More Than a Moment: Everything We Did at Cannes Lions 2025

Cannes Lions 2025 is officially done and in the books—and SiriusXM Media and AdsWizz made a whole lot of waves. Together, we brought the full force of audio to the Croisette (and the global stage), with:

• Powerhouse panel sessions with some of the top minds in the industry from groundbreaking organizations like AT&T, DoorDash, Horizon Media, ADCOLOR, Claritas, AudioStack, and Barometer.

• SoundBar experiences that offered attendees a multisensory experience: They chose the soundscape, we paired it with the perfect drink.

• Happy hours co-hosted with many of our industry partners and holding companies, complete with bop-worthy background music from the best SoundCloud DJs around the world.

• And so much more.

The one thread that tied it all together? The fact that SiriusXM Media continues to dominate as the leading audio empire—and the premier partner for brands seeking a future-proof media mix. With 160M listeners, the biggest podcast networks, top streaming platforms, and best-in-class adtech, we offer more than the average ecosystem. And we proved it.

Let’s get into our time at Cannes.

A Powerful Presence With Pass the Mic

A stunning conversation backdropped by the beauty of France, our first Pass the Mic panel was exhilarating, inspiring, and thought-provoking. Jocelyn Hudak, Senior Director, Content and Digital Marketing at SiriusXM Media, sat down with an incomparable group of women to share the best—and worst—advice they’ve received throughout their careers.

The panel left attendees with a clear and much-needed message: On the path to leadership, a little bit of grit (and a whole lot of believing in yourself) can take you farther than any cliché ever could.

The Best Advice

“Build what you wish existed. Or, to use the phrase that people hear more often, be the change you wish to see.” - Tiffany R. Warren, Founder & President, ADCOLOR

“Remember: Nobody knows what they’re doing. We’re all just making it up.” - Evelyn Lopez Mendoza, Senior Director, Head of Paid Marketing, DoorDash

“There were two pieces of advice, one very ambitious and one a bit more practical. The first: Give what you didn’t get. And the second: Compartmentalize.” - Jill Kelly, North America CEO, Assembly Global

“Feedback is a gift. It’s only when people care about you and are invested in you that they tell you the truth.” - Katherine Lugar, EVP, Corporate Affairs, Hilton

“Remember the golden rule of ‘Treat people how you want to be treated?’ Throw that out. Instead, treat people how they want to be treated.” - Crystal Park, CMO, Horizon Media Holdings

Diving Deep Into AI and the Future of Audio Marketing

Horizon Media brought together some of the brightest minds in the industry for an intimate and forward-thinking panel session in the heart of the SiriusXM Media and AdsWizz cabana. The question: What’s next for the future of audio advertising? And after just a few minutes, the answer was abundantly clear: AI is the star of the show.

Panelists dug into how artificial intelligence is turning audio into a channel built for performance, precision, and personalization. Scott Walker, our Chief Revenue Officer, summed it up: “When it comes to AI, make no mistake—the hype is real. It’s table stakes, and it’s absolutely going to be pervasive across every element of how we interact with our listeners.”

The future is bright. From dynamic creative and smarter targeting to revolutionary partnerships (like our latest with Innovid) that make it easier to prove the value of audio in media mix modeling, the panelists agreed that audio is evolving fast—and AI is fueling the transformation.

Inside the Minds of Today’s Marketing Changemakers

The modern-day marketing changemaker may not be a cookie cutter role. Still, there’s one thing that tends to hold true among the most forward-thinking minds in marketing: if you want to stay ahead, you’ve got to find fresh, creative ways to not only earn attention—but keep it.

That idea was front and center during the Adobe Sunset Series: Change Agents of Marketing panel, where industry leaders came together to talk shop. The focus? How emerging platforms and tech are shifting the way brands show up—and how creative and strategy teams are working more closely than ever to meet the moment.

Our very own SVP of Ad Innovations & B2B Marketing, Lizzie Collins, brought that idea to life with a look at how we're using technology to solve real creative challenges. She shared how our new partnership with Narrativ, which brings ethically sourced AI voice replicas into our self‑service audio ad tool, AdMaker, is helping us work smarter—and with more empathy.

“We had this pain point where advertisers would listen to their spot and be like, ‘No, say it different.’ Or, ‘We need to reference 52 cities so we can localize this.’ And so we’re using Narrativ to replicate all of the voice actors' voices, so for something as operational as, ‘Do this spot and then swap out the city here,’ or ‘Rerecord this,’ it’s really great for our voice actors,” she explained. “I mean, these are parents and gig economy workers and part-time creatives that we work with that don’t want to have to be called back into a studio to re-record something simple or to find a way to scale something when an advertiser needs it right away.”

It’s innovation with intention—and a powerful example of how the future of marketing will be powered by both technology and empathy.

A First-Hand Perspective on How Women Are Reshaping AI in Marketing and Advertising

If it wasn’t abundantly clear by now, AI was pervasive in almost every conversation and on every stage at Cannes. And when you consider the influence and power it holds, it makes sense why. But what about the women that are transmuting all that influence and power into opportunities for marketers and advertisers? 

That’s exactly what Chelsea Campbell, Group Creative Director at Studio Resonate, joined the Salon Culture panel to discuss. She shared her thoughts on how women are helping shape AI as a tool for creative expression and brand storytelling. Her main takeaway? Generative AI isn’t about taking over creativity—it’s about making it bigger and better. And women are leading the charge, shaping a future where AI is used thoughtfully and purposefully in marketing and advertising.

Latinx Voices, Culture Shapers, and the Power of Showing Up

Latinx for ADCOLOR x Need Pastel hosted two powerful panels, spotlighting the voices, creativity, and cultural influence shaping the future of music, media, and leadership.

First up: Sonido Digital, a sharp and honest conversation that featured Nikki Buchanan, Sr. Sales Director of Multicultural at SiriusXM Media and Dion Baez, VP of Music Marketing at SoundCloud. They dug into how Latino communities aren’t just fueling today’s music—they’re shaping its entire future.

Then came Ching*nas at Cannes. Featuring Briana Méndez, Senior Manager of Audiences at SiriusXM Media, the panel served as a much-needed (and much-deserved) celebration of today's Latina trailblazers who are done asking for the world to make space for them. Instead, they're taking matters into their own hands and building out communities, rooms, and seats at the table, all on their own. More than anything, the panel offered a reminder that when Latinas lead as their full selves, systems shift—and everyone benefits as a result.

Remixed for Relevance: How Iconic Brands Are Moving Culture Through Music

For some brands, keeping up with the latest trends is enough. But for the forward-thinking, future-seeking brands that want to rise above the pack, keeping up with what’s happening isn’t enough. Instead, they’re looking to set the trends. That’s what the panel at the Tubi Cabana was all about. 

SoundCloud’s Dion Baez, Vice President of Music Marketing, joined leading experts from Gap and OREO to discuss how they’re tapping into music to stay relevant with Gen Z and move culture forward.

Gap’s become a space where both fresh new artists and legendary names get their shine, while OREO’s teaming up with global icons like Blackpink and Lady Gaga to create partnerships that reach listeners in real and authentic ways.

On the flip side, SoundCloud is using AI-powered projects—like First Fans, Buzzing Playlists, and the Match My Freak tour with Tinashe—to put the spotlight on up-and-coming talent, bringing brands into the music scene in a meaningful way.

Bringing a Cannes-Do Attitude to the Future of Audio Advertising

Cannes made one thing clear: SiriusXM Media is at the forefront of where audio is headed. From deep talks about leadership and culture to the latest in AI innovation, we’re not just following trends—we’re helping create them.

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