Is content creation the next act for C-Suite executives?

For the last several years, the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, which takes place every June in Cannes, France, has been synonymous with advertising’s biggest agencies, global brands, and celebrity influencers. But walking down the Croisette this year, another type of creator was increasingly commanding and seeking attention. What was once a field of fashion influencers, travel vloggers, and TikTok personalities is now lined with an increasing number of CEOs, founders, chief marketing officers, and senior executives.

The creator economy is no longer just for creators. Instead, it’s becoming a strategic leadership skill for C-Suite executives.

This year’s Cannes Lions reflected that shift. Focused less on whether executives should have a public voice and more on how they should use their voices and storytelling skills to inspire. From Microsoft Gardens and LinkedIn’s Rooftop to HarbourView Equity’s Yacht and The Female Quotient Beach, dozens of creator-focused activations revealed one theme: audiences, both internally and externally, increasingly want to hear directly from leaders. When I was at the iHeartCafe at Cannes, I met Hoda Kotb, who was there to launch her Joy 101 Podcast. I was excited to share with her that I was a big fan, as was my mother, when she said, “Let’s make a video!” And in that moment, she exclaims, “Hi Mom!” and blows kisses and smiles into an iPhone video for me. It was something that my Mom will never forget, and in the moment, I could see the power of personal connection in action.