In a powerful and deeply personal session at Cannes Lions, industry leaders and artists gathered to deliver a resounding message: advertising doesn’t just need neurodivergent minds — it cannot thrive without them.
Timed to coincide with Neurodiversity Pride Day, the panel, hosted by The New York Times‘ Michael Barbaro, featured Havas CEO Yannick Bolloré, Havas Global CEO Donna Murphy, Merck’s SVP of Belonging & Inclusion Renee Connolly, and breakout singer-songwriter Lola Young. Together, they reshaped the conversation around neurodiversity, shifting it from stigma and silence to recognition, celebration, and strategy.
A Generational and Market Shift. Yannick Bolloré opened with a striking statistic: over 50% of Gen Z identify as neurodivergent, compared to 20% in the general population. With Gen Z’s projected $12 trillion in spending power by 2030, this isn’t a niche issue — it’s a business-critical imperative. Bolloré stressed that in an era increasingly dominated by AI-generated content, originality has become the rarest brand asset, and neurodivergent minds are key to unlocking it.
“We’re not just having a niche conversation,” Bolloré said. “We’re diving into a cultural, generational and market shift.”
From Invisible to Indispensable. Lola Young, the 24-year-old singer behind the viral anthem “Messy”, delivered an unscripted, emotional manifesto written en route to Cannes. With searing honesty, she described the lived experience of ADHD and schizoaffective disorder, emphasizing the importance of being seen and understood beyond outdated labels like “naughty” or “difficult.”
“What is normal?” she asked the crowd. “Is it something that actually exists — or just something we’re told to strive for?”
Her performance was not just artistic — it was activist. She highlighted how school systems and family misunderstandings deeply affect neurodivergent youth, especially girls. But Young’s story is also one of resilience and power: she built a music career that now influences brands, showing how creatives with non-linear thinking can lead rather than follow.
Business Leadership and Structural Change. For Donna Murphy, neurodiversity is both personal and professional. The Neuroverse initiative at Havas began after her son, diagnosed with ADHD, found success working under an autistic leader. Seeing the mutual understanding and potential, Murphy helped launch a dedicated center focused on employing and supporting neurodivergent creatives. “We’re not checking boxes,” she said. “We’re building with the most original thinkers of our time.”
Renee Connolly brought the corporate lens, recounting a pivotal moment when an employee requested a modest $500 accommodation — but didn’t feel safe asking for it. “That’s when I realized,” Connolly said, “we don’t just need policies. We need cultures that invite people to show up fully.”
She outlined Merck’s efforts: from personalized accommodations and employee caregiver leave, to embedding neurodiversity checks in product development. Notably, these strategies are not acts of charity — they are driving better products and more inclusive campaigns.
Authenticity as a North Star. Throughout the panel, authenticity was the unifying theme. From marketing campaigns like Reckitt’s Vanish spot — co-created with neurodivergent individuals and reaching 24 million views in a single hour — to internal culture shifts and external creative outputs, the panel emphasized that performative gestures won’t cut it.“You have to co-create from the start,” Murphy urged marketers. “This isn’t about afterthoughts or checklists. This is about designing a better world and business through difference.”
“You have to co-create from the start,” Murphy urged marketers. “This isn’t about afterthoughts or checklists. This is about designing a better world and business through difference.”
A Blueprint for the Future. The panel concluded with a call to action: leaders must prepare for a future where cognitive diversity is the norm, not the exception. Training managers, crafting adaptive environments, and embedding inclusivity into every facet of work — from HR to advertising — are no longer optional.
And as Lola Young reminded the room, giving voice to neurodivergent people isn’t just the right thing — it’s the only way to create art, brands, and businesses that truly resonate.
*Photo credit to Getty UK.
