Travel Uncertainty Leaves Agencies in Wait-and-See Mode on Booking for Cannes Lions
Summary
Scheduled for June 22-26, the creative festival falls far enough down in the calendar that some, including its organizers, are optimistic it won’t be affected by the current spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by coronavirus that has infected about 90,000 worldwide and killed 3,000. While several international advertising awards festivals take place each spring, most, such as D&AD and The One Show, generate their revenue largely from entry fees, making their events somewhat secondary. “For ourselves as a not-for-profit, it’s slightly different from Cannes, where they make the majority of their money on the event itself.” Due to the global nature of the advertising business, the agency world has been quick to respond to the spread of COVID-19 by scaling back travel and locking down offices. Holding companies have been issuing cautious travel guidance and telling employees to work from home to avoid being infected. Cannes Lions is still three months away, giving plenty of time for the virus to potentially run its course, but the recent raft of restrictive travel policies comes just as some agencies would be booking their flights and lodging for the June festival.