Havas has launched The Science of Desire, a new global study and strategic framework designed to help clients better understand what drives brand preference, loyalty and growth, further operationalising the Group’s client-centric positioning, Growth, Powered by Desire. 

The report, unveiled on day two of the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, marks an evolution from measuring relevance to understanding and activating what drives consumer choice. 

Based on insights from 87,500+ respondents, 2,400+ brands across 10 markets, and 1,000 AI-powered interviews, the study explores why and how desire has become a critical driver of growth. The findings reveal that desire operates through three interconnected drivers - attraction, affinity, and attachment-, forming a reinforcing loop that compounds over time.

The report noted that brands that build desire significantly outperform, delivering 2.2x more fame, over 87% more pricing power, and 2.4x more sustained growth.

This advantage extends to every brand category and, importantly, into AI-driven environments, where desirable brands are significantly more likely to be surfaced, with up to 4x higher likelihood of being cited by AI. Desire even cut through automation.

Yet, the study showed a widespread “desire deficit” persists, with 84% of brands sitting in a middle ground of indifference and achieving just 61% of their potential.

Yannick Bolloré, chairperson and CEO, Havas, said, “At Havas, we believe growth starts with what truly moves people. In today’s AI-driven landscape, the most successful brands will be those that combine technological power with deep human understanding and creativity, to build lasting connections. With The Science of Desire and the continued evolution of our Converged.AI ecosystem, we are equipping our clients to unlock stronger, more sustainable growth.”

Mark Sinnock, global chief strategy, data and innovation officer, Havas Creative Network, said, “Being seen is not enough. You must be desired. In a world where optimisation is increasingly automated, creativity is what creates connection, builds desire and drives growth. Technology may amplify brands, but desire gives them gravity.”
 
Joanna Lawrence, global chief strategy officer, Havas Media Network, said, “When brands are actively chosen by more people, spending more, not just once but repeatedly over time - that’s when growth happens.”
 
As part of this evolution, Havas has increased its investment in Vurvey Labs, a next-generation agentic intelligence scale-up, and will act as lead investor in its Series B funding round. This investment is within Havas’ previously announced commitment to invest EUR 400 million in data, technology, and AI through 2027.  

Chad Reynolds, founder and CEO, Vurvey Labs, said, “From the beginning, we believed there was a missing layer in AI: a true understanding of people in motion. At Vurvey, we are building the world's leading human AI company, helping organisations better anticipate how people think, feel and make decisions, well beyond static snapshots. Havas recognised that vision early, and this expanded investment reflects a shared ambition to build the next generation of human-centered AI.”

As part of the broader Converged.AI evolution, Havas stated it is advancing several additional key developments including strategic partnerships, accelerated creativity, productivity at scale, and trusted and secure governance.

Dan Hagen, global chief data and technology officer, Havas, said, “The opportunity with AI is not simply to optimise performance, but to elevate how we connect data, insight and decision-making. By combining human judgment with intelligent systems, we enable our clients to scale relevance, enhance creativity and build more relevant, desirable brand experiences.”