Things We Have Learnt From 5 Years Of Building At Cannes Lions
The Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity, also known as the Oscars of advertising, is a 5-day event held every June in the South of France – and it is one of our favourite events to make things for.
Working on the sun blessed beaches of the French Reviera and copious amounts of Rosé are obviously major pluses. More importantly, over the last 6 years we have had the opportunity to build such creative, weird and wonderful installations, fitting out countless beachside cabana’s, overhauling penthouse suites, furnishing yachts and decking out the speakers lounge.
Unfortunately, Cannes Lions has been postponed this year due to Covid 19 (although you should check out Cannes Live which kicks off next week), so instead of posting pictures from the shores of the Côte d'Azur, we have decided to share 5 things we have learnt from building at Cannes Lions. We hope this will be useful for event production companies, design agencies, creative agencies, or fabrication partners fitting out at Cannes Lions for the first time.
1. Quality is King
The biggest brands exhibit at Cannes Lions, and despite some of the installations being in tents or Cabana’s on the beach, we have found that quality is always king. The standard of fit outs keeps getting higher and more creative every year. We love this because not only does it keep things interesting, but we prefer to build things that last, and quite often clients have ended up reusing items we have made at other events or installing them back in their offices.
2. Know Your Site
Unlike other major trade shows that are held in one large exhibition centre, Cannes Lions takes over the whole city, so it’s important to know where you are working.
The main event, talks, submission boards and awards take place in the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès which is the main convention centre. The event then spills out onto the sea front with Beach Town and Cabana Town, rows of large tents individually styled by exhibitors. Other major brands take over and build up entire beaches and piers all along the sea front (Boulevard de la Croisette).
That’s not all, companies will also take over mega yachts moored in the Vieux Port de Cannes (Marina) just next to the Palais, as well as penthouses and suites in many of the prestigious beach front hotels. Finally, villa’s in the hills host meetings and parties throughout the event.
3. La Croisette Is LONG
Should you find that you have projects in and around the Palais as well as some hotel suites further along La Croisette, just note that the beach front may look compact, but it is LONG. So, should you need to travel between sites during installation, build up or breakdown, we recommend hiring a bike, otherwise be prepared to to beat your record daily step count.
4. Approvals, Approval, Approvals
Getting approvals in advance is key. Thankfully we haven’t had any approval issues to date, but that’s because we always get our health, safety and materials specifications back to the design agency and project manager as far in advance as possible.
The Cannes Lions Exhibitors and Decorators Technical Manual is clear in terms of what is allowed or not in the Cabanas and Palais, so adhering to this is your best bet to avoiding any trouble. Regulations for other sites like yachts, villas and hotel suites may differ, so be sure to get your hands on these to avoid any approval issues.
5. Bricorama Is A Lifesaver
Despite planning for every eventuality, the unexpected can always happen. Maybe a client needs something additional, wants to change something or maybe an item you made didn’t travel well. In times like these Bricorama, the B&Q of France, has been our lifesaver.
Lastly – don’t forget to take some time to enjoy the city, take a swim and soak up the creative festival atmosphere.
