Coming a bit later than planned but continuing on from the last Substack recap of my Cannes Lions 2026 trip, I wanted to share some more details of some of the activations I loved!

Yahoo

Bringing the Explorers Society concept to life, Yahoo created a flexible lounge setting for meetings and daytime programming. Partnering with Amplify to transform the Martinez beach, the focal-point of the activation was a 20 ft purple submarine, serving as both a visual landmark and a functional gathering space. It even served smoothies, coffee and rosé throughout the week!

New brands on the scene…..

Formula 1 made an appearance at Cannes this year with their takeover of Caffé Roma. Partnering with CAA, Formula 1 created a space that brought colleagues, clients and partners together touching every corner of entertainment and sports for four days of meetings, cocktail parties, dinners and World Cup watch parties.

It was a great way in as their first activation at Cannes Lions, but I’m not going to lie, I expected more and hopefully we see this next year. Formula 1 are doing amazing things globally at the moment and it would be epic to see this come to life in Cannes next year.

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I’m just back from another year in the South of France attending the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity and what a week it was!

As usual, rosé was flowing, beach clubs were non-existent - all replaced by huge brand builds and this year, the festival moved even further into the city of Cannes, with more and more restaurants, cafes and shops being transformed into private brand spaces.

It was a week filled with discussions around balancing technology with human creativity, creators within the advertising industry and an overall opinion that experience still wins even though it’s not recognised within the awards themselves.

It’s interesting to see how post covid, the experience side of Cannes has exploded with brands like Canva, Amazon, Netflix and Linkedin all doubling down on their brand activations.

So let’s get into it - who were the brands who stood out? I’m breaking it down below…. and probably in a few more posts!

Canva

Back with their Creative Cabana concept, Canva were in a new location on the Croisette this year and dare I say, might have even taken over the title for largest daily queue at the festival. (A spot usually held by Pinterest)

With a myriad of immersive activations running all day from a gelato counter to a postcard station and curated programming, not to mention the many many mist machines they had (serious bonus points for this), Canva was a hive of activity the entire week.

As a vibrant hub for marketers, creatives, and industry leaders to connect, learn, and collaborate, Canva's presence reflected its broader vision of making design more accessible and empowering brands to create compelling campaigns in an increasingly AI-driven marketing landscape.

Pinterest

Always one of my favourite activations at the festival, this years Manifestival beach encouraged guests to focus on IRL experience. Guests received a Pinterest-branded phone sticker on arrival with the phrase ‘Less URL. More IRL.’ setting the tone for the experience and inviting attendees to be fully present.

The ever popular tattoo parlour was back, alongside an upgraded Pinterest Patisserie - offering guests a unique tasting experience through custom desserts.

And in partnership with Adobe, the Pinterest Visual Search Studio allowed guests to visually discover their personal aesthetic by using handheld scanners, or ‘Pinterest search bars’, to capture what they love. On-site designers then used Adobe Express to transform their selections into a custom-printed journal.

Reddit

Never failing to surprise, Reddit returned this year with a new concept, The Reddit Community Deli - an immersive experience built from real conversations that take place on Reddit.

With the deli having a moment on Reddit (conversations about deli culture jumped 4x in just the past year), the brand took note and brought it to Cannes, fully stocked with live programming, ‘daily drops’ and of course, deli food!

For those of us lucky enough to grab a spot in the queue for Tuesday’s Daily Drop, Reddit partnered with Sephora to gift goodie bags full of Glow Recipe products!

The Female Quotient

Usually centre stage on the rooftop of the Martinez, The Female Quotient expanded to a beach this year and honestly I almost felt personally proud, as I’ve been attending the FQ space at Cannes Lions since 2017!

With a market stall full of free goodies sponsored by Wallmart Connect, a spin to win with #paid and a Supergoop SPF station and photo booth where guests could top up their sunscreen, this was an activation full of clever partnerships.

They also had a QR code drinks station where you could order your favourite barista drink online and collect when the screen said so!

So what were the biggest trends at this years Cannes Lions?

Postcards

From Spotify to Canva to Netflix, Postcard stations were a super popular activation at many of the brand spaces this year. Offering customisation options, or simply the opportunity to post a message home to a friend, brands concentrated on this tangible action and built an experience around it.

Ice cream

I mean this is always a fan favourite given the climate, but ice-cream was on offer at Amazon, at Canva’s Gelateria, Pinterest’s Patisserie and Whatsapp’s Kiosk at Meta Beach to name a few.

Charm Stations

Brands who got involved? The Female Quotient, Sport Beach, Tubi, and Snapchat at Sport Beach!

