In a standout session at Cannes Lions 2025, three top CMOs took center stage to reflect on creativity, innovation, and culture in today’s marketing landscape. Gülen Sayin (Mars), Claudine Cheever (Amazon), and Gail Horwood (Novartis) delivered a high-energy, candid conversation about what it means to lead in an era defined by disruption, data, and AI.
1. Creativity Is Everyone’s Job Now
All three CMOs emphasized that creativity is no longer the domain of a few “big idea” thinkers. At Mars, Sayin noted that creative thinking has been democratized: “Creative used to be a title. Now it’s a verb for everyone.” Her team rewired their entire brand-building approach, shifting from one-way messaging to immersive, two-way engagements—anchored in personalization and powered by technology.
Amazon’s Claudine Cheever echoed this, sharing how they use adversarial AI agents—each with unique tones (e.g., witty, emotional)—to optimize copy and spark new ideas. “If we know it’s going to work, it’s not an experiment,” she said, reflecting Amazon’s risk-taking mindset.
2. Personalization at Scale, With Purpose
Standout case studies from Mars included:
- Snickers “Rookie Mistake” campaign, powered by GenAI and football coach José Mourinho, letting fans “roast” friends in real time.
- Caramelo, a Brazilian campaign to legitimize street dogs as “pedigree”—which led to a 200% increase in dog adoptions and a 20% sales spike.
At Novartis, Horwood showcased “Your Attention, Please”, a bold Super Bowl campaign to promote breast cancer screening—transforming mainstream attention into life-saving action.
3. AI as a Creative Enabler, Not a Shortcut
Each CMO addressed how AI is reshaping workflows. For Amazon, AI is used to optimize communication but never replaces human oversight. Cheever described “CopySaw,” a tool that uses adversarial AI agents to iterate on brand voice with surgical precision.
At Novartis, Horwood described AI as part of a “future of work” strategy, streamlining non-creative processes to free up time for storytelling, ideation, and community-building.
4. Building Cultures That Embrace Risk
Cheever introduced the concept of “two-way doors”—experiments that can be reversed quickly if needed—versus “one-way doors”, like Super Bowl ads, which require high-level scrutiny. This flexible approach encourages bold thinking while managing risk.
Meanwhile, Sayin stressed that success at Mars means co-creating with communities and shifting brand control to the people who love them most. “We’re handing over our baby,” she said of iconic brands. “But to stay iconic, we must always be in motion.”
5. Final Words: Joy, Purpose, and Measurable Creativity
As the conversation closed, the CMOs agreed that data and creativity must serve a higher goal: human connection. Whether it’s bringing joy, promoting health, or delivering value, creative marketing must aim for meaningful, measurable outcomes.
Cheever summed it up best:
“Our vision is to be the most creatively breakthrough and measurably effective marketing organization in the world.”
At Cannes Lions 2025, these three CMOs proved that purpose, personalization, and a culture of boldness are the new cornerstones of global brand leadership.
*Photos by Getty UK
