New media was the hot topic at the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival, with speakers intent on promoting the medium to delegates as the best way to engage with consumers.

As highlighted by Marketing Week's online coverage from the 56th festival last week, speakers from giants ranging from Google and Microsoft to President Barack Obama's campaign manager David Plouffe, were all keen to highlight the role that new media can play in building a marketing campaign.

But is this really the year that new media - particularly digital content - will become a larger component of the marketing mix? The buzz around Cannes suggests that it is definitely part of the branding experience, but integration and customer insight to base it on are more important than simply using new media to tap into customers' digital appetites.

Hewlett-Packard chief marketing officer Michael Mendenhall, who is dedicating 30% of his budget to digital, explains: "Marketing cannot just be a reflection of what consumers want a brand to be - it needs to be a two-way dialogue where the brand draws on consumer perceptions, but there also needs to be an element of independence and personality in order to foster a give-and-take with the audience. Digital marketing is one of the building blocks of HP's brand renewal strategy. At the same time, it's never been more important to invest in customer relationships, and find a cost- effective way to do it across all media."

Also significant was the emergence of PR, included in the Cannes programme for the first time. Hill & Knowlton chief marketing officer Anthony Burgess-Webb, who hosted a seminar with Twitter founder Biz Stone, says a new generation of marketers are turning to PR agencies for an online presence. "PR is no longer just an added bolt-on.

"As the digital world gathers momentum, there is more pressure for brands to use PR for their online needs - be that social media, viral promotions or damage limitation activities. Digital isn't going to replace traditional media, but rather the recession is introducing a new mentality among marketers and agencies keen to put the consumer first by flying the flag of their brand's personal touch," he says.

Microsoft Advertising says it recognises this trend and acknowledges the need for integration and consumer insight. Microsoft signed research deals with both WPP and Publicis Groupe to ensure it can offer advertisers the best brand positioning online.