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Postcards from Cannes 2026 – The Media Leader Live from Cannes

Postcards from Cannes 2026 – The Media Leader Live from Cannes

The Media Leader’s live blog is powered by Tickaroo and delivered in partnership with Channel 4.
Yannick Bolloré: If you want to know where you’re going, it is important to know where you come from.

Yannick Bolloré: If you want to know where you’re going, it is important to know where you come from.

Havas chairman and CEO Yannick Bolloré discusses the agency’s strategy in an era of accelerating consolidation.
Alliance of Media Independents partners with Evorra to bring audience capabilities to indies

Alliance of Media Independents partners with Evorra to bring audience capabilities to indies

The AMI has inked a partnership with the data platform that will give its 41 member agencies access to first-party audience capabilities that had previously only been available to holding group networks.
A lucky PM needs greater prominence of trusted media

A lucky PM needs greater prominence of trusted media

What did for the PM was the lack of a defining story and the inability to articulate it to a public with little interest in the details of politics.
Well-calculated wrong decisions 

Well-calculated wrong decisions 

This London Climate Action Week, there’s promising news of progress in calculating media emissions. Just make sure we don’t mistake signposts for destinations, says Thinkbox’s Simon Tunstill.
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Opinion

Why agentic commerce media will be a parallel universe for human-facing advertising

Agentic commerce will not replace traditional marketing. Instead, it will create a complex parallel operating system alongside existing consumer marketing, adding another layer of fragmentation, co-ordination challenges and competing priorities for brands.

Is paid social taking an unfair beating in the attention economy debate?

Dismissing paid social because its average attention metric is lower than TV’s is a bit like dismissing a well-targeted direct mail piece because it reaches fewer people than a national press ad, writes Republic of Media’s digital business director.

Brands in Cannes should get back to basics

While AI is a genuine addition to how people discover, it’s not a reason to look away from the platforms where desire begins, writes the MD at Vudoo.

Industry News

Audio drives profit and trust when included in marketing mix, global study finds

Audio drives profit and trust when included in marketing mix, global study finds

Nectar360 Pollen says quarter of sales driven by upper- and mid-funnel retail media

Nectar360 Pollen says quarter of sales driven by upper- and mid-funnel retail media

The Brief: Wednesday 24 June – Government plans to boost PSBs on digital platforms; Omnicom partners with Disney Advertising; Forbes Top Creators list

The Brief: Wednesday 24 June – Government plans to boost PSBs on digital platforms; Omnicom partners with Disney Advertising; Forbes Top Creators list

Havas research finds 84% of brands are viewed with indifference by consumers

Havas research finds 84% of brands are viewed with indifference by consumers

The Brief – Tuesday 23 June: ESPN launches Fan House; new DOOH network across Cineworld; Snap finds audiences seek private connection

The Brief – Tuesday 23 June: ESPN launches Fan House; new DOOH network across Cineworld; Snap finds audiences seek private connection

Universal Ads goes live in UK, providing TV with ‘easy button’

Universal Ads goes live in UK, providing TV with ‘easy button’

Ad Net Zero updates sustainable tool to track 95% of global media spend emissions

Ad Net Zero updates sustainable tool to track 95% of global media spend emissions

Unstereotype Alliance launches AI framework for responsible advertising

Unstereotype Alliance launches AI framework for responsible advertising

Data Analysis

Mapping the UK agency landscape

Mapping the UK agency landscape

The industry is calling it cross-media. It’s not

The industry is calling it cross-media. It’s not

Campaign ROI is maximised when audio gets 25% of spend, finds Radiocentre report

Campaign ROI is maximised when audio gets 25% of spend, finds Radiocentre report

Tech firms must enforce tougher age checks for social media platforms, regulator says

Tech firms must enforce tougher age checks for social media platforms, regulator says

Data Snapshot

Data-led charts from across the UK media landscape

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The Future of Media Manchester 2026

The Future of Media Manchester 2026 is the region's premier event bringing together media planners, strategists, and buyers to explore the biggest challenges and opportunities shaping the commercial media landscape. Hosted by The Media Leader, the event features expert speakers, thought-provoking debates and research-led sessions designed to spark honest conversations about where the industry is heading. Taking place at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester on 17 September, the event will bring together 600+ industry professionals and 40+ speakers for a full day of insight, discussion and networking. Attendees can expect sharp debates, fresh perspectives and valuable connections with senior leaders across the media ecosystem — making it a must-attend for anyone looking to stay ahead of the industry’s next chapter.
17 September 2026

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