Hello and welcome back to Influencer Insider! Hope your feet have recovered from walking up and down the Croisette last week. 🏝️
And what a fantastic week it was. We caught up with some fantastic people for interviews on Hello Partner. Subscribers are in for a real treat - our chat with Leila Woodington from OpenAI is live now.
In exciting CreatorFest news, our Creator Craft Awards shortlist has just dropped! Keep reading to find out more.
And in non-event-related news, Will Ferrell has been involved in a hilarious campaign with Skims. A needed palette cleanser to get marketers back in the campaign mood.
Now, on with the news!
In today's newsletter:
- Pick of the day: OpenAI's Leila Woodington Talks Cannes, ChatGPT's Codex and AI vs Human Taste
- Trending: System1’s Andrew Tindall Launches Creator Effectiveness Playbook with WPP and TikTok
- Campaign of the week: Will Ferrell x Skims
📝 Pick of the day
OpenAI's Leila Woodington Talks Cannes, ChatGPT's Codex and AI vs Human Taste
As expected, 2026 was a whirlwind of conversations, but my chat with OpenAI's Head of B2B Marketing EMEA, Leila Woodington, was a standout.
Making a 2026 debut, OpenAI showed up with official Cannes sessions - with my favourite being about the future of B2B marketing.
We sat down to explore how the two worlds of AI and creators are intersecting. Just off the Croisette, we discussed how creators can use AI tools to scale from solo operations into lean media businesses, the evolving role of AI as a creative collaborator rather than a replacement, and the vital shift from a world of deliverables to one of human decisions. She also shared some early insights into OpenAI's rapidly growing, newly launched ads platform.
With less than two weeks until CreatorFest, download the app now to book in your meetings with the people you want to talk to.
You can also explore the agenda and start planning your days! ⭐️
↗ Trending
What's hot on Hello Partner right now
System1’s Andrew Tindall Launches Creator Effectiveness Playbook with WPP and TikTok
Live at Cannes Lions 2026, System1’s Andrew Tindall just launched the Creator Effectiveness Playbook.
Disrupt Marketing Launches the Genuine Influence Index to Tackle Vanity Metrics
Yesterday at Cannes Lions, Disrupt Marketing announced the Genuine Influence Index at their Villa Brunch.
Cannes Lions 2026: Oprah Winfrey’s Inspiring Message to Creators
Oprah Winfrey was presented with the 2026 Cannes LionHeart award by Lions Chair Phil Thomas.
Snap Inc Global Director of Creative Strategy on What Most Brands Get Wrong with AI
Valentina Culatti, Director of Creative Strategy at Snap, explained what most brands are getting wrong using AI.
Found’s Natalie Patel on Navigating the Next Era of Marketing at Cannes
At Cannes Lions 2026, we caught up with Natalie Patel, Managing Director of search performance agency Found.
How Dani Roberts's Purple Goat is Auditing Cannes Lions for a More Inclusive Creator Future
Dani Roberts, Campaigns Director at Purple Goat Agency, discussed how the creator economy is moving toward performance-driven inclusion.
The Creator Craft Awards 2026 Shortlist Announced
We are incredibly proud to announce the shortlisted nominees of the 2026 Creator Craft Awards!
✨ Campaign of the week: Will Ferrell x Skims
Will Ferrell, or should I say Lonnie Hawkins, just starred in a new Skims campaign in collaboration with his upcoming Netflix show, The Hawk.
This genius move has already seen a fake Instagram for the character with over 70,000 followers.
It's a total win-win for Netflix and Skims: a creative, unique campaign that stands out for both brands.
👀 Algowatch: New LinkedIn Feeds Please
LinkedIn is apparently testing a suggested feed, which would show you topic-focused content recommended based on your app activity. Interesting!
Check out our list of talented creator finalists here. And guess what? You'll be able to meet them at the show.
Plus, we need your help with voting! Two categories - Industry Hero and Community Creator of the Year - need your say. Vote here.
Winners to be announced on stage at CreatorFest on Tuesday, 14th July.
Be there or be 🟪!
💭 Thursday thoughts
As we speak, the Hello Partner team is at the Global Influencer Marketing Awards Shortlist Brunch celebrating amazing global campaigns. And I'm playing Pitch or Ditch with Abi!
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Until next time!
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Sofia Aira Journalist Email me Connect with me on LinkedIn |
