MIPCOM 2023: Creators, Brands & AI Transform TV Industry at Cannes Summit!

Lucy Smith, the head of MIPCOM, is eager to broadcast that Cannes in October is evolving beyond its traditional focus on merely trading TV content.

“The major challenge we face is altering perceptions,” she notes, as the event is fast approaching. “Attending MIPCOM is no longer just about securing distribution agreements. It’s about discovering valuable intellectual property, exploring branded entertainment, or understanding new trends in vertical dramas or artificial intelligence,” she explains.

While distribution continues to be central to MIPCOM, the event has transformed in response to the evolving landscape of the international television market. “We are still a marketplace, but it’s more than just a venue for buying and selling,” states Smith.

The broadened scope of MIPCOM now includes elements like the creator economy, partnerships with brands, and technological innovations.

Adaptation was necessary to maintain relevance. Industry consolidation and other shifts are affecting its core business of distribution. For instance, while Warner Bros. and Paramount might have separate displays in Cannes this year, they are likely to consolidate by the time MIPCOM 2027 arrives. A similar scenario is expected for Banijay and All3Media.

Smaller and mid-sized distributors are also experiencing difficulties. Although acquisition executives continue to attend MIPCOM in significant numbers, they face constraints with tighter budgets.

Smith, who first attended MIPCOM in 2006 and now oversees the market organized by RX France, reflects on the evolution: “The industry underwent massive changes around ‘24, with reduced funding from traditional sources. We had to adapt to these transformations,” she remarks.

Under her guidance, the focus initially shifted towards co-productions and FAST channels, then to branding and the creator economy.

“We aimed to enhance the creative dialogue around funding and intellectual property. That was our initial step, followed by the introduction of the MIP Innovation Lab to address broader aspects of streaming,” she adds.

“A significant push towards the creator economy followed,” Smith continues.

YouTube had a prominent presence at MIPCOM in 2025 and will be even more visible this year. Smith explains their partnership with YouTube as “an effective strategy to highlight our focus on the creator economy.” This year, Dhar Mann Studios will initiate MIPCOM with a pre-market headline session on Sunday, followed by the main events on Monday. Dhar Mann and DMS CEO Sean Atkins will deliver a joint keynote.

“The impact of creator-led businesses on the global media landscape is undeniable, and we recognized the need to address this,” Smith states. “We received numerous inquiries from studios eager to connect with these innovative, creator-driven companies, which lie at the nexus of creators, brands, and branded entertainment.”

After collaborating with BrandStorytelling last year, RX France is launching MIP BrandWorks to focus on branded entertainment, with Dentsu as the main partner.

“Our goal is to become a hub for branded entertainment, acting as a gateway to the worldwide content and media business. For anyone looking to engage deeply with content, notably brands that need to be culturally embedded in content, this is the place to be,” Smith asserts.

Artificial intelligence is also gaining prominence. The new MIP AI Entertainment Forum, in partnership with Versos AI and Protégé, will focus on this area.

“With AI becoming increasingly integral to entertainment, it’s essential for those involved to be part of these industry conversations. We’ll focus on studios, production workflows, and licensing,” explains Smith.

Despite the evolving focus, MIPCOM’s unique selling proposition continues to be its ability to bring together a significant number of participants. Although virtual meetings and budget constraints have affected attendance, no other international TV event matches the scale of gathering over 10,000 industry professionals.

“Facilitating these large-scale, in-person gatherings allows for meaningful collaborations and advancements in new business areas,” Smith notes. “We aim to bridge the conversation gap between traditional media firms and new, creator-led studios.”

While Cannes is synonymous with glamour, thanks to events like the Film Festival and Cannes Lions, MIPCOM, despite its glamorous setting and opportunities for high-profile photography, remains fundamentally about business and deal-making.

“If you’re serious about understanding and engaging in new business models, this is where you need to be. This is where the future of business begins to take shape,” concludes Smith.