Last year, we booked a flight to Cannes 3 weeks before, and showed up knowing nothing. This year, we’re hosting a CMO Dinner, a very informal happy hour, and have a bit more experience. So we thought we’d share for any first-timers going.

See you there? Hit reply if you want to meet.

Enjoy!

Hit the links to skip to the bits you fancy

01:41 — ALL ARE WELCOME // If you’re going for the first time, this is for you.

02:50 — HOW CANNES HAS CHANGED // It used to be about the awards. Now the programming is the main draw.

04:35 — BEING AN OUTSIDER IS FINE // No pass, no problem. Go open and let the run-ins happen.

05:00 — WHERE TO MEET // The properties with real space to actually talk to someone.

09:30 — TOO MANY PANELS // You panel out by day two. Some brands like Cîroc are offering fun alternatives.

11:58 — THE ACTIVATIONS WE LOVED // Where we’d go first and why.

* Pinterest Manifestival: 100% worth it.

* Female Quotient: Best panels last year.

* Canva: Chill vibes, morning sound baths, and a proper coffee bar.

* Collins House: Lovely villa, great talks, actual space to meet. See you at the Substack private breakfast on Thursday?

* Adobe: Big property, festival-affiliated.

* LinkedIn: Big property and spaces for creators if you are one.

* TikTok: Well-organized last year.

* Brands & Culture: Open to everyone, great content, we love Charlotte and Jo.

* Edelman: Cooling towels and popsicles in the afternoon. Sounds like it will be lovely.

* Cîroc Athletic Club: No panels, IV drips, paddle, massages, drinks. We’ll be there on Wednesday afternoon, if you’re there.

* World Woman Foundation: New to us this year.

* You’ll find tons more as you walk around.

12:49 — PRE-WORK // Walk the footprint, register for every event individually, and bring 10 battery packs.

16:02 — SHOES, PACKING, AND THE HEAT // Lightweight sneakers, zero synthetics, hats, and scheduled outfit changes.

19:03 — GO TO THE BASEMENT FOR THE AWARDS // If you’ve got a badge, go see the work downstairs. It brings you back to why this whole thing exists.

20:22 — THE DIPS // Warm dip is not it. Don’t forget to get real food in your body.

21:27 — WHERE TO EAT // The Japanese spot and beachside with your feet in the sand. My small saved list (use code GOODTHINKING)

24:27 — BOOK THE CAR + GETTING AROUND // Pre-book your taxis, carry-on only because strikes are real, and budget 30 minutes to walk everywhere. Hit reply if you need a recc re: taxis.

27:17 — COFFEE + THE SUPERMARKET MOVE // Stock your fridge with fruit for the 5pm crash. Good Mate and Copenhagen are your best coffee bets. Also, don’t miss Breakfast Club. Tuesday 9:00am, open invite to all. Check Breakfastclubbing.com as the venue may change.

28:25 — SWIM, MONOPRIX, AND PLAN LESS // Swim in the ocean at least once, hit up Monoprix for cute hats, and leave room for spontaneity. Join us for a Friday morning swim. Hit reply.

Finally, friend of the letter, Jeanine, also put together a Spotify playlist for fun flight vibes.

Have the best time. It’s going to be hot, you’ll be tired, and you’ll come back with a good story.

That’s all, folx. – Chris

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Chris and Kirsten are the founders of IN GOOD CO, a consultancy that ignites challenger brands with fearless positioning.

Chris writes a weekly newsletter for +17K subscribers that shares the best-of-the-best on culture, trends, marketing, etc. What she's dropping to friends on Slack or finding useful in meetings with brands | Follow her on Substack

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