June 21, 2024 – Cannes, France
In a marketing landscape defined by noise, disruption, and ever-shifting cultural tides, the CMOs of McDonald’s, Tubi, and the NFL took the stage at Cannes Lions 2024 to share a unified message: playing it safe is the biggest risk of all.
Moderated by Ad Age, the panel tackled how each brand is navigating creative ambition, cultural relevance, and operational complexity—while staying connected to their audiences in real time.
Culture Moves Fast. These Brands Move Faster.
When your brand lives at the center of everyday life—whether it’s fast food, football, or free streaming—cultural timing is everything.
McDonald’s CMO, known for leading the brand’s global “Famous Orders” campaigns with names like BTS and Travis Scott, spoke about the power of cultural co-creation.
“We don’t chase culture. We partner with it. Our most iconic moments come from listening to what people already love and adding the Golden Arches to the mix—without getting in the way.”
The NFL’s marketing head emphasized how the league has leaned into storytelling beyond Sundays, connecting with new demographics through docuseries, social media influencers, and surprise crossovers with music and fashion.
“Football is still the product, but fandom now extends 365 days a year. Our job is to keep that energy alive—even in the off-season.”
Creative Courage Over Corporate Caution
Tubi’s CMO shared how a challenger brand mindset—and willingness to zig when others zag—allowed them to make a Super Bowl moment without even paying for a traditional spot. Their 2023 bait-and-switch ad, which made it seem like someone was changing the channel during the game, generated millions of impressions and rewrote the playbook for AVOD marketing.
“We’re not afraid to be weird. That’s where attention lives. We’re okay being the brand people talk about at the bar after the game.”
All three CMOs emphasized that building modern brands requires breaking internal silos, challenging traditional approval chains, and trusting small, fast-moving teams to take smart creative risks.
Measurement Matters, but So Does Magic
In a world obsessed with metrics, the panel acknowledged the pressure to tie creativity to ROI, but reminded the audience that not everything that works is immediately measurable.
“If you only bet on what’s already proven, you’ll never break through,” said McDonald’s CMO. “The biggest brand wins happen in the moments where data and instinct meet.”
The Takeaway: Relevance Requires Bravery
As the session wrapped, the consensus was clear: great marketing doesn’t happen by accident. It’s built by teams who understand culture, trust their gut, and fight to keep creativity alive in increasingly complex organizations.
Whether you’re serving burgers, streaming thrillers, or running touchdowns, brand vibrancy comes from boldness—not bureaucracy.
And in a chaotic world, that might just be the most reliable play there is.