Every year Cannes is full of big predictions. This year was no different. But across our conversations, the focus wasn’t on technology for technology’s sake. It was on creating experiences customers genuinely appreciate. Meeting people where they are and adding value to their day.
That theme came to life during our ADWEEK discussion with leaders from Foot Locker, Life360, and T-Mobile. Three very different companies. Different customers. Different business models. Different goals. Yet all three kept coming back to the same idea:
The best business outcomes come from creating better experiences for customers.
Lora Loesch, Head of Media, at Foot Locker, creating experiences that feel relevant to customers’ lives—not another advertisement.
As she put it:
“We don’t want customers to think, ‘That’s an ad.’ We want them to think, ‘That’s part of my life.'”
It’s a philosophy that aligns closely with how Foot Locker thinks about customer engagement more broadly. She shared that more than 90% of customers report enjoying the Nift gift experience, reinforcing a simple idea: when you create something people genuinely value, they’re far more likely to engage with it. Justin Choice, President of Life360 Ads, shared how giving members something genuinely useful drove stronger engagement and satisfaction.
And Cherian Thomas, Head of Global Brand Partnerships, at T-Mobile put it most simply:
“Customer experience is greater than ad revenue.”
That line stuck with us. Because in a week dominated by conversations about AI, automation, and efficiency, these leaders kept talking about something much more human:
Trust. Relevance. Helpfulness. Value.
Not because it’s nice. Because it works. Our research with The Harris Poll found that 87% of consumers are more loyal to brands that make them feel valued rather than treated like a transaction. At the same time, 63% say they’re overwhelmed by advertising. Those numbers aren’t telling us consumers want less engagement. They’re telling us they want better engagement. And that’s exactly what we kept hearing throughout Cannes.
This approach has been at the core of how we’ve thought about customer relationships from the beginning. We believe the best customer experiences create value for everyone involved. Customers feel appreciated. Brands build stronger relationships. And growth follows. Creating value for customers isn’t a new idea. Industry voices like Andrew Lipsman have been talking for years about the importance of discovery, experience, and long-term customer value. What made Cannes interesting wasn’t hearing something new. It was hearing leaders from the brands we admire reinforce the same principle from three completely different angles:
When you create experiences people genuinely value, business results tend to follow.
At Nift, we’ve always believed there’s a reason for that. People know when a brand is simply trying to take. And they know when a brand is trying to give. As our CEO, Elery Pfeffer, often says, the strongest relationships aren’t purely transactional—they’re built on reciprocity. When brands show up with appreciation, relevance, and generosity, customers tend to respond in kind. Put the customer first. Create value before asking for something in return. Build trust instead of spending it.
That’s not a new trend. It’s just good business.
