Cannes, AI, and the Quiet Evolution of Accountability
As the industry converges on the Croisette this week, the conversation is dominated by AI, automation and outcomes.
And while the rosé flows and panels buzz with the promise of innovation, it’s clear that the real transformation isn’t happening on a stage - it’s unfolding behind the scenes.
At Morning Walk, we’ve been integrating AI across every part of our business.
Not as a gimmick or experiment, but as a fundamental shift in how we operate. From strategy to execution, AI has been a force multiplier - automating replicable tasks, optimizing workflows, and freeing up our teams to focus on what truly moves the needle: ideas that drive business growth. But here’s the truth no one’s eager to say out loud: AI isn’t the hard part. The real challenge is helping teams adapt to flatter processes, new creative cadences, and a culture that genuinely lives in the Creator Economy - not just adjacent to it.
We’re not chasing “big reveals” or overnight reinventions. We're committed to getting 1% better every day. And in the long run, that compounds into something remarkable. That’s why the biggest shift we’re seeing isn’t really a shift at all. It’s the industry waking up to what matters most: outcomes.
From the beginning, our focus has been on helping clients grow.
That may be why we’re not in Cannes this year. We’re back home doing the work - the kind that delivers billions in enterprise value, fills hotel rooms, moves product off shelves, launches new platforms, and redefines legacy categories.
Electric adventures. Mobile protection. Open access to trading platforms. Reinvented insurance. Reimagined law firms. More drinkers in the summer. Fewer empty beds in the off-season.
We’ve always believed in ideas that drive outcomes – real business outcomes. Sales. Growth. Value. That’s why we’re here. If we’re not helping our clients grow, we’re not doing our job – and frankly, we shouldn’t be relevant. It’s been interesting to watch the rest of the ad world catch up to that idea – to finally embrace accountability as a creative advantage.
While the industry parties are in Cannes, we’ll be here - helping our clients grow in our little corner of the world.
About Pat Goggin
Pat is CEO at Morning Walk and can be seen wandering the city of Chicago wondering how we can do better. He is the originator of Leo Burnett’s HumanKind marketing philosophy, Morning Walk’s experience journey “Truth to Transactions,” and is now guiding the development of Performance Branding Ecosystems. His mantra is “head in the clouds, feet on the ground.” By day he’s bringing big ideas and strategic insights to MW’s vast roster of brands, and by night he’s keeping up with his wife and three busy kids.
