Dentsu to Host Sessions with Clients and Partner Companies at the Cannes Lions dentsu Beach House

Dentsu (Brand: dentsu; Headquarters: Dentsu Group Inc.; Location: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President & Global CEO: Takeshi Sano, hereinafter Dentsu Group Inc. and its group companies are collectively referred to as “dentsu”) has long been actively engaged in the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, the world's largest creativity festival, through winning creative awards, appearances in sessions, and operating a dedicated dentsu Beach House^*1 to foster networking and engagement.
At Cannes Lions 2026, scheduled to take place from Monday, June 22 to Friday, June 26, 2026, dentsu will hold over 15 sessions with clients and partner companies at the dentsu Beach House. 

[Key Sessions]

Mic Check: Brands Breaking Through In Culture
In a world where trends move at the speed of the feed, the most resonant brands don’t just react to culture, they anticipate it, shape it, and show up with a point of view that feels unmistakably authentic. Explore how brands can sharpen their cultural instincts, from identifying the right moments to engage, to executing with authenticity and speed. Moderated by Ryan Seacrest, the discussion will spotlight brands that are getting it right (the ones generating fomo^*2), and explore how strategic partnerships across sports, entertainment, and creator ecosystems can build lasting cultural relevance.
Expect a candid look at how to move beyond trend-chasing and toward building brands that don’t just participate in culture, but become part of it.

Date and Time: Monday, June 22 at 15:00 (local time)
Speakers:

・Ryan Seacrest, Emmy-Winning television host, radio personality, producer, entrepreneur, and philanthropist

・Maggie Schmerin, Chief Advertising Officer, United Airlines

・Tim Ellis, Chief Marketing Officer, National Football League (NFL)

・Beth Ann Kaminkow, CEO, Americas & Chief Global Client Officer, dentsu

The Future of Agentic Workflows: The Next Era of Partnerships
What happens when partners don’t just plug in, but operate as important value drivers inside your marketing system? This session examines how dentsu.Connect 4.0, a modern internal operating system, transforms collaboration with partners like Amazon and MiQ from basic interoperability to true co-creation. We’ll explore new ways to unlock partner value, from rethinking how datasets are combined and activated to powering always-on media and creative measurement. The takeaway: partnerships become living systems, not handoffs—driving smarter execution, faster learning, and outsized impact.

Date and Time: Tuesday, June 23 at 14:00 (local time)
Speakers:

・Paula Despins, VP, Ads Measurement, Amazon Ads

・Olya Dyachuk, Global Media & Data Director, Heineken

・Danny Hopwood, Global Chief Commercial Strategy Officer, MiQ

・Shirl Zelcer, Chief Data & Technology Officer, dentsu

Stakeholder Centricity – At the Heart of Japan’s Creativity
Presentations by companies renowned for their creativity in Japan. Each brand engages sincerely with the stakeholders they value most while pursuing communication and branding activities as a corporate entity or product brand.
How do these brands identify the aspirations of their key stakeholders and translate them into tangible brand expressions or effective communication strategies?
This session delves into Japan’s unique “stakeholder-centric” creativity through practical examples from each brand/company.

Date and Time: Wednesday, June 24 at 14:00 (local time)
Speakers:

・Nozomi Odaohara, Brand Manager, Marketing Division, Nikka Whisky Distilling Co., Ltd.

・Marie Oshioka, CEO, HERALBONY EUROPE

・Hironari Tatematsu, Manager, Planning Group, Communication Design Department, Ajinomoto Co., Inc.

・Tabasa Hara, Branding Consultant, Dentsu Inc. (Facilitator)

Igniting with Creators
The session will explore how the convergence of technology, entertainment, and next-generation creators can generate new sources of momentum and contribute to the future growth of the content business, while showcasing current initiatives and case studies and examining the importance of engaging next-generation creators and communities throughout the process to foster innovation and sustainable growth.

Date and Time: Monday, June 22 at 11:30 (local time)
Speakers:

・Dominik Hadlow, Founder, DOMZ 

・Sigmund Bjørnhaug, Executive Director, GeekOut Studio　

・Lisa Willett, Senior Director Global Strategic Partnerships, Roblox

・Aoi Yamamoto, Global Business Development Office, Dentsu Inc. (Moderator)

Information on sessions at the Cannes Lions 2026 dentsu Beach House is available at the link below:
https://www.canneslions.com/festival/programme

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Supporting the Launch and Operation of an Official Cannes Lions Pop-Up Bar
Building on the success of 2025, dentsu will once again support the launch and operation of Nikka Whisky’s official Cannes Lions pop-up bar. Through this initiative, dentsu will contribute to further enhancing global awareness and strengthening the brand presence of NIKKA WHISKY as it continues to grow as an international brand.

To mark its 90th anniversary in 2024, Nikka Whisky established a new communication concept: “Whisky to Savor Life.” This concept is rooted in founder Masataka Taketsuru’s wish that “people would drink whisky not to get drunk, but to enjoy life — just as the British savour life over a glass of whisky.” It embodies the desire for people to enjoy life itself through the rich character and diverse ways of appreciating whisky. By proposing new ways to enjoy whisky, Nikka aims to become a global top 10 player in the premium whisky category and above.

Please see details of the pop-up bar from last year:
Dentsu Supported Nikka Whisky’s Pop-up Bar in Cannes (News Release from Dentsu Group Inc., July 8, 2025)
https://www.group.dentsu.com/en/news/release/001507.html

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*1: Dentsu Beach House is a temporary event space established by dentsu along the beach in Cannes, France during the Cannes Lions. It hosts cutting-edge sessions and exhibitions, and serves as a platform for global networking and business creation.

Highlights from the 2025 sessions can be viewed here:
・YouTube (video): dentsu. Innovating To Impact
・Summary Deck (PDF): dentsu_Cannes_Lions_2025_Rewind

*2: FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) refers to the anxiety of missing out or being left behind.

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Contact:
Jumpei Kojima, Akiko Shimadzu, Emi Harada
Group Corporate Communications Office, Dentsu Group Inc.
Email: group-cc@dentsu.com