June 23, 2026  |  SIGN UP

Ronan Shields
SENIOR REPORTER, AD TECH

If previous years saw Cannes dominated by yacht parties and beachfront activations, this year’s festival is as much about dealmaking as it is creativity.

Across La Croisette, executives from ad tech companies, agency groups, investment banks and private equity firms are expected to spend as much time discussing potential acquisitions and exits as they do AI or media strategy.

The shift comes amid an accelerating wave of consolidation, highlighted by transactions such as Publicis Groupe’s acquisition of LiveRamp and Fox’s purchase of Roku. As a result, speculation over which ad tech company could be next to sell is likely to be a recurring theme throughout the week.

The changing mood is also reflected in the festival itself.

Several platforms, including Snap, LinkedIn and Reddit have scaled back their physical presence as conversations increasingly center on AI, data assets and operational efficiency rather than lavish marketing displays. For many attendees, Cannes has become less a celebration of advertising and more a venue where the industry's next major transactions begin to take shape.

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