INNOCEAN aims to redefine brand storytelling at Cannes Lions with “Cut the Ad. Roll the Show”
INNOCEAN has announced its participation in the 2025 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, the world’s largest and most prestigious advertising event, taking place from June 16 to 20. The company will use the global stage to highlight its position as a leading force in marketing communications and creativity.
As part of its involvement, INNOCEAN will host a series of events, including an exclusive seminar in collaboration with Hyundai Motor Company. Titled “Cut the Ad. Roll the Show,” the seminar will explore a new approach to brand content strategy—one that cuts through consumer fatigue and content overload to earn authentic attention. INNOCEAN will also present a stage session focused on inclusive marketing strategies in the age of artificial intelligence, emphasizing the importance of diversity and innovation in today’s creative landscape.
Speakers include Jung A Kim, Chief Creative Officer (CCO) of INNOCEAN, and Sung Won Jee, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of Hyundai Motor Company. The two speakers plan to exclusively reveal the production process, achievements, and behind-the-scenes stories of Hyundai Motor Company’s Night Fishing campaign, which garnered attention last year as Korea’s first theatrical release of an approximately 13-minute long, short film.
Furthermore, based on this case, an in-depth discussion is planned on how brands can attract voluntary attention in an era where consumers are willing to pay to skip ads.
In particular, the seminar will share various marketing insights, including cases where brands moved away from one-way messaging to creating content that audiences actively choose to engage with, as well as cases where brands redefined their presence—not by hiding their identity, but by expanding the way they connect with consumers.
The seminar will cover topics such as:
● Leveraging platforms that go beyond traditional advertising
● Shifting approaches to storytelling
● Transforming content into entertainment
It is expected to offer fresh inspiration to professionals across the global marketing and creative industries.
In addition, INNOCEAN plans to hold a stage session to discuss the marketing industry’s efforts and methods to address the issue of AI data bias, centered around its recent Refacing the Future campaign conducted in the US.
The Refacing the Future campaign garnered attention for producing a large volume of content across diverse themes to help ensure that AI better represents a wide range of races, ages, genders, and sexual orientations. More than 100,000 pieces of content were provided to major global platforms, including Google, Adobe, Shutterstock, Microsoft, Canva, Amazon, and OpenAI, for use in AI training.
Focusing on these cases, INNOCEAN USA plans to engage in a dialogue on AI inclusivity with POC Stock, a global stock image provider. The meeting will include key panelists such as Jason Sperling, Chief Creative Officer (CCO) of INNOCEAN USA, and David Mesfin, Creative Director (CD).
In addition, INNOCEAN’s US subsidiary, Canvas Worldwide, will hold private sessions for key partners. These sessions will introduce the latest trends and strategies for utilizing sports marketing and influencer marketing in the US market, as well as development of AI-based insights and future directions.
William Lee, Global CEO of INNOCEAN, said: “At this year’s Cannes Lions, the world’s largest global advertising festival, we will solidify INNOCEAN’s global presence as a key participant by hosting a standalone seminar and a roundtable meeting. So please keep an eye on us.”