Where creativity finds its way: the map behind Cannes Lions 2026

Cannes Lions 2026 brought the global creative marketing community to Cannes from June 22–26. Brands, agencies, media companies, technology partners, speakers, sponsors, and industry leaders gathered for awards, sessions, networking, activations, and business opportunities.

Attendees needed to move between venues, stages, brand experiences, sponsor and partner spaces, and other festival touchpoints. ExpoFP provided one branded, searchable interactive map to help users explore the event and find key locations. The map was also integrated with Grip, Cannes Lions’ event app provider, linking exhibitor profiles in the app directly to their locations on the interactive map.

The challenge: navigating a festival spread across Cannes

Cannes Lions combined venues, sessions, awards, activations, networking areas, and partner experiences throughout a busy festival week. Attendees needed a clear way to understand the layout and find relevant locations quickly.

A static map could show locations but not provide the same searchable, mobile-friendly experience. The organizer needed a scalable digital map supporting navigation, venue discovery, and sponsor and partner visibility.

ExpoFP analytics also needed to show whether the map became an active part of the attendee journey.

What the organizer wanted to achieve

The project had five clear goals:

The map supported more than directions: it helped users spend less time orienting themselves and more time engaging with the people, content, and experiences around them.

ExpoFP's solution

ExpoFP delivered a branded interactive floor plan for Cannes Lions 2026, turning the multi-day festival layout into a searchable digital experience for attendees, brands, agencies, sponsors, partners, and speakers. Through the Grip integration, exhibitors in the Cannes Lions event app were connected with their locations on the map, creating a more seamless journey between exhibitor discovery and physical navigation.

The delivered scope included:

• Interactive event map hosted on ExpoFP for Cannes Lions 2026
• Venues, activations, sponsor and partner spaces, labels, and points of interest
• Branded digital map aligned with the Cannes Lions festival experience
• Searchable layout supporting attendee navigation and venue discovery
• Public map access at canneslions2026.expofp.com
• Analytics tracking for views, loads, sessions, and users
• Grip integration linking exhibitors in the event app with their corresponding locations on the ExpoFP map

How the project was delivered

ExpoFP moved the project from planning and map build to publication, event readiness, and engagement measurement.

1. Planning

ExpoFP structured the map around venues, stages, activations, sponsor and partner areas, and the attendee touchpoints shaping movement across Cannes.

2. Map build

The production team added event areas, labels, points of interest, partner locations, and the elements needed to make the festival easier to explore.

3. Publication

The map was published at canneslions2026.expofp.com and delivered on June 16, giving attendees a live navigation tool before the June 22 opening day.

4. Analytics and support

ExpoFP tracked views, loads, sessions, and users, showing that the map was actively used throughout the festival.

What the numbers show

ExpoFP analytics recorded the following engagement during the event week:

The floor plan reached 9,893 users and generated 41,624 views — more than four views per user on average, suggesting that attendees returned to the map throughout the festival.

It also recorded 21,849 map loads and 12,763 sessions, confirming that the map was repeatedly opened as part of the live attendee experience.

The result was a measurable digital layer supporting navigation, venue discovery, partner visibility, and movement across Cannes.

Source: ExpoFP analytics dashboard. Timeframe: Cannes Lions 2026 event week, June 22–26, 2026. Values are exact.

Why this case matters for ExpoFP prospects

This case is a useful reference for:

• Large international festivals and multi-day conferences
• Creative, advertising, marketing, media, and brand-led events
• Events with multiple venues, activations, sponsors, and partners
• Organizers replacing static maps with branded interactive experiences
• Teams that want measurable map usage and attendee engagement
• Events using Grip or other event apps that want to connect exhibitor discovery with interactive map navigation

It shows that ExpoFP can support a globally recognized festival with an interactive map that helps thousands of users navigate, connects with the wider event app experience, and generates clear engagement data.

Final takeaway

Cannes Lions 2026 used ExpoFP to turn a complex festival layout into a practical digital guide — generating 41,624 views and reaching 9,893 users during the event week.