Day 2 Cannes Lions: Oprah Winfrey Honored
Plus, Rachel Zoe speaks at The Female Quotient, Canva had their Nicer Tuesdays, and Girls Talk Stem hosted a panel at the World Woman Foundation Summit where they interviewed astronaut Dr. Sian Proctor…
Another very hot day in the Cote d’ Azur where actor, global media magnate, producer, and author Oprah Winfrey was honored from the official festival stage with the Cannes LionHeart 2026 award for her ability to drive positive change, challenge the status quo, and inspire others through actions and their voice. In a special keynote session with Cannes Lions Chairman Phil Thomas, that she coupled with the Oprah Winfrey Podcast, the media leader spoke on what made her one of the most respected and admired global personalities today.
A common topic across many panels at the festival is how a brand can effectively lead with authenticity. Winfrey stressed a “brand is an expression of yourself,” an idea she shied away from in her early career, yet embraced and later understood an impactful brand succeeds when its values are aligned- not when it’s looking for the perfect image of itself.
Winfrey isn’t one to position herself in an ivory tower. She has been spotted at the festival, walking amongst festival goers and dining normally, willing to pose for photos and speak with anyone that approaches her.
FQ’s “The New Entertainment Era: Women Drawing Influence” panel featuring Rachel Zoe | Photo Credit: SEELE
The Female Quotient included another impactful day with its first panel titled “The New Entertainment Era: Women Drawing Influence,” featuring Leah Wyar from People, Inc., a team from NBCUniversal: Frances Berwick, Liz Jenkins, and Alison Levin; and Rachel Zoe from The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.
Later in the day, Zoe took to the Cannes Lions stage along with TV host Seth Myers, actor Alan Cumming, writer and co-anchor Colin Jost, and NBCUniversal Media Group chairman Matt Strass to talk about how TV franchises are living and breathing due to fans turning IP into global cultural currency.
Canva’s Dynamic Intersection of Brand & Culture | Photo Credit: Canva | Instagram
We did don our Canva tote all day. Spacious, it will be a forever memory of the 73rd edition and how the Canva team are hospitable and a delight. In the morning before things turned viciously hot, Canva opened with Nice Tuesdays, giving a briefing of its latest projects. And, had a presentation by Canva staff on The Dynamic Intersection of Brand & Culture. And the Canva team were on hand to walk people through Canva Pro. Ever kind and ever patient, staff made it practical to help people understand how the product can enhance their business needs.
The World Woman Foundation had fantastic and engaging sessions like the group Girls Talk Stem hosting a panel titled “Designing The Cosmos: Art, Science, and Human Potential,” where Aayati Dash Kar led an engaging conversation with Dr. Sian Proctor, a geoscientist, explorer, space artist, and astronaut. Both dove into how exploration extends beyond technology and into storytelling, identity, and perspective. The room was engaged, silent, then laughing, and people recorded key moments with their phones.
Allyson Portee (Moderator), and panelists (Madeline Di Nonno, Remy Stiles,and Marie-Lise Campeau | Photo Credit: SEELE
Allyson Portee led a panel discussion on culture as currency, featuring Remy Stiles, Global CEO of Kepler; Marie-Lise Campeau, Global CEO of Sid Lee; and Madeline Di Nonno, President and CEO of the Geena Davis Institute, who examined how women leaders are redefining influence through authenticity, inclusion, and purpose-driven storytelling—and how this shift is transforming the global advertising and communications industry from the inside out.
Photo credit of Oprah: Olivier Huitel
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