KUAMP Founder Antonio "Tronic" McDonald to Appear as Panelist at Prestigious Cannes Lions Festival

KUAMP, a creative production studio based in New York, will participate in the 70th Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, represented by its founder and Chief Creative Officer Antonio "Tronic" McDonald, who will speak on three panels at the event

The 2023 Cannes Lions Festival will take place from June 19 to 23 at the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès in France. The festival is regarded as one of the top global events for the creative communications and advertising industries, with leaders and professionals from these fields gathering to celebrate creativity, discuss the state of the industry, network with peers, and recognize excellence through multiple awards.

"We're incredibly excited to have the opportunity to attend and participate in the Cannes Lions Festival with the best of the best of the creative and advertising world. We look forward to hearing from industry leaders and attending various panels to learn more about where the industry is now and what the future holds. Cannes is an excellent chance to network with our colleagues and potential clients, be inspired by everyone's work, and be refreshed by just soaking in all the creative energy," McDonald says.

KUAMP and McDonald will be present on all five days of the festival, and he will be part of a panel discussion hosted by IT giant HP on June 21, 12:30pm. The panel will feature several Black and African-American agency founders and will examine issues and solutions regarding brand diversity, inclusivity, and belonging in the advertising and creative industries.

On June 22, 5:00pm, McDonald and HP will be part of another panel discussion on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), as well as presenting partners of a panel discussion and mixer event by creative industry LE BOOK at the Villa Contagious.

"My motto heading to Cannes will be 'A Black man Cannes'. As a black man in America, it's important that I show everyone that a kid from Canarsie, Brooklyn can make it as a creative and fly out to the French Riviera to rub elbows with the industry's best. While there is a lot more to be done to make the creative industry genuinely diverse and inclusive, it's also important to look back and see how far we've come. It's a great honor for KUAMP and I to be invited as a panelist and share my knowledge and experiences on making Black voices heard in the creative industry. Attending Cannes will always be an inspiring and memorable experience for me, and I hope to cross out winning a Cannes Lion from my bucket list in the near future."