Cannes Lions is where media giants gather to talk about what’s next. And each year, the iHeartCafe is an inflection point in the week.

In 2026, iHeartMedia brings the iHeartCafe back to Cannes as a living expression of what sets audio apart in an increasingly fragmented, AI saturated media environment. Real people. Real voices. Real time connection.

An elevated and immersive flagship hub at the heart of the Cannes Lions Festival, iHeartMedia takes over a beautifully appointed café steps from the Palais, creating a consistent home base all week for programming, conversation, connection, and a creative refuge from the festival pace.

What “Live” Really Means at iHeart

At iHeart, “live” has always meant more than being in the room.
Live is the daily, real time programming across radio, sports, and podcasts that creates habitual intimacy with millions of people at the same moment. And live is also the in person experience where that attention is confirmed, amplified, and shared.

These two forces reinforce each other. iHeart’s live events are not separate from its media business; they are the payoff of it. Months or years of audience building, artist development, and cultural momentum come together in one place.  

That is what brands tap into at iHeartCafe. Not proximity to culture, but participation in a system and brand that creates it.

The iHeart Difference, Built on Trust

Trust is the currency that matters most at Cannes, and it’s getting harder to earn.

iHeart’s advantage is simple. Human voices still drive influence.

• 80% of listeners consider iHeart hosts a friend.
• 78% trust hosts’ recommendations.
• 9 in 10 consumers say human trust cannot be replicated by AI.
• 90% say it is important to know media is created by a real person. 

Those relationships are built daily, through live audio that fits naturally into people’s lives. One third of all media time is spent with audio, and 82% of ad supported in car listening remains radio. These are durable habits, rooted in companionship and shared experience. 

When brands show up inside that trust, the impact is clear with consumers reporting more positive feelings about brands after live experiences, like Cannes, connected to iHeart.

Talent, Conversation, and Culture in Motion at Cannes

iHeartMedia is bringing influential voices from across entertainment, news, sports, music, and beyond to Cannes, including:

• Malcolm Gladwell
• Questlove
• Eva Longoria
• Ryan Seacrest
• Hoda Kotb
• Sarah Spain

At the heart of the iHeartCafe is human led conversation powered by trusted voices. This year’s content sessions and experiential moments will be anchored by voices audiences know and trust, and will focus on exploring how influence, storytelling, and real human connection drive attention and action in an era of AI.

Our memorable, live experiences and programming with real takeaways will create real time energy and relevance for audiences. Think live discussions and intimate gatherings, including invite-only events and dinners with C-level executives and industry leaders.

Every moment will be built to extend beyond the week, with panels, conversations, and gatherings created for capture and amplification across audio, social, video, and live platforms before, during, and after Cannes.

From Anticipation to Amplification, Before, During, and After Cannes

What happens at iHeartCafe in Cannes doesn’t start or end there.

Before the event, iHeart builds anticipation through on air promotion, audience engagement, and cultural context across markets nationwide. 

During Cannes, brands are integrated into live conversations, content capture, and real time amplification that puts them inside the moment.

After the Riviera clears out, those moments continue living across radio, podcasts, streaming, and social, extending impact well beyond the week on the Croisette.  

This full arc approach is why brands partner with iHeart to stay present AND visible.

Why Audio Wins When Culture Is Fragmented

Algorithms optimize for individuals, while live audio builds shared culture.

Radio, podcasts, and live events remain among the last places where millions of people experience the same moment at the same time. That shared attention is what fills venues, fuels conversation, and turns brands into part of the memory.

Audio never stopped being live. And that’s exactly why it continues to deliver relevance, trust, and action for brands when it matters most.

FAQs

What is iHeartCafe?
iHeartCafe is iHeartMedia’s Cannes Lions destination, designed for live conversations, cultural moments, and trusted human connection with clients, VIP guests, talent, and more.

Who can attend iHeartCafe?
Invited brand leaders, agency partners, and marketers looking to connect with culture through live, trusted audio at scale will be on site.

How do brands participate?
Brands can get involved through integrated sponsorships, content partnerships, and experiences that extend before, during, and after Cannes across iHeart’s platforms.

Why does iHeart stand out at Cannes?
iHeart does more than activate around moments like Cannes; it builds them, using live audio, data, and trust at national scale.

Ready to Get Your Brand Involved in Cannes?

Last year, the iHeartCafe welcomed nearly 150 senior executives, spanning CEOs, CMOs, CROs, and Chief Client, Media, and Strategy Officers. Attendees represented world class brands and holding companies reinforcing the space as a premier destination for top tier decision makers across brands, media, technology, and culture.

And in 2026, we know the iHeartCafe at Cannes Lions is where live culture, trusted voices, and brand impact will come together once again. Want to reach consumers through Guaranteed Human content at Cannes? There’s still time to get involved, so connect with our team today.