In this series, Agency Correspondent Heather Nicholls takes you behind the scenes of some of the most compelling brand activations and events.
In the tenth edition we meet brand experience agency Cheerful Twentyfirst, the agency behind Basis Technologies, ‘The Grand Basis Oasis’ at Cannes Lions.
The brief
Cannes Lions is a critical global meeting moment for anyone working in Advertising Technology. Itʼs where senior executives meet to build relationships, learn how to work with each other and do business.
Basis wanted to show up in a meaningful way and engage their customers and prospects, but like everyone in the South of France, were challenged by busy diaries and hyper-scheduled guests.
Basis had a digital campaign running at the time, with much of the creative inspired by a ʻ60s feel. Cheerful Twentyfirst saw an opportunity to project that identity into the experiential realm and design an apartment activation that was immersive, distincitve and would spark guest curiosity. The goal was to encourage their audience to linger, engage, and connect on a deeper level, vs. rush from one meeting to the next.
The execution:
Cheerful Twentyfirst created the Grand Basis Oasis, a ‘business hub with personality’, drawing steady attendance over five days.
They took inspiration from Basis’ 2024 ‘Golden Age of Advertising’ campaign where ʻMadmen eraʼ tones and graphical treatments were juxtaposed against the modern ad agency landscape, highlighting how Basis can simplify business challenges and save CEOs time. Then Cheerful Twentyfirst bought it into an interesting experiential context through Wes Anderson-inspired design language.
Ilinca Costea, 2D designer Cheerful Twentyfirst said: “Wes Andersonʼs cinematic worlds are wonderful creative playgrounds. They have a distinctive palette, texture, and whimsical yet precise design. It was a deliberate choice to break away from predictable Cannes environments, instead offering a retro, hotel-inspired oasis full of colour, character, and unexpected moments of delight.”
The process was highly collaborative with the client, with Basis and Cheerful Twentyfirst aligning very closely on brand vision and business objectives. Basis trusted Cheerful Twentyfirst to find the right suppliers and wider network to make the activation possible.
In terms of challenges, the project had large building elements which can be costly in the South of France. Cheerful Twentyfirst’s network of trusted Cannes suppliers helped the agency to navigate budget pressures without sacrificing design, look, feel and audience experience.
The result
Cheerful Twentyfirst’s creative teams struck a balance between the event feeling ‘warm and welcoming’ but not ‘kitchy’. Onsite, the agnecy transformed a modest apartment into a fully immersive branded environment with custom wall panelling, a martini bar, branded swag and an intimate podcast studio. The apartment was built for function as well as form, with the programming from Basis’ marketing team bringing everything together, through lunches, panels, meetings and podcasts a cross the week.
Guests stayed at the activation on average for more than 50 minutes, well above the typical dwell time for Cannes activations and many lingered in the space to explore and network. Attendance grew from 110% from 2024 and the space facilitated dozens of new business opportunities, ultimately generating millions in pipeline revenue.
Basis marketing leaders said: “It was a standout experience – memorable, meaningful and a true differentiator”. At Cannes, guests praised the vibe, design and the balance between intimacy and professionalism.
A spokesperson for Cheerful Twentyfirst said: “It’s not often that part of the brief involves a trip to the cinema. Wes Anderson and his Grand Budapest Hotel became a central inspiration for translating Basis goals into their Cannes event. Through beautifully rendered visuals, we told a story of each of the spaces and explored new ways to elevate the experience. Our Basis Brand Ambassadors were dressed like bell boys. Our swag was decorative and interesting. Our reception even had a hotel concierge desk with room keys.”