Creative world comes together: See It Be It and transform it

ACROSS the week, Cannes Lions is bursting with initiatives and collaborations that amplify its core conference, awards and learning programmes.

One enduring platform is See It Be It, launched as a response to the gender imbalance in the creative industry. With just 25% of agency creatives women, and only 11% expected to reach director level, the initiative aims to change the ratio of women leaders in creative departments.

Since its launch in 2014, See It Be It has helped more than 100 alumni to progress their creative careers. The 2023 theme is Know Your Power and is supported by official partner Verizon. The agenda is guided by See It Be It ambassador Madonna Badger, founder and CCO of the Badger Agency, alongside alumni tutor Steph Cajucom, creative director of Translation.

Another high-impact initiative is CC:DC’s Inkwell Beach, powered by Group Black. In 2023, the organisation celebrates five years of providing young people of colour and underrepresented communities with access to attend and participate in major events such as Cannes Lions. The theme this year is Expect the Unexpected: Moving DE&I From WOE Is Me to WOW Is Me. Sessions include Day of Disruption, featuring author, speaker and entrepreneur Luvvie Ajayi Jones, which will explore ways to implement revolutionary change in the creative industry.

Another key strand is The Global CMO Growth Council and the Councils for Progress. In 2018, CMOs from top brands came together in Cannes to create a leadership community: the Global CMO Growth Council. That original group has now spawned a community of more than a thousand CMOs with the objective of becoming a collective force for growth and good.

Last year, an expansion of the CMO Growth Council, the Global Growth Councils for Progress, tackled global issues identified by the industry as being the most important to them, their business and the planet. This year teams will review progress and accelerate the growth-building priorities for the year ahead.

Brand partners in 2023 include Amazon, which will give delegates insights into how to navigate change and build meaningful customer connections. Working out of the Amazon Port, the tech giant will showcase Amazon-owned platforms and capabilities, including Twitch, Freevee, Live Sports and Wondery. Another partner, LinkedIn, will take over the Carlton Cannes rooftop from June 19-23, offering opportunities for networking as well as thought-provoking content sessions.