Why Cannes Awards and Creativity Still Matter for CMOs, with Unilever's Top Marketer

Why It Matters

Barto’s view underscores that creativity — and the industry rituals that spotlight it — still drive brand differentiation, internal morale and talent recruitment amid a performance‑driven marketing landscape. For CMOs, investing in celebrated creative work can produce long‑term brand equity and organizational momentum.

Summary

Leandro Barto, newly promoted global CMO of Unilever’s Beauty & Well‑being group, says he’ll return to the Cannes Lions festival where he’s attended for more than a decade to scout creativity, network and celebrate work. He argues Cannes remains vital not for trophies themselves but because awards validate creativity, fuel a culture of excellence inside companies and help attract top creative talent. Barto advises attendees to plan a focused agenda, expand beyond familiar networks and be prepared for a hectic, fast‑walking week. He cited Dove’s long‑running Real Beauty effort as an example of sustained success rooted in a clear brand purpose and consistent creative investment.

Original Description

Unilever CMO Leandro Barreto unpacks how he gets the most out of Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity every year and why awards and creativity still matter for CMOs. He also discusses the evolution of Dove's enduring 'Real Beauty' campaign and how it inspires the playbook of other Unilever CPG brands such as Vaseline, which has seen success with its with its 'Vaseline Verified' campaign.