I wrote about Cannes Lions Day 1, including Janice Min’s Q&A with Roku’s Charlie Collier, listed 14 must-meet power players at the fest, profiled YouTube daredevil Michelle Khare and wrote about Hollywood’s creator gold rush and Netflix’s podcast ambitions. I’m natalie@theankler.com
The heat wave in France swelters on, but record temps haven’t slowed down the activity along the Croisette. Creators — and here that means everyone from Kevin Durant to Eva Longoria, who are both talking up brands all week long — are out in force. In the last 24 hours I’ve run into Dhar Mann, caught a glimpse of Jenna Lyons and watched Summer House’s Kyle Cooke DJ an NBC cocktail party, where his co-star Lindsay Hubbard succinctly summed up this year’s fest: “It’s hot AF.”
After a full day of programming on Tuesday, which I’ll brief you on below, Team Ankler retreated to the hills today for a swanky private lunch at Villa Bagatelle co-hosted by CEO Janice Min, Whalar co-CEOs Jo Cronk and Emma Harman and myself. Mediterranean views and a very welcome cool breeze welcome some of the most in-demand people at the fest, including NFL CMO Tim Ellis, creator Adam W, FOX’s head of creator studios Billy Parks and NBCUniversal chief business officer Liz Jenkins, who took a break from the hustle-bustle to break bread. Over grilled sea bass and summer strawberries, financial literacy creator Mia McGrath told me she traveled to Cannes with her management firm, Whalar Group-owned Sixteenth, a decision that’s already paid dividends thanks to the connections she made at brand activations along the Croisette — which she’s been documenting on her Instagram all week.
