Cannes Lions 2012 delegate registration now open – register online at canneslions.com

From today, the 59th Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity is open for delegate registration. Taking place from 17 – 23 June in Cannes, France, delegates wishing to attend can now register online at canneslions.com.

Anyone wishing to attend Cannes Lions can choose from 3-day, 4-day and full-week registration packages. Dedicated student and young creative packages are also available. All Festival attendees are eligible for the lowest available rates on accommodation with the online accommodation guide offering possibilities for all budgets and preferences.

Set to be the busiest Festival to date, delegates will be able to learn and take inspiration from over 50 seminars, 25 forums, 20 workshops, screenings, exhibitions, four awards ceremonies and two galas as well as benefiting from a number of networking possibilities.

NEW: This year Cannes is launching a new stream of content – Forums. The forums will take place from Monday to Friday, with a different theme every day. The 60 minute forums will be part presentation, part discussion, so are a great way for delegates to interact with speakers and be involved with the content. The five themes for the Forums are Creativity in Mobile Advertising; Creativity in Branded Entertainment; Creative Talent Management; The Creative Future of Media; and Consumer Insights and Understanding People. The full programme will be released at the beginning of March.

NEW: 2012 will see the launch of a brand new Cannes Lions networking opportunity; The Cannes Connect Bar. Open daily throughout the Festival, with a complimentary bar running for a limited time in the evenings, it will provide an opportunity for attendees from across the globe to meet up, network and relax. The Cannes Connect Bar will be situated on the Riviera Terrace of the Palais des Festivals, a unique setting with views over the bay and port of Cannes.

Complementing this, Cannes Connect will once again provide an online tool for delegates, helping them to get in touch with one another and facilitate meetings between like-minded people.

NEW: The inaugural Young Creative Academy will see an intensive, week-long programme designed to develop rising talent by offering 35 young creatives the opportunity to expand their personal creativity through a bespoke learning schedule. This will run alongside the existing Creative Academy for Young Marketers and the Roger Hatchuel Academy for students. Further information on the new Academy will follow soon.

At the 2012 Festival, Cannes Lions and the Berlin School of Creative Leadership will once again run the Cannes Creative Leaders Programme. The intensive two-week programme offers executives who are currently in or designated for leadership positions in the creative industries, a rich learning experience headed and taught by leading academic and industry experts. Around 30 places are available; further information including details of fees can be found here.

The popular How to Cannes will also make a return this year. The daily morning talks offer newcomers to Cannes Lions the chance to maximise their Festival experience by listening to tips and guidance from a Cannes Lions veteran and Festival official.

Launching shortly, the Cannes Lions 2012 marketing campaign will build on the theme of ‘Great Stories Start in Cannes’. Featuring Festival anecdotes and personal insights from industry greats such as Sir Martin Sorrell, Sir John Hegarty, David Droga, Jeff Benjamin and Jonathan Mildenhall, the campaign highlights the importance of the Festival and the undeniable magic that it holds in making just about anything possible. All of the ads were shot in Cannes and photographed by Dean Dorat. To view the first available selection of ads, visit canneslions.com/stories/.

Says Philip Thomas, CEO of Cannes Lions: “Each year at Cannes Lions, clients, agencies, media owners, tech companies and content creators come together to celebrate great work, be inspired, learn, and create a roadmap for the future. With our new content streams, Mobile and Branded Content sections, more academies, and new ways for delegates to meet each other, 2012 is shaping up to be busier than ever. One thing is certain: the world of creativity in communications will look slightly different after Cannes Lions, as it does every year.”

Cannes Lions 2011 was attended by close to 9,500 delegates from 95 countries. Entries will open on 26 January 2012.