The Cannes Lions International Festival for Creativity has announced its 2023 Young Lions winners following the seven competitions over four days.
The Young Lions competitions which are sponsored by Adobe, are at the heart of the Cannes Lions School. They embody a true celebration of creativity across the world where young professionals have the opportunity to showcase their talent and achievements. All of the entries were judged by members of the Cannes Lions Juries live in Cannes, and the Gold, Silver, and Bronze winners were announced at the end of the festival.
For the first time, the competitions answered briefs from two Top Innovators from the uplink programme with Deloitte.
Design
The Young Lions Design competition focuses on creating an effective, refined, and attractive brand identity. This year, the Young Lions were briefed to create a brand identity that effectively communicates Rocket Learning’s mission to empower children through education.
The Gold winners include Katherine Yuen, Creative Director, Ogilvy, Dominican Republic, and Gabriella Sánchez, Creative, Ogilvy, Dominican Republic with‘Rocket Learning Redesign’
For the Silver, Camila Cabra, Art Director, Sancho BBDO, Colombia, and Alejandro Orjuela, Copywriter, Sancho BBDO, Colombia in ‘YouRockEt!’ won.
The Bronze had Robin Winchester, Junior Designer, In The Company Of Huskies, Ireland, and James Stedmond, Junior Designer, In The Company Of Huskies, Ireland in ‘Rocket Learning Brand Refresh’
Digital
The Young Digital Lion competition focuses on building a digital-led campaign that uses both the platform and the technology behind it. During the competition, participants were challenged with creating a campaign that changes the perception of Anganwadi centres in India, for the non-profit organisation Rocket Learning.
The Gold winners include Casey Clarke, Copywriter, Dig, Australia, and Zac Nairn, Art Director, Dig, Australia in ‘Little Learners League’. While the Silver had Raaj Hussain Ali Kheraj, Sr. Manager – Digital & User Experience, Adcom Leo Burnett, Pakistan, and Ezza Syed, Creative Manager, Adcom Leo Burnett, Pakistan in ‘MaAI’ as the winners. Also, the Bronze winners include Lucia Presencio Ortiz, Art Director, SAMY Alliance, Spain, and Ricardo Hontañón Pombo, Head of Brand & Campaign Strategy for Europe, SAMY Alliance, Spain in ‘Gamemeficated Learning’
Film
The category of Young Lions Film competition aims to create beautiful work that is impactful. The brief for this year’s Film competition focused on raising awareness amongst mothers in India to take charge of their young children’s education through Rocket Learning.
The Gold winners are Raphael Janan Kuppasamy, Integrated Art Director, Joe Public, South Africa and Bernice Puleng Mosala, Copywriter, Joe Public, South Africa in ‘Your Home A Classroom’.
Cory Hansen, Copywriter, Milestone Integrated Marketing, Canada, and Anthony Curran, Motion Designer, Milestone Integrated Marketing, Canada in ‘Piece it together’ won the Silver award.
The Bronze winners include Palak Kapadia, Copywriter, Amazon Brand Innovation Lab, USA, and Catarina Barcala Gosende, Art Director, MullenLowe, USA in ‘The Lifelong Lesson’
Media
The Young Lions Media competition focuses on how young professionals use strategic thinking and innovative approaches to solve an important marketing challenge. This year’s brief was delivered by Net Zero, a non-profit organisation that focuses on mobilising young people to take action against climate change. In doing so, the competitors were challenged with creating a strategy that activated and unified the voices of young people, and to create a roadmap for action.
Hyune Kim, Art Director, Daehong Communications, South Korea, and Seoyul Song, Art Director, Daehong Communications, South Korea in ‘The Lower, The Better’ won the gold award while the silver had Nicolás Téllez Cárdenas, Copywriter, DAVID, Colombia and Jonnathan Rodríguez López, Copywriter, DAVID, Colombia in ‘The Stone Movement’ as winners.
Sophia-Maria Kramer, Copywriter, Jung von Matt, Switzerland, and Ana Gabriela Oetliker, Digital Marketing Manager, Jung von Matt, Switzerland in ‘Adivism’ also make winners of the bronze award.
Marketing
While focusing on the foundation of creative work that engages its audience, the Young Lions Marketers competition centres on creating a strong and effective brief. This year the competition focused on Net Zero and challenged the Young Lions to create a campaign that transforms the narrative around climate change to inspire individuals to take action.
The Gold winners include Mike Miura, Manager, Commercial Marketing Strategy, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, Canada, and Ryan Grippo, Associate, Commercial Strategy, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, Canada in ