Tips for building a useful microsite- as seen by the experts at Cannes.
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Every June, the Croisette turns into a glorious mess of branded beach clubs, rooftop activations, and "wait, I need to RSVP to that too?" energy. And behind almost every great Cannes Lions activation is the quiet workhorse making it all possible before anyone even packs a suitcase: the event microsite.
After actually registering for quite a few Cannes activations (shout out Cannes Compass for providing some much needed direction) we found the standout Cannes Lions 2026 registration sites. Here are five things we think every great event microsite needs, with real examples from brands who got it so right.
Pinterest's "Manifestival" microsite was basically a trailer for their activation and a joy to scroll through. A tattoo parlour? Shown. A bleach bar with Sephora stylists? Yes. A Visual Search Studio built with Adobe Express? Larger than life. Video backgrounds and real activation photography bring the whole thing to life under a tagline we're obsessed with: "less scroll, more soul."
It doesn't just tell you what's happening. Instead it shows you why you'd want to be there in person, moment by moment, with hours and location clearly laid out. In-person this translated to
Our take: If your event has standout experiential moments, don't reduce them to bullet points. Show them off. A few beautifully shot visuals will always do more to drive RSVPs than another paragraph of descriptive copy ever could.
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LinkedIn's Cannes microsites are built for the reality of a packed festival week: Morning Shows, a Wellness Oasis, the badge-required Creator Experience at Carlton Cannes, a B2B Summit, and more — all mapped out day-by-day from June 22–26, each with its own simple registration link.
Instead of a different QR code for each event, LinkedIn keeps things refreshingly clear: a single source of truth for a very full week, organized so people can pick exactly what's worth their time. Sometimes the friendliest thing you can do for a busy attendee isn't more complexity it's more clarity.
Our take: If your event has a lot of moving pieces (i.e workshops, breaks, panels, parties) make sure that the access point to these events is a single source of truth. When there are so many QR codes in play, you don’t want yours to get lost or forgotten.
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Can’t book meetings with everyone, but still want to make a brand impact? DEPT® was ready with amazing consolation prizes. DEPT® built an entire microsite around a limited-edition capsule collection, including raffia beach bags, Côte d'Azur hats, french themed leather luggage tags, silk scarves, available exclusively for via voucher during 1 hour only daily drops from June 23–25 at their spot near the Croisette.
Here's what we love: the swag is the reason to show up. DEPT capitalized on the trend of blind boxes, so you didn’t quite know what you were going to get, but you knew you only had a limited time to pick it up. Plus they leveraged wallet pass technology, so unique QR codes were
Our take: If you're giving away merch, don't tuck it into a footer link. Give it a proper spotlight, show the real products, and let people feel like they're claiming something special — not grabbing a leftover lanyard on their way out.
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This is the gold standard, in our book. The Female Quotient's site breaks down all four days (June 22–25) by exact time slot, session title, a genuine description of what's being discussed, and a full speaker lineup — name, title, and company — for every single panel, dozens of sessions deep.
It's the difference between "come to our panels" and "here's exactly who you'll hear from at 2:30pm on Wednesday, and why it matters." That kind of specificity is what earns a calendar hold, not just a curious click.
Our take: Vague agendas ("Panel Discussion, TBD") don't convert nearly as well as real ones. Real names, real titles, real topics, real times. If your speaker list isn't locked yet, it's worth the wait to launch with the full picture.
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Adobe keeps its FAQ short, specific, and genuinely helpful: where to find them during the festival (Majestic Hotel, LIONS Creators Beach, Stagwell's SPORT BEACH), how to request a private executive meeting, where media inquiries go, and who to contact about partnerships — each paired with a real, named email contact instead of a generic "contact us" form.
No fluff, no filler questions. Just the handful of things a busy attendee or reporter actually needs to know before showing up.
~70 sessions across Cannes with all their sponsorships~
Our take: A good FAQ isn't about looking thorough for the sake of it — it's about closing the real gaps people have. Where do I find you, who do I email, what should I wear? Keep it tight, keep it true, and put a real name behind it wherever you can.
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Across all five of these sites, the thread tying them together specificity, delivered with warmth. A specific souvenir with a specific pickup window. A specific day-by-day agenda. Specific activations shown, not just described. Specific speaker names and titles. Specific FAQ answers with a real human behind them.
Give people something concrete to look forward to, and answer their real questions before they even have to ask. Do that, and you've already won half the battle before the festival begins.
Want your event microsite to feel this good? This is exactly the kind of thing we love getting into the weeds on at BW Events. Whether you're starting from a blank page or trying to figure out what's missing from your current registration site, we'd love to help you build something people actually want to click "register" on. Get in touch with our team and let's make your next microsite the one everyone's talking about.
Whether you're planning your first virtual event or managing a global event series, we're here to help.
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