A Cannes Balcony Conversation Between Reddit and Porter Novelli on the Future of Influence
CANNES, FRANCE — Perched on a balcony above La Croisette, with the rosé-fueled buzz of yachts and beach tents below, Matt Klein (Reddit’s Head of Global Foresight) and Sarah DaVanzo (Chief Innovation Officer at Porter Novelli) sat down to talk about something more elusive than algorithms and louder than DJ sets: influence.
Not influencers. Not followership. Not media buying or virality. But influence—the force that bends culture, shifts perception, and reshapes behavior. And what it means in 2025, when attention is fragmented, consumers are skeptical, and AI is now an actor in the drama of persuasion.
It was a fitting topic for Cannes Lions—the branding world’s spiritual Mecca—where the air is heavy with ambition, hype, and the scent of sunscreen on billion-dollar yachts. Influence here is currency. But in this era, it’s changing—and fast.
Goodbye Megaphone, Hello Dinner Party
“We used to think influence was shouting through a megaphone,” said Klein. “But in today’s culture, that just gets you ignored.” Instead, he suggests we think of influence as a dinner party.
“If you show up, don’t take off your shoes, talk only about yourself, and ignore the conversation—you won’t be invited back,” he explained. “Brands that understand etiquette—listening, showing up, adding value—are the ones that earn trust.”
This metaphor may sound quaint, but it’s deadly accurate. Today’s most influential voices aren’t broadcasted—they’re exchanged in niche Reddit threads, anonymous comment sections, and micro-community debates. These are spaces where the loudest voice isn’t the most persuasive—the most relevant one is.
DaVanzo echoed this: “Influence today is about participation, not performance,” she noted. “It’s about being in the room, asking questions, and offering something meaningful. You can’t fake that.”
10 Trends Redefining Influence in 2025
Matta and Sarah discussed 10 trends emerging from Reddit data, Porter Novelli’s cultural foresight, and Cannes chatter:
- From Influencer to Ecosystem: Trust flows through communities, not celebrities.
- Influence = Trust + Reciprocity: You earn it by showing up and giving, not taking.
- AI Is a New Influencer: What we post today becomes tomorrow’s search result.
- Curiosity = Brand Health: “What if…” questions reflect deeper consumer engagement.
- Passion Is a Power Signal: Heated debates—even negative—can be key indicators of influence potential.
- Redditification of Trust: One anonymous thread can influence millions—without a single hashtag.
- Influence Has a Long Tail: 74% of Reddit comments happen after three days.
- Invisible Audiences Matter: Posts with one comment may have millions of views.
- Cultural Etiquette Wins: Authenticity is table stakes; humility is currency.
- From Campaigns to Contexts: Influence shows up where brands least expect it.
The Algorithm Is Watching—And Learning
What’s posted online doesn’t just disappear—it trains the machines. “Today’s comments become tomorrow’s AI recommendations,” said Klein. “You influence a person, and that person influences the model, and that model influences millions.”
That’s the human-to-AI-to-human loop of 2025. It’s no longer enough to just win hearts—you’re training the algorithms that inform hearts and minds tomorrow.
“This makes trust and authenticity not just nice-to-have—they’re strategic imperatives,” added DaVanzo. “We’re shaping consciousness, and we have a responsibility.”
Curious Minds Are the New Influencers
One theme both Klein and DaVanzo returned to repeatedly was curiosity—not just as a personality trait, but as an operating system.
“Curiosity is step zero in cultural strategy,” said Klein. “If you don’t listen to the questions people are asking, you’ll never know what words to use or where to show up.”
DaVanzo framed curiosity as an action. “It’s not just about asking questions,” she said. “You have to explore, travel, taste, debate, and observe. Do curiosity—not just be curious.”
She emphasized that the questions people ask about a brand can reflect its cultural maturity. “When consumers ask, ‘What if this brand did X?’—that’s a sign of a deep, evolving relationship,” DaVanzo explained. “That question signals emotional investment.”
From Follower Counts to Collective Consciousness
The industry still fixates on vanity metrics—mentions, likes, reach. But influence has gone underground. It’s no longer about individual fame—it’s about networked relevance.
“Reddit communities show us that the real influencers may have no profile picture, no followers, no ad budget,” said Klein. “But they shape perception through conversation.”
DaVanzo added: “A passionate two-person debate on Reddit might have more cultural weight than a celebrity endorsement. Passion matters more than polish.”
These conversations often happen outside of expected forums. Financial advice in dating threads. Movie reviews in pet grooming communities. “Influence doesn’t follow categories,” Klein noted. “It follows context.”
Influence Requires Etiquette, Not Ego
There’s a rising demand for humility and humanity. “The old playbook of push marketing is broken,” Klein said. “People don’t want to be told—they want to be included.”
DaVanzo echoed that sentiment: “Influence is about generosity—sharing attention, ideas, space, and credit. If you don’t respect the culture you’re trying to influence, you’ll be rejected by it.”
She emphasized the need for brands to move beyond control and toward participation: “You can’t manage a community,” DaVanzo noted. “But you can show up, listen, and add value.”
The Science of Subtle Influence
As Klein and DaVanzo looked over the branded beach tents of Cannes, they noted the irony of marketers struggling to influence one another.
“We’re supposed to be masters of influence,” said DaVanzo, “yet our own industry often lacks clarity, inclusivity, and precision in its messaging.”
“Advertisers struggle to influence each other at Cannes,” Klein added. “Why do we assume it’s easy to influence consumers?”
The challenge—and the opportunity—lies in that complexity.
“Influence hasn’t disappeared,” said DaVanzo. “It’s just become harder. More scientific. More human.”
The Future of Influence: More Human Than Ever
When asked whether influence matters more now than a decade ago, DaVanzo didn’t hesitate. “Absolutely. Everyone wants to make an impact now—to be meaningful. And to do that, you need to influence ideas, behaviors, and systems.”
Klein offered a slightly different take: “I’m not sure it’s more important. But it’s definitely harder. People are skeptical, media-literate, and impatient. That’s not a problem—it’s a raised bar.”
A raised bar indeed—one that demands listening, humility, and curiosity. Because as influence becomes more invisible, it also becomes more powerful.
Closing Thought to Influence Marketers
As the sun dipped behind the Cannes rooftops, the influencer yacht parties kicked into gear. But the real cultural energy? It’s happening in anonymous comment threads and slow-burning Reddit discussions. And in intimate conversations on balconies like this one.
If marketing communication doesn’t innovate the way it approaches influence…culture will move on without it—because consumers follow culture, not campaigns.
