Last year Publicis Groupe had some fun at the Cannes Lions festival with its so-called “BSBot,” that was designed to help parse the new and interesting about AI at the festival from all of the hype surrounding the technology. 

This year the firm is setting a more businesslike tone heading into the show, noting the growing macroeconomic uncertainties and the growth challenges facing the industry.  

The Groupe’s main focus at the festival this year will be dozens of one-on-one meetings with clients where the company will show them “how to create AI upside to fight the downturn and the gloomy forecasts of economists, analysts and the press,” stated CEO Arthur Sadoun. 

“With clients being challenged and our industry facing an unrelenting news flow of restructurings and layoffs, this year’s Cannes will have a different tone,” he added. “And that calls for a different approach.” 
 
Like last year, the Groupe’s private client meetings will be held in various locations away from the beachfront Crossette. The Groupe is not renting beach space or hosting public programming. 

“There won’t be much sand and sun in those sessions,” Sadoun said. “But there will be actionable ideas clients can immediately implement to drive tangible business results and offset any potential slowdown as early as next quarter.” 

And those ideas will by-and-large be driven by AI, which Sadoun added will again “be the star of the festival.”  

But, he cautions, “now more than ever, we can’t afford to be distracted by AI theory, AI long term possible play or AI potential federations. If AI is going to truly build a better tomorrow for businesses and brands, we have to put it to work on real solutions, here and now."