Advertising Industry Cancels, Postpones Or Digitizes Its Big Events

The world is on hold in order to save lives and prevent more people from being infected by COVID-19. Due to the pandemic, events like the Olympic Games and national soccer championships have been canceled or postponed. The advertising industry has also opted to cancel, postpone or digitize its main events. The 2020 Cannes Lions Festival was first postponed from June to October, then canceled altogether last week. El Sol announced on Monday, April 6, that its 35th edition will be held in 2021. SXSW in Austin, Texas, which was originally to be held between March 13-22, was also canceled for the first time in 34 years. The Webby Awards, scheduled for May 11 in New York was similarly canceled. The Clio Awards has moved its main ad awards program from the show’s usual slot in October to April 2021. In addition to making the change, which was announced, the organization has also expanded the eligibility and entry windows IAB Conecta México was one of the few to hang onto its initial date, the last week of August 2020, but it will be held in an entirely virtual way. The WNA Festival also chose the online option and will deliver its awards between June 11 and 12, 2020. Media upfronts like WarnerMedia, NBC Universal, CBS, YouTube, Roku and Twitter also switched to digital formats. Wave Festival in Rio was rescheduled from May 25, 26 and 27 to August 4, 5 and 6. Organizers of the Annual CMC Summit, initially to be held between April 27- 29 in New York, said they would announce new dates later on. In view of the uncertainty caused by the coronavirus crisis, the agenda of advertising events will undoubtedly keep changing.