Publicis West Africa Cannes jurors and industry leaders within the Publicis Groupe Africa network share lessons on creativity, effectiveness, and innovation to shape Africa’s future.
Publicis West Africa, through its learning and development platform PWA Academy, hosted Cannes in a Can, an exclusive session designed to bring the insights from the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity 2025 to all its offices and affiliates in western and central Africa and inspire world-class creative excellence across the region.
The event, themed “Through the Lens of the Cannes Jurors: Cannes in a Can,” offered participants a rare opportunity to learn directly from six jurors all within the Publicis Groupe across Africa who served on various judging panels at Cannes. Through real case studies and first-hand jury experiences, they revealed what it truly takes to win on the world’s biggest creative stage.
Ben Anyan, Group Creative Director at Publicis West Africa, spoke about the importance of distinctiveness and freshness in ideas, while Luc Aboussou, also Group Creative Director, emphasized discipline and intentionality in how work is portrayed. Muyiwa Aleshinloye, Head of Media at Publicis West Africa, highlighted the audacity of bold, challenging work rooted in strong consumer insights. He added that winning work must demonstrate tangible results and answer the critical question: “Did this piece of work move the business forward?”
The session also featured a dynamic panel discussion moderated by Emeka Obia, Head of Strategy at Publicis West Africa, connecting global insights to Africa’s creative future. Panellists Pete Little, Chief Creative Officer of Publicis Groupe Africa; Chima Okenimkpe, Executive Creative Director at Publicis West Africa; David Vallier, Executive Creative Director at AG Partners; Esosa Osagiede, Group Creative Director at Insight Publicis; and Chisom Bikawei, Head of Digital at All Seasons Zenith Nigeria explored emerging trends, including the growing role of technology, authenticity in storytelling, and the shift from big budgets to meaningful ideas. Esosa noted that clarity now matters more than complexity, while Chima reminded participants that creativity belongs to everyone and technology is playing an increasingly significant role in shaping ideas.
Cannes in a Can reflects PWA Academy’s mission to empower talent with world-class knowledge and position Africa as a hub for creativity, effectiveness, and innovation.
Anand Badami, SVP Publicis West Africa, underscored the vision: “Africa’s story is powerful when told with courage and craft. If we pair meaning with measurable impact and adopt new tools with purpose, our work will not just win, it will lead.”
PWA Academy is the learning and development initiative of Publicis West Africa, dedicated to advancing creativity, effectiveness, and innovation across the region through curated programs and global knowledge sharing.
