AI and advertising: why results matter more than hype

Cannes Lions 2026: the stage where the industry shares its story

Every year, in June, Cannes Lions brings together the entire global advertising industry on the French Riviera. It's an event that mixes awards, networking, and visions of the future. However, it's also a place where narratives are amplified beyond operational reality.

This year the dominant themes were two: creators and artificial intelligence. Both presented as transformative solutions. In particular, AI was described as the engine that would redefine every aspect of marketing. Therefore, expectations were sky-high — perhaps too high.

In this context, Amy Lanzi's voice represented a turning point. The CEO of Digitas North America, interviewed by The Verge in the Decoder podcast , chose to openly challenge the dominant narrative. Therefore, it is worth analyzing the implications carefully.

The numbers that matter: what the market is really saying

First of all, it is necessary to contextualize Lanzi's position with the available data. Second Gartner , marketing tech spending hit all-time highs, but the ROI CMOs are seeing has dropped for the third year in a row. So, throwing more money at it doesn't automatically mean better results.

Moreover, research by McKinsey it highlights that companies with data-driven marketing approaches achieve 20-30% better performance than their competitors. However, less than 40% of organizations have actually integrated data analysis into their daily decision-making processes.

As a result, there's a huge gap between AI talk and actually using it to drive real, measurable value. Lanzi spelled it out: AI won't save the ad industry unless it's tied to clear business goals.

Is the CMO role really dead?

One of Lanzi's most provocative claims is about the traditional Chief Marketing Officer. According to the Digitas CEO, that role is basically dead in its classic form. It's a statement that caught the Cannes audience off guard.

However, his thesis isn't nihilistic. On the contrary, Lanzi proposes a transformation: the marketing manager needs to become a driver of business results, not a guardian of creativity or brand awareness. Therefore, the required skill set changes radically — from storytelling to data analytics.

This vision aligns with what we see in the Italian market. The most effective marketing managers we meet — in SMEs and mid-market companies alike — are those who can read data and translate it into decisions. Moreover, they are the ones who ask their digital partners for concrete metrics, not just impressions and reach.

So, the question is not whether the traditional CMO will survive. The question is how many marketing leaders are already equipped for this transition.

Publicis and Digitas: a consistent strategy on AI

It's important to read Lanzi's words in the context of Publicis' group strategy. The French holding company has invested heavily in data and technology over recent years. Specifically, the acquisition of Epsilon in 2019 strengthened its capability for targeting based on first-party data.

Therefore, when Lanzi says that AI alone is not enough, he is not rejecting technology. He is saying that AI only works if it is powered by quality proprietary data and driven by measurable KPIs. This is a critical point for any company considering investments in artificial intelligence applied to marketing .

Similarly, Digitas' stance on creators is nuanced. It is not about chasing every social trend, but about selecting collaborations that generate a real impact on the business. So, here too, the criterion is the measurability of results.

Strategic reading for the Italian market

The Cannes Lions debate has direct relevance for Italian marketing managers. In fact, even in our market, there's growing pressure to adopt AI in every process. However, the necessary data structure to make it effective is often missing.

Italian SMEs are in a unique position. On one hand, they have fewer resources to invest in technology. On the other, they can be more agile in adopting data-driven approaches compared to large organizations with established processes. Therefore, the window of opportunity exists — but it requires clarity on priorities.

At SHM Studio we work on this balance every day. We help companies build a digital marketing strategy that doesn't chase the hype, but measures real impact. Therefore, Lanzi's position resonates with our hands-on operational experience in the field.

By the way, the topic of measurement directly touches tools like Google Ads and LinkedIn Ads . Both offer cool AI-powered targeting features. Still, without crystal-clear conversion goals, even the fanciest campaigns will just give you useless data.

What nobody is saying at Cannes

There's one thing that rarely comes up in official talks at big advertising festivals. Agencies have a built-in reason to sell complexity. More tools, more platforms, more formats—it all helps justify higher fees.

Therefore, when a CEO like Lanzi says AI isn't the automatic answer, she's implicitly challenging her industry's business model too. It's an uncommon gesture of intellectual honesty. Furthermore, it opens a more useful conversation: what specific business problems can AI solve, and which ones can't it?

For example, AI applied to SEO can speed up keyword research and content creation. But hey, it doesn't replace understanding the competitive landscape and what users are actually looking for. Same goes for AI in Copywriting can increase production speed, but does not guarantee strategic relevance.

So, the distinction that Lanzi proposes — between hype and results — is exactly the question every marketing manager should ask their tech suppliers and agencies.

Operational implications: what changes in marketing planning

Turning Lanzi's thoughts into real actions means changing how we plan things. First off, we need to set our business KPIs before picking the tools. Not the other way around!

Second, it is worth investing in the quality of internal data. Structured and clean first-party data are the precondition for any effective AI application. So, CRM, analytics, and tracking need to be in order before exploring more advanced solutions.

Furthermore, the choice of channels must follow the logic of measurement. Platforms like Linkedin they offer more mature attribution capabilities today compared to the past. Consequently, it is possible to connect advertising investment to concrete results in the B2B funnel.

Finally, collaboration with creators — another central theme at Cannes — must be evaluated with the same criteria. Not the number of followers, but the ability to generate measurable conversions or brand consideration. Therefore, here too, data comes before gut feelings.

To learn more about how to structure a results-oriented strategy, the team at SHM Studio is available for dedicated consulting. It is possible contact us directly or explore the web development services and the integrated solutions we offer to Italian SMEs.

Outlook: where marketing is heading in 2027-2028

Looking at the next two years, some trends seem to be consolidating. Generative AI will continue to penetrate creative and analytical workflows. However, competitive differentiation will increasingly shift towards data quality and the ability to interpret it.

According to Harvard Business Review , the CMOs who survive the next phase of transformation will be those capable of speaking the CFO's language — ROI, margins, revenue growth. Thus, Lanzi's vision is not only current, it is forward-looking.

For the Italian market, this means that investing in AI skills without first building a culture of measurement risks producing spending with no return. Therefore, the operational priority for 2026-2027 should be analytical maturity, not technological adoption for its own sake.

In summary, Amy Lanzi said at Cannes what many think but few declare: AI is a powerful tool, but effective marketing remains a matter of strategy, data, and accountability. It's a message worth keeping in mind every time you evaluate your next digital investment. To delve deeper into these topics, you can visit the SHM Studio blog or explore the digital marketing services available for Italian companies.