EXCLUSIVE: Dhar Mann is headed to Cannes for MIPCOM. The powerhouse digital producer will take a headline slot alongside Sean Atkins, CEO of Dhar Mann Studios.

The pair will speak on Sunday, October 11, the day before the MIPCOM market opens. It marks the first time MIPCOM organizers have scheduled a pre-opening keynote in this way. The reality of the market is most folks arrive on the Sunday to be in position for proceedings, which start the next day.

MIPCOM organizers said Mann and Atkins will break down how an audience-first creator business works. They will also cover how to build IP around communities, work up positive stories, and create new partnerships that link creators, brands and the entertainment business.

Mann majors in uplifting content aimed at a wide audience. DMS has 170M followers and its content registers 300M views every week. It operates out of a 125,000 sq. ft. studio in Burbank.

It recently partnered with Disney with a deal for original programming and has inked a distribution deal with Fox Entertainment for a slate of vertical video titles. It has also partnered with brands including Adobe, the NFL, Microsoft and Gap.

“Creators are building audiences at a scale that used to be possible only through traditional media, but what’s most exciting is when we turn that connection into franchises, new formats and partnerships that can travel around the world,” Mann said.

“Sean and I are looking forward to coming to Cannes and sharing what we’ve learned scaling Dhar Mann Studios, and why we believe the future of entertainment will be shaped by creators and the traditional industry working much more closely together.”

The MIPCOM activity comes as the event’s organizers, RX France, position it as more than a place to buy and sell TV shows. Under the stewardship of event director, Lucy Smith, it has pushed heavily into digital, branded content and the creator economy in recent editions.

“Dhar Mann Studios is a powerful example of how creator-led businesses are reshaping the global entertainment industry,” Smith said. “Bringing Dhar and Sean to our main stage reflects MIPCOM’s role in bringing together the established entertainment business with the creators, platforms and new models shaping its future.”

We hear DMS and MIPCOM will also co-host an invite-only dinner on the Sunday evening, bringing together about 25 CMOs and industry leaders for a pre-market get-together.

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