Philip Morris International Holds ‘Open Mic’ at 2019 Cannes Lions Festival

Company to host bold conversations that tackle ideas and ideologies at the annual gathering of creatives

Philip Morris International (PMI) (NYSE: PM) announced today its return to the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity to engage with those who are actively creating and shaping meaningful change in the world. Working from its central theme of “Open Mic,” PMI will foster conversations around unexpected and provocative ideas, concepts and views with some of today’s boldest thinkers at the gathering known for bringing together the world’s most creative people to discuss new ideas, pioneering research and emerging technologies that help make and shape popular culture.

“For PMI, attending Cannes is a surprising juxtaposition of what people may expect of us. But that’s what we need to do as we strive to unsmoke the world: be bold, cut through the haze and have conversations about the future,” said Jacek Olczak, chief operating officer for PMI.

Returning to Cannes for the second year in a row, PMI will host a series of panels, one-on-one conversations and events that focus on encouraging productive discourse and change. Led by the creative industry’s Bonin Bough, discussions will take place with PMI representatives as well as some of the world’s most progressive conversationalists and thought leaders, including Robin Wright, Rose McGowan, Cindy Gallop, and Wyclef Jean, among others.

Sample discussion topics include:

• Being Bold and Unapologetic Against What Society Expects
• The Future Is Not “Reality,” but “Real”
• Gender Equality in Ad-land
• Inclusion and Diversity: Who Gets Included
• Influences of Change: How Today’s Rapid and Constant State of Change Will Look in 2020
• Digital Conversations Around Mindfulness, Culture and Purpose
• A New Era: Content, Creative and Data
• How Brands Are Promoting Social Values
• Emerging Trends: Technology Defines Culture, and in Turn, Culture Defines Technological Development

Located at L’Ondine, 64 Boulevard de la Croisette for the duration of the festival, the PMI pavilion will welcome all registered festival attendees to attend “Open Mic” events each day.

PMI is undergoing one of the industry’s most disruptive transformations, both internally and externally. Committed to “unsmoking” the world, PMI is steadily re-entering civil society to create a smoke-free future. To learn more about the company’s transformation, visit www.PMI.com

About Philip Morris International: Delivering a Smoke-Free FuturePhilip Morris International (PMI) is leading a transformation in the tobacco industry to create a smoke-free future and ultimately replace cigarettes with smoke-free products to the benefit of adults who would otherwise continue to smoke, society, the company and its shareholders. PMI is a leading international tobacco company engaged in the manufacture and sale of cigarettes, smoke-free products and associated electronic devices and accessories, and other nicotine-containing products in markets outside the U.S. PMI is building a future on a new category of smoke-free products that, while not risk-free, are a much better choice than continuing to smoke. Through multidisciplinary capabilities in product development, state-of-the-art facilities and scientific substantiation, PMI aims to ensure that its smoke-free products meet adult consumer preferences and rigorous regulatory requirements. PMI’s smoke-free product portfolio includes heat-not-burn and nicotine-containing vapor products. As of March 31, 2019, PMI estimates that approximately 7.3 million adult smokers around the world have already stopped smoking and switched to PMI’s heat-not-burn product, which is currently available for sale in 47 markets in key cities or nationwide. For more information, please visit www.pmi.com and www.pmiscience.com.

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Ryan SparrowPhilip Morris International Media OfficeT. [phone]E. [e-mail]