~Brands, marketeers and creators put responsibility at the heart of influencer marketing to build trust, impact and influence~
Cannes, France, 23 June 2026 – Industry experts gathered at Cannes Lions to discuss the role of responsible influencer marketing in building consumer trust, brand value and long-term business resilience.
Hosted by the International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD), the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA), and Deloitte Digital, the panel discussion, From #Ad to Impact: Embracing Responsibility, Empowering Creativity, Expanding Influence, brought together global leaders to discuss how creators, brands, agencies, and platforms can help consumers make more intentional choices.
Speakers from Molson Coors, Diageo, Ferrero, Reckitt, Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz, and Deloitte Digital shared insights on how to embed responsible influencer marketing practices that promote transparency and credibility.
Key themes discussed included:
• Balancing Authenticity and Responsibility
• Trust, Brand Differentiation and Business Resilience
• The Role of Creators, Brands, and Agencies in Responsible Leadership
• Industry Actions to Raise Standards and Share Best Practices
• Responsibility in AI and the Future of Influence
The event forms part of the ongoing work of IARD and WFA to raise standards in digital and influencer marketing.
IARD launched the first-ever industry-wide set of global standards for responsible influencer marketing of alcohol beverage. Under a joint pledge, producers and advertisers voluntarily committed to ensuring marketing only reaches those above legal purchase age, disclosing clearly when content is advertising and promoting better understanding of responsible alcohol consumption among adults who choose to drink.
Julian Braithwaite, President and CEO of IARD, said:
“The business case is clear. Embedding responsibility standards builds stronger, more resilient brands in an age where trust is increasingly important to both consumers and business performance.
IARD members have helped pioneer standards in areas such as age assurance and marketing controls that are now influencing thinking well beyond the alcohol sector.
Our objective is simple: to help brands, agencies and creators produce engaging content responsibly and ensure alcohol marketing is directed at adults and not those under legal purchase age.”
Stephan Loerke, CEO of WFA, added:
“Creativity and responsibility need not be opposing forces. Brands and creators can strengthen both their reputation and authenticity by embracing responsible influencer marketing standards.”
Brad Feinberg, Vice President, Media and Marketing Operations at Molson Coors, said:
“To build sustainable consumer engagement and relevancy, brands need to embed responsibility throughout brand marketing processes. From conception to delivery, across all channels, responsibility can strengthen brand reputation and reinforce positive social norms.”
Sarah Sorrenson, Global Media Director at Diageo, said:
“Working with creators offers brands the chance to expand their audience, but we all need to work together to ensure that creativity is balanced with authenticity and that responsibility remains central. For us, responsibility is not an add-on. It underpins everything we do.”
Andrea Malfatti, Director Public Affairs, Global Food Policy at Ferrero, said:
“Responsible communication requires ongoing strong collaboration between policy, marketing and communications. Influencers and creators are now an important part of the advertising ecosystem and clear principles of transparency, responsibility and accountability are essential to protect consumer trust. At Ferrero, this means working with partners in a way that supports authentic communication while helping consumers make conscious and informed choices.”
Upasana Roy, Global Creative & Marketing Capabilities Director at Reckitt, said:
“Marketing compliance is directly linked to brand authenticity and consumer trust – not just for brands, but also for influencers. Rigorous compliance checks – which adapt to technological and market changes – are a key part of influencer marketing. However, responsibility needs to be viewed as an enabler of trust, rather than an inhibitor of creativity.”
Hannah Taylor, Deputy Managing Partner at Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz, said:
“Safeguards are central to ensuring the success of responsible campaigns. But safeguards and checks need to be living frameworks. We have seen how quickly social platforms and the digital world evolve, and we need to ensure our safeguards evolve with them.”
Nick Purdon, Partner at Deloitte Digital, said:
“As new forms of digital content emerge, trust is shifting from institutions to peers, creators, and communities. But poor creator fit can destroy demand and result in wasted spend. Marketers are therefore looking for creators that are aligned to their values and who can form lasting brand connections. In consumer businesses, responsibility is at the heart of this – and data and analytics the essential tools by which the best partnerships are uncovered.”
ENDS
Notes to editors:
IARD’s Influencer Guiding Principles for responsible influencer marketing of alcohol beverage
*IARD members are: AB InBev; Asahi; Bacardi Limited; Brown-Forman; Carlsberg Group; Diageo; Heineken; Kirin; Moët Hennessy; Molson Coors; Pernod Ricard; Suntory Global Spirits; William Grant & Sons; The Coca-Cola Company (Associate member); Lotte Chilsung Beverage (Associate member)
Contact
For media inquiries, please contact:
iardmedia@edelman.com and Rodrigo de Casas: rdecasas@iard.org
About IARD
The International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to reducing harmful drinking and promoting understanding of responsible drinking. We are supported by the leading global beer, wine, and spirits producers, who have come together for a common purpose: to be part of the solution in combating harmful drinking. To advance this shared mission, IARD works and partners with public sector, civil society, and private stakeholders.
www.iard.org
© 2026 International Alliance for Responsible Drinking
IARD’s members and the members of its Partnership Council are a diverse group of organizations with a variety of viewpoints. They might not necessarily agree on all or any subjects. Any statements, findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed on this website do not reflect the policies or views of all IARD members or the organizations they represent, unless explicitly stated. However, all members agree on and support IARD’s mission of reducing the harmful use of alcohol.
The resources on this website are not intended as health advice to individuals about their drinking. People with specific questions about their drinking are encouraged to consult a healthcare professional. Together, they can determine what is best for that individual, based on individual risk factors, including family history, genetics, and lifestyle. For some people, the better choice may be to not drink at all.
