Influencers Spark Riviera Buzz at Cannes Lions: From Glamour to Genuine Grit

19 June 2025

Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions

The glamorous French Riviera lit up this week as influencers from across the globe descended on Cannes Lions 2025. More than just beautiful moments in designer outfits, their presence highlighted a shift, blending the dazzle of festival life with raw sincerity about the mental and emotional costs of digital fame.

On La Croisette, TikTok model Emira D’Spain commanded attention. With over 1.3 million followers and a fresh role in Bravo’s Next Gen NYC, Emira acknowledged the darker side of online attention. “Haters pay the bills,” she quipped at a Forbes Top Creators event. The comment hit like a punch proof that trolls aren’t just hurtful, they help bolster viewership. She admitted that mean remarks still sting, but emphasized resilience, focusing instead on the loyal fans cheering her on.

Jake Shane, also a TikTok favorite with 3.6 million followers, paused his “Therapuss LIVE” tour to hit a panel here. He compared the festival to a school trip with good friends equal parts thrill and exhaustion. “Sometimes one night’s great, the next just isn’t,” he confessed. These admissions showed that even with fame, emotional ups and downs remain constant.

At a separate session, Haley Kalil known online as @Haleyybaley reflected on her whirlwind rise from TikTok sketches to social media influencer with over 22 million followers. She shared a personal victory: being featured in Forbes proved to her doubting parents that her career wasn’t ephemeral.

Then there’s Brandon Edelman, an influencer who went public about making $768,000 last year $300,000 of which came home after taxes and expenses. At Cannes, he celebrated the event as a haven where “everyone gets it,” because in influencer circles, authenticity is real currency regardless of skeptics.

Behind the sparkle of beachside panels and Champagne launches, a more serious discussion is emerging. At the Axios-hosted “micro-influencers and authenticity” event, marketing leaders like Robyn Delmonte and Vanessa Wallace stressed that niche influencers who align with brand values win audience trust. The message was clear: it’s no longer about viral numbers, but the depth of connection.

Even unexpected figures like former NFL star Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson joined in. Claiming to be “cheap as f–k,” he paraded an entire $80 outfit, shirt, shorts, sneakers from Zara. Fashion alone wasn’t the point; his charm revealed how authenticity can shape brand identity just as powerfully as high-end labels.

For these digital influencers, Cannes is more than a vacation it’s a vital workshop. They spoke openly about brand deals, mental health, and public scrutiny. Festivals like this have become professional battlegrounds where influencers negotiate respect, challenge stereotypes, and assert their roles within luxury, tech, and media industries.

This year’s Cannes Lions made one thing clear: influencers are no longer the festival’s lighter side attraction. They are architects of cultural influence, people who merge star power, purpose, and precision. Haters may pay the bills, but authenticity builds empires, and that’s why they’re here.