At Cannes Lions 2025, the campaigns that dominated floor conversation were not the ones with the largest installations. They were the ones with the most honest, resonant stories — and the ones that made consumers participants rather than an audience.
I attended as part of nonplusultra's consumer solutions work with brands across EMEA retail environments. What struck me most was not any single campaign. It was a structural shift: co-creation has become a baseline expectation, not a differentiator. Consumers expect to participate in brand experiences, not receive them.
For consumer electronics brands in European retail, that shift is not abstract. A MediaMarkt experience zone, a Currys demo station, or a brand activation at Elkjøp Campus is a test of whether your brand experience infrastructure is built for 2025 or for 2019.
What Is Brand Experience — Really?
The campaigns that generated the most discussion at Cannes 2025 shared one structural characteristic: the consumer did something, not just watched something. Co-creation built into the format from the start is now the competitive reference point. That is the standard a MediaMarkt experience zone or a Currys demo station is measured against, whether the brand knows it or not.
"A memorable brand experience doesn't just impress — it connects." — Lisa Bendisch, Head of Consumer Solutions, nonplusultra
Brand Experience Trends 2025
The clearest structural shift at Cannes 2025: the brands that dominated conversations were not the ones with the largest installations. They were the ones with the most honest, resonant stories — and the ones that made consumers participants rather than an audience.
1. From Spectacle to Substance
Cannes Lions 2025 made one thing clear: the era of spectacle for spectacle's sake is over. Brands that dominated conversations weren't the ones with the biggest budgets or the most elaborate setups — they were the ones with the most honest, resonant stories.
2. Co-Creation as Standard
The most talked-about brand experiences at Cannes 2025 weren't delivered to audiences — they were built with them. Co-creation has moved from a buzzword to a baseline expectation. Whether through user-generated content, live audience input, or open-source brand assets, consumers increasingly expect to be participants rather than spectators.
3. Purpose-Led Experiences That Walk the Talk
Purpose has been a brand trend for years, but Cannes 2025 separated authentic purpose from performative messaging. Consumers — and the industry — have grown sophisticated enough to spot the difference. Brands that showed up with real commitments, measurable impact, and genuine storytelling around sustainability, inclusion, or community left a lasting impression.
4. Technology as a Bridge, Not a Barrier
AI, immersive tech, and data-driven personalisation were everywhere — but the standout work used technology to deepen human connection rather than replace it. The most effective brand experiences used tech to make interactions feel more personal, more relevant, and more emotionally resonant.
What This Means for Retail Brands in EMEA
For consumer electronics brands operating in European retail, the Cannes Lions insights translate directly to in-store and event strategy:
▸Your retail activation is a brand experience. Every MediaMarkt experience zone, every Currys demo station, every Fnac brand corner is an opportunity to create an emotionally memorable moment.
▸Staff are brand ambassadors. The best brand experiences are delivered by people who genuinely believe in the product. Training and engagement programs are not a nice-to-have — they are the experience.
▸Consistency across touchpoints matters more than perfection at any single one. If the product demo at a Currys station shows a feature that the brand's TikTok does not mention, and the MediaMarkt shelf POS shows a third version, you have three brand experiences, not one. Staff will default to the shelf card. Customers will trust none of them.
At nonplusultra, we help consumer electronics brands design, staff, and execute brand experiences across EMEA's most important retail environments — from permanent MediaMarktSaturn Experience Zones to campaign-driven activations at events like Elkjøp Campus.