From 17-21 June 2024, RTL Group’s international advertising sales house once again built up a creative hub on the Croisette during the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. For the third time, RTL AdAlliance organised a line-up of engaging panels and talks, representing RTL Group in Cannes next to big US players such as Google, Spotify and Netflix.
This year, RTL Beach again combined business with networking, offering fruitful discussions and fun parties throughout the four-day programme. The event highlighted the importance of free media as a pillar of society, supported by advertising that fuels high-quality content, including trusted news and entertainment.
AI in advertising & media
One of the main topics this year was the role of AI-powered solutions in advertising, creativity, tech and audience engagement strategies. Speakers on the panel ‘The AI Journey of Future Media’, which offered a comprehensive exploration of AI's impact on the newsroom and journalism, included Rhys Nölke, Chief Data Officer at Bertelsmann, Sonja Schwetje, Managing Director Programming at NTV and Editor-in-Chief Business News and Networks at RTL News, and Ben Thompson, Presenter and Correspondent for BBC News.
Another engaging panel discussion on the role of AI in media agencies and its potential impact on the advertising industry was moderated by RTL AdAlliance CEO Stéphane Coruble and featured C-level speakers from leading media agencies. Moreover, Guillaume Belmas, CEO of Smartclip subsidiary Realytics, Tom Peruzzi, Spokesperson of the Management Board at Virtual Minds, Frank Vogel, Managing Director at Ad Alliance, and Oliver Vesper, Deputy CEO and CDO of RTL AdAlliance, took part in a deep-dive session about the potential of AI and machine learning in the ad-tech industry.
Sports & advertising
As Europe hosts two major sporting events this year, with RTL Deutschland and Groupe M6 broadcasting matches of the UEFA EURO 2024, sports advertising was also on the agenda. Kim Hobbs, Vice President Corporate Partnerships and Premium Sales at the Kansas City Chiefs, discussed together with Lars-Eric Mann, CMO of Ad Alliance, and Frédéric de Vincelles, Managing Director of Programmes in charge of Platforms and Sport at Groupe M6, why broadcasters are all in on sports rights.
A highlight was welcoming two-time Super Bowl champion Justin Reid and Lara Krug, Chief Marketing Officer and EVP of Marketing of the Kansas City Chiefs, to RTL Beach for a special discussion on how they built a brand for the team and how the NFL, broadcast by RTL Deutschland in Germany, is conquering Europe.
Total Video 2.0 & editors’ insights
RTL Beach welcomed speakers from leading European media agencies and global brands, including researchers, measurement experts and media personalities. One of the panels looked at the current state of commercial TV in Europe, discussing what defines TV in the age of streaming. Another panel ‘The Editors Perspective: A Global Outlook to Shape Your Year Ahead’ featured renowned journalists from CNN, BBC Studios and The Economist.
“Come for the festival. Stay for RTL.”: This was RTL AdAlliance’s overarching concept for this year’s RTL Beach, encapsulating the duality of business blended with the relaxed atmosphere of Cannes. This duality was also reflected in the design concept, with classic and vintage posters of the Cote d’Azur combined with new and modern illustrations from RTL Group’s united branding.
By reusing some of the same materials and designs every year, RTL AdAlliance aims to minimise its environmental harm, reflecting its commitment to sustainability.
