CANNES
UNCANNED
We spill the beans on the key B2B insights and takeaways from Cannes Lions 2025.
Join LIONS B2B Summit official partner, Transmission and previous Creative B2B Lions juror, Sarah Higgins for a day unpacking what we launched, learned, and loved at this year's International Festival of Creativity.
WHERE
📍 Transmission HQ
5th Floor, The Clove Building,
4 Maguire Street, London, SE1 2NQ
WHEN
🗓️ Thursday 26 June 2025
⏰ 08:30 - 12:15
WHAT TO EXPECT
Today’s B2B buyers are not who they used to be. As younger, digital-native decision-makers enter the market in force, their expectations, motivations, and behaviours are fundamentally shifting.
As their journeys become more self-directed and nonlinear, brand storytelling and behavioural biases have never been more critical – not just to create awareness, but to consistently earn trust across every touchpoint.
At Cannes Uncanned, we’ll explore what we learned and launched at Cannes Lions 2025, dissecting how to craft stories that trigger behavioural biases like the Halo Effect, Social Proof, and the Illusion of Effort that subconsciously steer decision-making in complex B2B environments.
We’ll challenge attendees to rethink how they show up in-market, how messages land (or miss), and how they can engage with future buyers to strengthen marketing impact and build a more defensible and trusted brand.
Finally, we’ll look at how large language models and AI are transforming the research phase – shortening evaluation cycles, reshaping how buyers analyse vendor options, and forcing marketers to adapt their content for both human and machine readability. Don't miss out!
08:30 - 09:00
WELCOME ADDRESS
09:00 - 09:30
CANNES UNCANNED
WITH
Chris Bagnall, CEO and Founder, Transmission
Couldn't make it to Cannes Lions 2025? No problem. In Cannes UnCanned, Chris Bagnall will distill every important insight, visionary strategy, key industry theme, and morsel of creative inspiration to know if you work in a B2B industry.
09:30 - 10:00
BRAND STORYTELLING
WITH
Chris Wilson, Managing Director, EMEA at Transmission
As AI starts to create more and more content at the push of a button, B2B marketers are facing a new battleground for attention. This session will introduce brand storytelling as a concept and show us how entertainment is the new frontier for gaining cut through.
10:00 - 10:30
BEHAVIOURAL SCIENCE BREAKDOWN
WITH
Vanessa Cheal, Head of Brand & Creative Planning at Transmission
Join our Head of Brand & Creative Planning, Vanessa Cheal as she breaks down the findings from B2B's first-ever behavioural science deep-dive - dissecting how to craft stories that trigger behavioural biases like the Halo Effect, Social Proof, and the Illusion of Effort that subconsciously steer decision-making in complex B2B environments.
10:30 - 11:00
BREAK
11:00 - 11:15
"Who is Watson?" Documentary Screening and Q&A
A Transmission-produced short film that spotlights an iconic marketing moment and the influential CMO behind it, illustrating the power and risks today’s marketing leaders face. This session reveals a compelling brand story and the visionary leadership that shaped it for the world to see.
11:15 - 11:45
BRAND, AI, AND THE BATTLE FOR THE MID-FUNNEL
WITH
Paul Hewerdine, VP Strategy at Transmission
This is a transformational time. AI is reshaping the mid-funnel, shifting from static content and linear nurture flows to dynamic, personalised experiences. This session explores why brand strength is critical at the mid-funnel and how to build dual-track journeys: one for traditional research behaviours and another for AI-driven discovery.
11:45 - 12:30
JUDGES' EYE VIEW: WHAT WINS & WHY
WITH
Sarah Higgins, ex-Head of Marketing EMEA and APAC at State Street Global Advisors and ex-Cannes Lions/WARC/Eurobest juror
Andrew O'Sullivan, VP, Creative at Transmission
Transmission VP of Creative, Andrew O’Sullivan will be joined by inaugural Cannes B2B Lions jury member, Sarah Higgins, to discuss the nominated and winning entries in this year's Creative B2B Lions category and explore what wins awards and why.
ABOUT TRANSMISSION
Transmission is the world’s largest independent global B2B marketing agency. Our award-winning, full-service offering combines data-driven intelligence, innovation, and creativity across brand, demand, and sales, enabling us to craft powerful, behavior-changing marketing that drives business performance.
As a LinkedIn Marketing Partner, we deliver innovative digital experiences that maximize LinkedIn’s latest formats and marketing solutions to drive spend-efficient value to our clients, their audiences, and their business goals.
With offices in eight countries worldwide, Transmission has the global agility and experience to help B2B brands drive the now and define the next.
© 2024 Transmission. All rights reserved. Transmission is a trading name of Pulse Comms Ltd, registered in England and Wales no. 8724506. VAT number: GB175238887