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Variety and Google TV Partner to Host Two Events With Industry Leaders at Cannes Lions

Variety and Google TV will host two exclusive events at Cannes Lions on June 23-24, featuring keynote conversations with Carmelo Anthony and will.i.am, and a panel with CMOs from Crocs, Instacart, and Fanatics to explore entertainment, technology, and brand engagement.

read2 min views1 publishedJun 18, 2026

Variety and Google TV will host two exclusive events during Cannes Lions designed to explore the intersection of entertainment, technology, and culture through keynote conversations and industry discussions.

On June 23, The Industry Innovators Cocktail Hour will feature a keynote conversation with Basketball Hall of Famer, NBA on NBC studio analyst and entrepreneur Carmelo Anthony, moderated by Variety’s Co-President and Co-Editor-in-Chief Ramin Setoodeh. The event will be co-hosted by Setoodeh, Variety Co-Editor-in-Chief Cynthia Littleton and Shalini Govil-Pai, VP and GM of TV Platforms at Google.

On June 24, Variety’s Brand Visionaries Happy Hour will feature a keynote conversation with will.i.am, founder and CEO of FYI.AI, followed by a “Brand Visionaries – Making Moments Matter” panel featuring Shalini Govil-Pai, Carly Gomez, CMO of Crocs, Laura Jones, CMO of Instacart, and Selena Kalvaria, CMO of Fanatics. The panel will explore how brands see entertainment and key cultural moments as important catalysts for fan engagement.

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“At Google TV, we are constantly pushing the boundaries of how technology enhances discovery and personalization, turning simple viewing into engaging experiences,” said Govil-Pai. “Our commitment to streaming innovation is why we’re thrilled to host these events with Variety at Cannes Lions. We look forward to exploring how forward-thinking marketers and their partners can leverage our latest discovery and entertainment frameworks to make every moment truly matter.”

“Cannes Lions is where the worlds of entertainment, marketing, and technology converge, and our partnership with Google TV sits at exactly that intersection. Variety has always been the connective tissue of the entertainment industry, and these events bring together the voices genuinely shaping culture, from Carmelo Anthony to will.i.am to the CMOs redefining how brands show up in entertainment. We’re thrilled to create the room where those conversations happen,” said Michelle Fine-Smith, SVP, Global B2B Partnerships, Variety.

If you are attending Cannes Lions and would like to attend the Happy Hour Google event, please request an invitation at variety.com/googletvhappyhour.

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