Festival Day 1

First official day of the festival! We started the morning by walking over to the Palais as a class to get a feel for the space. After that, we split up and explored on our own. I went down to the basement to check out some of the shortlisted PR campaigns, which were really cool to see in person.

Then I stopped by the Amazon tent and caught the end of Jamie Lee Curtis's talk, and I heard from classmates that she really just spoke about herself the whole time. I also went to the Pinterest and TikTok tents and ended up with way too much free stuff. After wandering around for a bit, I went to my first talk of the day.

Talk 1: Selling Game-Changing Creative: From Pitch Room to Grand Prix

This session focused on what it takes to transform an idea from good to great. The main takeaway was that the best creative ideas don't just follow a brief, they push past it. The speaker encouraged us to ask "What's the real idea behind the idea?" and to focus on what matters to us personally in order to create something meaningful and big enough to grow.

Talk 2: Duolingo – Building a Brand That Breaks the Rules

My second talk, I have been looking forward to since the lineup was announced. I have always been a huge fan of Duolingo's CMO, Emmanuel Orssaud, and it was great to hear him discuss his strategy for the brand. He spoke about how they use experimentation, community insight, and humor to stay ahead. They don't fight what people are saying. Instead, they listen and lean in, even if it means making fun of themselves. The way they adapt fast and take creative risks really stood out. PLUS Duo, the Owl, made an appearance too, which was really cool!

Talk 3: R/GA & Sephora – "Unshittifying CX"

This one focused on how customer experience and branding go hand in hand. One line that stuck with me: "Every bad interaction is a bad ad." Even small details, such as receipts and confirmation emails, shape how a brand is perceived. Sephora is doing a great job connecting every touchpoint back to its core values.

Talk 4: Navigating the Trend Galaxy

This one was a bit underwhelming. It didn't feel super clear, and I walked away not really knowing what the key takeaway was supposed to be.

Talk 5: Alumni Meetup at the Pub

We closed out the day by meeting two UM alums, Cara Mia Cecchini and Mia Rafowitz, who shared what it's really like to work in the industry. My biggest takeaway is to demonstrate that you genuinely care about the work you do. Motivation and work ethic go a long way, especially when you're just starting out.

We ended the night at the Awards Show, then finally headed back. It was a long day, but a great start to the festival.

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