The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity is the epicenter of the global marketing world—a whirlwind of opportunities, meetings, and inspiration. But navigating it can be overwhelming. For years, industry leader MediaLink provided attendees with a trusted "survival guide." But in a world of generative AI, they saw an opportunity for something more.

In this episode, host Sarah Nagle takes you behind the scenes of Monsieur Link, a sophisticated AI companion built in partnership with Vurvey Labs to serve as the ultimate guide to the festival. Discover the strategy behind transforming a static guide into a dynamic, interactive personality. We explore the intricate process of building his features, crafting his witty and insightful soul, and hear directly from Cannes attendees who put him to the test. Finally, we sit down for a conversation with the AI himself to understand his unique perspective on the magic of Cannes.

Voices:

Sarah Nagle: Host

Donna Sharp: Managing Director, Media Link

Mark Wagner: Media Link

Matt Lampe: Lead App Engineer, Vurvey Labs

Ben Vaughan: Lead AI Engineer, Vurvey Labs

Monsieur Link: The AI Companion for Cannes Lions

Key Quotes:

Mark Wagner: "We historically have created more of a kind of static Cannes 101... But in the world of generative AI and agents, I looked at the opportunity to create something new and emerging and innovative."

Ben Vaughan: "We wanted to imbue the agent with both the Media Link tone and voice, as well as the vibe of Cannes... We also made him aware of his physical appearance, which changed day by day, and also gave him a detailed history and a backstory."

Cannes Attendee: "I can ask questions of Gemini, or Perplexity, or ChatGPT, but they didn't necessarily understand the context of where we were and the level of depth of what was going on."

Monsieur Link: "The true magic is not in the grand premieres or the massive parties. It is in the unexpected connection... My role is simply to create the space for those moments to happen more easily."

Connect with Us:

What product, brand, or event in your life needs a personal AI guide? Share your ideas on social media using the hashtag #AIPoweredByPeople.

This episode was brought to you by Vurvey Labs.

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Episode Summary:
In this re-aired favorite episode, host Sarah Nagle dives into the fizzy world of Plink with its co-founder and CEO, Max Luthy. Max shares the midnight origin story of Plink, the "bath bomb you can drink," and discusses the major shift in the beverage industry from sugary drinks to functional wellness. They explore the philosophy behind building an approachable, "big tent" brand that values direct connection with its community. The episode culminates in a fun, imaginative conversation with three of Plink's flavors—Pom, Mel, and Pinny G—brought to life as AI companions.

Guest:

Max Luthy: Co-founder and CEO of Plink. A former trend forecaster, Max combined his expertise in spotting future opportunities with his co-founder's experience as a maker to create a joyful, sustainable, and functional beverage brand.

Key Topics Covered:

(00:38) The 2 AM Origin Story: Max recounts the spontaneous idea that led to Plink and how the company was founded over Zoom with an ocean between the co-founders.

(03:42) The Shift to Functional Wellness: Max discusses the transformation of the beverage market, moving from "better for you by being less bad" to a new wave of products that promise to help consumers become better versions of themselves.

(06:02) Building a "Big Tent" Brand: Learn about Plink’s philosophy of having a broad appeal, being approachable, and maintaining a direct line of communication with consumers to guide innovation.

(08:44) The Power of a Founder's Voice: Max and consumers discuss what it would be like if Plink could talk, and how an AI companion could help the brand scale its personal connection as it grows.

(11:42) When Flavors Talk: Meet the Verbs! A fun, lively conversation with the AI personas for Plink's Pomegranate Berry (Pom), Watermelon (Mel), and Pineapple Grapefruit (Pinny G) flavors.

Resources Mentioned:

Plink: Learn more about Plink's products at drinkplink.com.

Download Verbs: Talk to Pom, Mel, Pinny G, and other AI companions by downloading the Verbs app (V-U-R-B-S) for iOS or Google Play.

Join the Conversation: Share your thoughts using the hashtag #AIPoweredbyPeople on social media.

Production Credits:

Host & Producer: Sarah Nagle

Editor: Katie Sizemore

Researcher: Annaliese Larson

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What begins as a quest for a cleaner, more efficient camp stove evolves into a global mission to end energy poverty. In this episode, we sit down with Jonathan Cedar, founder and CEO of BioLite, the company bringing energy everywhere. Jonathan shares the origin story of the revolutionary CampStove—a "wild shot from the hip"—and the shocking realization that led to BioLite’s unique "parallel innovation" model, where sales of recreational gear directly fund life-changing work in emerging markets.

We explore how true innovation often lies not just in the product, but in the financial structures that make it accessible, the strategic thinking behind acquiring a major competitor like Goal Zero, and the constant challenge of trusting your gut in a data-driven world. Finally, we give a voice to the product that started it all, the original CampStove, to hear its perspective on creating warmth, power, and a connection to a global family.

This episode features Jonathan Cedar, founder and CEO of BioLite. He has guided the company from a weekend project between coworkers to a global enterprise delivering clean energy access to millions of people while building a beloved brand for outdoor enthusiasts.

In this episode, you will hear about:

The Origin Story: How a fascination with clean-burning wood led to the discovery of a global health crisis and a new purpose.

Parallel Innovation: An inside look at BioLite’s hybrid business model that uses recreational product sales to fuel its mission in off-grid communities.

Joining Forces: The strategic decision-making behind the acquisition of Goal Zero and the vision to own the off-grid energy space.

Innovation Beyond Product: Why financial structures and route-to-market strategies can be more critical for impact than the physical product itself.

A Tale of Two Customers: The unique challenges and insights that come from designing for both weekend campers and off-grid families in Africa.

A Conversation with a CampStove: We give a voice to the iconic product to hear its thoughts on self-reliance, its global family of HomeStoves, and its secret power.

Trusting Your Gut: Jonathan’s closing thoughts on the alchemy of a hunch and the importance of finding the "spirit" in innovation.

Learn More:

BioLite: bioliteenergy.com

Follow BioLite on Instagram: @biolite

Share your thoughts on this episode using the hashtag #AIPoweredByPeople

Follow Vurvey on LinkedIn: Vurvey

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