United Talent Agency (UTA) is opening its first branded beach activation at Cannes Lions 2026, replacing the MediaLink Beach that has occupied Entry Point 3 on the Croisette since 2019, per ADWEEK.

UTA acquired marketing advisory firm MediaLink for $125 million nearly five years ago. The new UTA Beach will feature a Creator Lounge, sponsored meeting rooms, and a podcast studio for brands and creators.

The agency plans to bring 70 creators to the activation, more than double the number it brought in 2025. Attendees span fashion, food, sports, and lifestyle categories, including podcaster Alex Cooper and YouTubers Colin and Samir.

Creator Economy Programming Expands

UTA Creators co-head Raina Penchansky described the move as a response to how creators now fit into marketing strategy. “There was a time when creators were sort of a layer to either a marketing campaign or a platform or a launch or a product, and now they’re the foundation,” she said.

Cannes Lions has expanded its creator track for 2026, with Instagram head Adam Mosseri scheduled for the Palais stage and a broader awards program recognizing the Creator Economy.

Beyond the beach, UTA will host an invite-only creator dinner on June 22, sponsored by Anthropic’s Claude. Ludacris will headline a UTA and DoorDash Ads executive event at Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc on June 23, and Hilton will hold a brand-building conversation with UTA CEO David Kramer on the festival’s opening day.

Adobe, TikTok, and former CEO Michael Kassan’s 3C Ventures are also hosting creator-focused programming at the festival.

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Check Out Our Podcast