world.”

Jenn Duggan – President, Ontario & West, Canada

“Hearing from inspirational global leaders and brands in a room full of marketing and creative experts was incredible. Here, Estee Lauder’s Global Changemaker, Amanda Gorman, is speaking on how Personal Impact is Personal and it got me thinking about how Citizen’s impact goes beyond our clients and partners; each one of us has an impact on our community around us – whether at work or outside.”

Mike Lo Nam – Creative Director

“Left Cannes with one of the best pieces of advice I could ever get from a jury – “Don’t look at winning work. But look at those that didn’t win. And try to understand why they didn’t.”

Alex Green – Vice President

“Seeing our work on the boards with the best of the best from around the world was truly a humbling and inspiring experience for me. It gave me a new outlook on the type of work I know Citizen can and will continue to create in the future.”

Josh Budd – Chief Creative Officer

“Cannes is all about the work… but it’s also all about concentrated time with colleagues and clients. This picture is from a dinner with Citizen, PlusCo colleagues, and Citizen clients where we spoke about our ambitions for the next year and how we’re going to get there. Guards are down, no one is running to pick up kids/walk the dog, and everyone is inspired and motivated by the same work and the same standards. That’s the magic of Cannes.”