AI and advertising: why results matter more than hype

Cannes Lions 2026: The stage where the industry tells 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's dominant themes were two: creators and artificial intelligence. Both were presented as transformative solutions. In particular, AI was described as the engine that would redefine every aspect of marketing. Therefore, expectations were very high — perhaps too high.

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

The Numbers That Matter: What the Market Is Really Saying

First of all, it's necessary to contextualize Lanzi's position with the available data. Second Gartner, Marketing technology spending has reached historic levels, but CMOs' perceived ROI has fallen for the third year in a row. Therefore, more investment does not automatically mean more results.

Furthermore, a study by McKinsey It highlights that companies with data-driven approaches to marketing outperform their competitors by 20–30%. However, less than 40% of organizations have actually integrated data analysis into their day-to-day decision-making processes.

Consequently, there is a significant gap between the rhetoric surrounding AI and the actual ability to use it to generate measurable value. Lanzi explicitly stated: AI will not save the advertising industry unless it is anchored to clear business objectives.

Is the role of the CMO really over?

One of Lanzi's most provocative claims concerns the traditional Chief Marketing Officer role. According to the Digitas CEO, that role is essentially finished in its classic form. This is a statement that surprised the audience at Cannes.

However, his thesis is not nihilistic. On the contrary, Lanzi proposes a transformation: the marketing manager must 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 is consistent with what we observe in the Italian market. The most effective marketing managers we meet—in both SMEs and mid-market companies—are those capable of reading data and translating it into decisions. Furthermore, they are the ones who ask their digital partners for concrete metrics, not just impressions and reach.

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

Publicis and Digitas: A Coherent AI Strategy

It is important to read Lanzi's words within the context of Publicis Group's strategy. The French holding company has invested heavily in data and technology in recent years. In particular, the acquisition of Epsilon in 2019 strengthened its first-party data-based targeting capabilities.

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

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

Strategic reading for the Italian market

The Cannes Lions debate is directly relevant to Italian marketing managers. Indeed, even in our market, there is increasing pressure to adopt AI in every process. However, the necessary data structure to make it effective is often missing.

Italian SMEs find themselves in a peculiar 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 daily. We help companies build a digital marketing strategy that it doesn't chase hype, but measures real impact. Therefore, Lanzi's position resonates with our real-world operational experience.

By the way, the theme of measurement directly affects tools such as Google Ads e LinkedIn Ads. Both offer advanced AI-powered targeting capabilities. However, without a clear definition of conversion goals, even the most sophisticated campaigns produce unusable data.

What no one tells you at Cannes

There's an element that rarely emerges in official discussions at major advertising festivals. Agencies have a structural incentive to sell complexity. More tools, more platforms, more formats — it all contributes to justifying higher fees.

Therefore, when a CEO like Lanzi says that AI is not the automatic answer, she is implicitly challenging her own industry's business model as well. 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 cannot?

For example, AI applied to SEO can speed up keyword analysis and content production. However, it does not replace understanding the competitive landscape and user search intent. Similarly, AI in copywriting It can increase production speed, but doesn't guarantee strategic relevance.

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

Operational implications: what changes in marketing planning

Translating Lanzi's reflections into concrete actions requires a shift in planning approach. First and foremost, business KPIs need to be defined before choosing tools. Not the other way around.

Secondly, it's worth investing in the quality of your internal data. Structured and clean first-party data is the prerequisite for any effective AI application. Therefore, CRM, analytics, and tracking need to be in order before exploring more advanced solutions.

Furthermore, channel selection must follow measurement logic. Platforms like LinkedIn they offer more mature attribution capabilities today compared to the past. Consequently, it is possible to link advertising investment to concrete results in the B2B funnel.

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

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

Outlook: Where is marketing headed in 2027-2028

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

According to Harvard Business Review, The CMOs who will survive the next phase of transformation will be those capable of speaking the CFO's language — ROI, margins, revenue growth. Therefore, Lanzi's vision is not just current, it's anticipatory.

For the Italian market, this means investing in AI skills Without first building a culture of measurement, there's a risk of incurring expenses without return. Therefore, the operational priority for 2026-2027 should be analytical maturity, not technology adoption for its own sake.

In summary, Amy Lanzi said in 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 to explore the digital marketing services available for Italian companies.