Offering guests a chance to get creative with bracelets, key chains and phone charms, Charm stations were a hit at the brand activations this year.

The most interesting idea from a brand?

The Canva Creative Cabana included a merch kiosk, selling branded Canva merch. Let’s be honest, Cannes is usually the land of free stuff, but I thought this was a super interesting move from Canva given that merch is now a huge trend with consumers.

Rather than simply giving away promotional items, except for their iconic striped tote bags that were a staple on the Croisette all week, Canva launched a limited-edition collection… that consumers were willing to purchase. From apparel and accessories to lifestyle products, the merch evolved into an extension of the brand experience, creating exclusivity, building community, and turning customers into brand advocates. This shift reflects a broader move toward brands behaving more like lifestyle labels, where well-designed merchandise becomes both a revenue stream and a powerful expression of brand identity.

Check it out here, (and no sadly this is not sponsored by Canva)!

Bringing brand new mochi bites to North London, Little Moons celebrated the launch of their most recent zesty lemon sorbet flavour- Lemon & Elderflower Refreshos. At the parlour pop up, Little Moons created its own exclusive version of the viral lemon sorbet….think lemon groves, golden sunshine and that pure summer energy.

Marni Flower Kiosk Pop-Up, Milan

Running for two days, Marni created a corner in bloom, turning a Milanese kiosk into a flower market. Perfect for vibrant content opportunities!

Rare Beauty NYC and Paris!

Providing a wall of delight for guests, consumers could stop by to get shade matched IRL, score deluxe Rare Beauty samples, and the chance to win a one-year supply of foundation.
📍NYC: 282 Hudson Street, New York City
📍PARIS: 36 Rue Etienne Marcel, Paris

Supergoop at the Players

As the official suncare of the PGA Tour, Supergoop created a kiosk where guests could top up on SPF while watching pros on the course!

Formula 1 has seen rapid growth in recent years and a wave of brands are lining up to cash in on the sport’s premium fan base, global visibility and cultural relevance.

Unlike many sports, F1 races are multi-day festivals with huge fan zones and hospitality areas which leads to our main topic, the brand activations! So here’s our recap of everything we saw (brand wise) at this years Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne…..

KitKat Fanzone

KitKat will feature at twelve F1 races in Nestlé's top markets during the 2026 season and this weekend was their debut on track. Their pop-up offered immersive fan experiences, exclusive merchandise, in-store activations, prize promotions and limited-edition products. They also popped up with KitKat Break Zones - dedicated chill-out spaces featuring giant screens, comfortable beanbags, and shaded umbrellas ensuring guests could catch every lap while reseting.

What it was? A fan zone activation, open to all.

Hero moment? F1 Chocolate Bars!

La Roche Posay Precision Pit-Stop

Championing sun safety, La Roche Posay created a sunscreen pit-stop station for fans attending the race at Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit. Guests could experience the brand’s trackside activation, featuring sunscreen sampling, quick “pitstop” application stations and interactive games testing reflexes and precision.

What it was? A fan-zone activation, offering free sunscreen to guests.

Hero moment? The petrol pumps set build.

Casa Ferrari

Located along the main straight at Albert Park, Casa Ferrari returned for another year of exclusive experiences for Ferrari owners, VIP clients, and brand partners. The premium trackside hospitality base served as a hub for Italian fine-dining food, a branded gelato cart and an elevated set design, a nod to the brands luxury status.

What it was? A three story Ferrari hospitality space, open to VIP guests and invited guests of the brand.

Hero moment? The gelato cart!

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Audi Revolut F1 Team

Taking over AFLOAT, a floating bar and restaurant moored on the Yarra River in Melbourne, Audi transformed the space into the team’s public headquarters for the week. Throughout the GP weekend, the venue hosted live screenings of the F1 sessions, displayed the Audi R26 show car and offered racing simulators, immersive installations and technology showcases to bring visitors closer to the engineering story behind the team’s F1 project.

What it was? A restaurant/bar takeover with a programme of events throughout the week.

Hero moment? The F1 live screenings, enjoyed on loungers by the pool!

The brand also partnered with one of Melbourne’s cult sandwich spots, Nico’s Deli. Especially for race week, drivers Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto each created their own limited-edition sandwich inspired by their personal tastes which were available across multiple Nico’s locations during the week.

McLaren × Puma – Beach Pop-Up

Running all race weekend, McLaren and Puma took over West Beach Pavilion at St Kilda to bring racing simulators, exclusive merch and viewing parties to the city. Check out more here!

