TikTok at Cannes Lions 2024

Cannes, France

2024

Industry: Tech

Creative Team - - Environmental: myself. Graphics: Mike Hinson, Kenneth Liew, Henry Kaye. Copy: Ryan Hague. Design director: Hamilton Tamayo

Events Director: Yvette Banks. Production lead: Matt Steele Events: Tiffany Greene.

Production: Jack Morton Worldwide. Fabrication: MAC

This was TikTok’s first year bringing the design for Cannes Lions in-house. As the sole environmental designer, I was designated as design lead developing the entire garden space inside and out to come to life. This year’s event featured a brand partnership with Adobe for an afterparty on the beach of a nearby restaurant. Jack Morton Worldwide were the production partners in producing both events.

Site: The Carlton Hotel, Cannes

TikTok’s main space is set inside the Carlton’s lush central garden at the heart of the hotel. Extended brand space is on the pool terrace and inside of the hotel.

The Structure: Le Retro Tent

This tent was used in the 2023 (image at right) when Jack Morton Worldwide designed the space. The big arch is a well-liked feature and the collective decision was to lean into it and extend it across the whole space for 2024’s design.

In the sketches below, I began to ideate on ways to bring the full soup to nuts garden experience to life from the inside out

  • Thumbnail sketches on the overall space and parametric cladding

  • Interior ideation sketch 1

  • Interior ideation sketch 2

  • Interior ideation sketch 3

  • Interior ideation sketch 4

  • Entrance wall ideation sketches

THE “BRACKET” ENTRYWAY

I played with a variety of forms to create the grand entrance into the Garden space. A team brainstorm led to opting for a version of TikTok’s notable “Create” icon, leaning into just the brackets as a unique and undeniably TikTok entryway frame.

PARAMETRIC EXTERIOR FACADE

I designed the external modular parametric facade that repeats around the tent frame. This design direction was inspired by the TikTok Symphony logo, which is a TikTok for Business product that was being revealed and featured at this year’s Cannes Lions.

CANNES LIONS 2024 RENDERINGS

I designed the whole interior of the space and the internal elements, working with XFNs and getting buy-in from key stakeholders and executives to develop spaces for product, fun activations, bar/F&B station, staging and programming, and space to connect & gather. In keeping with the parametric theme, I brought in overhead waves and infused linear slat patterns in brand colors Razz & Splash onto several elements throughout the interior. I collaborated with the 2D graphics team on outfitting the space with branding and bold color, and the copywriter on infusing the “Cannes we kick it” messaging.

  • Overhead view of the TikTok Garden, showcasing the full version of the tent with interior shading material while allowing for natural light to get it

  • An image of the Cultural Center.

    Large clear window allows for the glowing note behind the bleachers to greet incoming guests

  • An image of the Cultural Center.

    View upon entry featuring several activation touchpoints

  • An image of the Cultural Center.

    Open airy space and relaxed seating vignettes built for conversation and connection — a key request from executive stakeholders

  • Fun highboys invite more opportunities for one-on-one’s. (wall graphics: Ken Liew).

  • Product activation for TikTok Symphony and a TikTok-Toe game I created

  • I collaborated with the Advertising Product team and Cre-Dev to infuse the “TikTok-Toe” game with product-driven questions and copy. Near the exit, a selfie mirror for guests to snap a shot (yes, that is me :-)

  • Capturing the reflective effects of the glowing bleacher not on the window

  • I designed a curved set of bleachers specially for the popular TikTok workshop activation

  • Frozen paletas were distributed to guests among screens rotating food + bev related content. (graphics: Henry Kaye)

  • The bar all set up before the guests and attendees arrive, featuring hanging greenery. (back wall graphics: Ken Liew)

  • The Fit Check Foyer featured two stations for folks to create and capture content in their OOTD. (graphics: Mike Hinson, Ken Liew)

  • The Swag Shop featuring gotta-have branded gear

  • Guests gathering inside

  • A view through the hero wall aperture that opens up into the Programming Area. (hero wall graphics: Ken Liew)

  • Programming space featuring the extended parametric theme on the backdrop and screen totems

  • Programming in session

Inside the Carlton Hotel : Meeting Rooms

Several meeting rooms inside of the Carlton are set up for regions and key departments as meeting spaces. While waiting at the Check-In area, guests were able to chime in on our This or That Wall (designed by Joy Seet)

Each room was furnished with a large shelf of knick knacks that were popular on the app (render on right). (wave pattern design by Ken Liew)

Evening Parties: TikTok Garden and Adobe Partnership Concert

TikTok 2024 was the first major build project executed in-house. As the lead designer, a key success was creating an open footprint where I was able to design a system of elements capable of being reused and reskinned, building value into production by saving time and money for future implementation.

Partnership Party: Adobe

For this year’s finale party, TikTok partnered with Adobe to produce a live concert at the beach restaurant Lecrin, featuring upcoming acts and headlined by Tinashe. I designed an entry portal and headphones-themed photo moment merging colors from both TikTok and Adobe’s color palette.

In the Garden:

Each night, the Garden got turned into a party space where at the center of the hero wall is an elevated stage for live entertainment by the house DJ or special guest performances, and the bar is a buzz