Cannes Lions and MediaLink announce Activision Blizzard, Adobe, NBCUniversal and TikTok as launch partners for CLX

Taking place at the Cannes Lions festival in June, CLX will provide an intimate, curated and experience-led environment bringing together some of the world’s most exciting technology, media and entertainment creators with c-suite brand executives, to discover how to create world-class compelling content to better drive consumer engagement.

The first content creator partners bringing their expertise to CLX are:

Activision Blizzard, one of the world’s leading standalone interactive entertainment companies, delights hundreds of millions of monthly active users around the world through iconic franchises including Candy Crush™, Call of Duty®, World of Warcraft®, Overwatch®, Hearthstone® and Diablo®.

Commenting on the partnership, Brian Ames, President, Activision Blizzard Media, said, “We are thrilled to share our expertise in creating enduring franchises and stories within our highly immersive interactive entertainment experiences, from video games to esports, with the world’s best marketing minds.”

Adobe is changing the world through digital experiences. Only Adobe empowers everyone to create exceptional experiences that inspire people, transform industries and move the world forward.

Adobe’s John Travis, VP of Brand Marketing, said, “People are consuming more content than ever before, and brands are challenged to deliver a compelling experience with every interaction. At Adobe we believe that every great experience starts with a combination of deep customer insights and great creative. And there is no better place to showcase creativity and the power of transformative experiences than at Cannes Lions.”

NBCUniversal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, sports and information to a global audience. NBCUniversal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment television networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, world-renowned theme parks, and a suite of leading Internet-based businesses.

“Both NBCUniversal and the Cannes Lions are built on a history of great storytelling. Today, more than ever, these stories have the unique ability to connect audiences, inspire action, and shape cultural moments,“ said Josh Feldman, Executive Vice President, Head of Marketing and Advertising Creative, NBCUniversal. “As the world’s leading content company, NBCUniversal is excited to work alongside the creative community and innovative brands to build engaging, exciting narratives, and to celebrate the power of stories everywhere.”

TikTok, the world’s leading destination for short-form mobile videos, empowers everyone to create directly from their smartphones. TikTok has built a global community by encouraging users to share their passion and creative expression through their videos.

”TikTok has created a global community that connects through the language of short-form video content, and we’re excited to showcase how our mobile-first technology inspires millions of creative, fun, positive, and inspirational videos daily,“ said Stefan Heinrich, Director of Brand, TikTok. ”Our mission aligns closely with the creative spirit embodied by Cannes Lions, as we’re focused on redefining the way short-form video is created and consumed using an approach that bridges entertainment, technology, creators, expression, and influence"

Welcoming the first CLX partners, Michael Kassan, Chairman and CEO of MediaLink, said, “CLX will bring together global marketers and agencies with the world’s best content creators for valuable conversations, top-to-top networking and impactful business opportunities. It’s a unique chance for important stakeholders to drive the future of the industry.” Louise Benson, VP Festivals, Cannes Lions, added, “Showcasing the power of their platforms, these leading media and entertainment companies will share how the world’s most popular content gets made, provide an understanding of the different entertainment verticals available, showcase new technologies and product offerings, and be on hand to discuss collaborative content and business models.”

CLX will take place Tuesday 18 to Friday 21 June 2019 in Palais II during the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. The first two days (Tuesday and Wednesday) will be an invitation only summit. On Thursday and Friday, a limited number of places will be available to Festival delegates.

More content creator partners will be announced over the coming weeks. Further information can be found at https://www.canneslions.com/learn/clx