What it was? A beach club takeover open to all.

Hero moment? The F1 car sculpted from sand.

Dorito’s Taste The Trill

Bringing bold flavours and big thrills to the F1, guests could tackle the 92 steps up the Doritos Taste The Thrill Tower to one of the boldest, most expansive views of all the race action at Albert Park. Doritos also served up flavour-packed Loaded nachos from the Doritos Loaded Food Truck

What it was? A viewing tower and food truck.

Hero moment? Bringing the food to the fans with the food truck on site!

Mecca Max Beauty Pit Stop

As Mecca Max’s third year trackside, the 'Beauty Pit Stop' was designed as a trackside beauty garage where fans of all ticket types can enjoy complimentary express eye services. For the first time, fans were also able to purchase an extended range of products and limited-edition gifts directly trackside.

What it was? An interactive and immersive beauty retail experience.

Hero moment? The Mecca Max Pit Lane Masterclass

F1 Run Clubs

• adidas hosted a early morning routes which brought runners together before the crowds gathered at Albert Park, finishing back at AFLOAT where participants could refuel with coffee, food and music. The runs coincided with the launch of the Audi Revolut F1 Team x adidas collection, which includes both official teamwear worn by drivers and mechanics and a lifestyle-focused fanwear range.

• Gatorade Run The Track!

  For the first time ever, the iconic Albert Park F1 circuit opened its gates at the beginning of the race weekend, giving everyday runners the chance to hit the track before the race cars did. Gatorade Run The Track took place at 5.30am on Thursday, March 5.

With Formula 1’s cultural and commercial momentum showing no signs of slowing, brands will be lining up again in 2026!

Our topic of this month? Beauty brand café collaborations!

We’ve seen a rise in the use of existing cafés and restaurants to host pop-ups and I mean it makes sense…. brands are making use of existing consumer bases, coffee on tap and having to spend less on set and dressing costs.

Some I’ve seen recently?

Anua x EL&N: The Glass Skin Dessert Drop, London

From 17th February to 3rd March, cult Korean skincare brand Anua teamed up with Instagram-famous café EL&N for a limited-time collaboration that blended beauty, glow and dessert.

Inspired by Korea’s coveted ‘glass skin’ trend, the partnership centred on the EL&N x Anua Honey Glaze Cake – a glossy, layered creation of coconut frangipane, honey, peach jelly glaze, peach mousse and white chocolate ganache. Consumers could buy a cake to receive a free Anua skincare duo worth £46, the Rice 70 Glow Milky Toner and 7 Rice Ceramide Hydrating Barrier Serum.

Joonbyrd X Shreeji Newsagents, London

Popping up at the popular Chiltern St space, Joonbryd brought their bodycare trunk show to consumers with an immersive one-day activation that included product discovery, a founder meet-and-greet and gifts with purchase.

Nudestix x Fellini Coffee, NYC

Marking the launch of the Sweet Cheeks shade extension at @ultabeauty, Nudestix partnered with Fellini Coffee in the West Village for a day of coffee, content and a free Nudestix Blush Tint!

Max Factor x Floozie Cookies Pop-Up

Running from 13th-28th February, Max Factor teamed up with Covent Garden favourite, Floozie Cookies, to offer guests a free Max Factor lipstick with any purchase. Order a Marsh-mellow Cookie Pop and get a Max Factor lipstick in Brown Butter!

Ole Henriksen x Sephora UK x Nine Squared Coffee, Belfast

Celebrating the launch of the new Sweet Macaron Pout Preserve with Emma Neill, beauty brand Ole Henriksen in collaboration with Sephora, popped up at Belfast coffee hub, Nine Squared for a day of masterclasses and macaron decorating. They transformed the café into ‘The Peptide Pâtisserie'‘, serving coffee alongside a delicious new lip treatment with lasting hydration and rosy-mauve tint.

Vogue Café at Milan Fashion Week

A space designed to create a sense of community during Milan Fashion Week this year, Vogue partnered with Officine Saffi, in the heart of the Sarpi district to bring their Vogue Café concept to life once more. The programme of events included workshops, styling sessions and a live reading of the March issue with Vogue editors.

So what do all of these café pop-ups have in common?

Apart from being centred around coffee (or other hot drinks), they put community first. They are spaces with existing consumer bases and naturally turn products into a lifestyle.

And more importantly, what’s coming up this week in the events and activations world…..

• Maebe Village Pop-Up, London : Saturday 7th March, 9am - 7pm

• Garnier Cirque du Sorbet Pop-up, London : Saturday 7 March