The Head of Communications – Marketing at HEINEKEN Nigeria (Nigerian Breweries Plc.), Sandra Amachree, shares her Cannes Lions 2025 experience.
When Sandra Amachree stepped onto the global stage at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity 2025, she wasn’t just representing Nigeria—she was carrying the creative dreams of an entire continent.
Throughout the week-long festival (June 16–20), Amachree proved that Africa isn’t just contributing to global creativity—it’s reshaping it.
From Africa to the Apex of Advertising
Sandra Amachree was selected as a Juror for the Outdoor Lions category, evaluating some of the world’s boldest and most culturally charged campaigns. She also served as Chair of the Young Lions Marketers Competition, leading an international team of judges in spotlighting the next generation of marketing disruptors.
Rubbing shoulders with global executives from Steve Madden, Nestlé Europe, and KFC Thailand, Sandra stood tall as a beacon of African excellence and strategic insight.
Africa, AI & the Creative Economy
At the “Africa: Future of Certainty” panel during Cannes Lions Meet-Ups, Sandra delivered a rousing message about Africa’s creative heartbeat. “Creativity is jobs. Creativity is growth. Creativity is power,” she declared—positioning the creative economy as a cornerstone of the continent’s sustainable development.
In an exclusive sit-down interview during the Adobe × The Drum Creative Conversations, Sandra joined digital heavyweights like Stacy Martinet and Amanda Morrissey to unpack the evolving role of AI, youth innovation, and digital transformation in marketing.
16 Years, One Vision: Creativity as Currency
With over 16 years of global experience across e-business, HR, digital strategy, and brand marketing, Sandra’s résumé reads like a masterclass in modern communications leadership. As Senior Global Brand Manager for HEINEKEN’s eazle, she led its first-ever international campaign—bridging storytelling and strategic intelligence to scale the brand.
Her voice in Cannes echoed a new narrative: Africa’s storytelling—from Nollywood to Afrobeats to avant-garde fashion—is not only vibrant but globally bankable.
Representation at Its Peak
Sandra’s inclusion in this year’s Cannes Lions lineup alongside cultural giants like Serena Williams, David Droga, Pharrell Williams, and Ava DuVernay sent a loud message: Africa is not waiting for a seat at the table—it’s building new ones.
The Nigerian creative scene lit up in celebration: “From brand decks to deciding the best in the world—Sandra Amachree on the Cannes Jury is the full-circle story we need,” one creative professional posted.
Building Africa’s Creative Infrastructure
Beyond the awards and applause, Sandra used her platform for advocacy—calling on African governments and corporations to invest boldly in creativity. Her message was clear: winning awards is great, but the real goal is to build wealth, opportunities, and dignity for African creatives—at home and abroad.
She aligned with initiatives like Black at Cannes and other pre-festival forums designed to elevate Black and African representation in advertising, branding, and content innovation.
A Vision That Travels Farther Than France
Sandra Amachree’s Cannes experience was more than a career milestone—it was a clarion call for an industry amid transformation. She reminded the world that Africa’s value isn’t just in rhythm and color—it’s in its ideas, its strategy, its resolve.
Her presence was proof that African creativity isn’t emerging—it’s arriving. And it’s not asking for permission.
Closing Note:
Sandra Amachree didn’t just attend Cannes Lions 2025. She redefined what it means to represent Africa on the world’s biggest creative stage—with quiet strength, bold strategy, and a clear vision: creativity is our future, and Africa is leading the charge.
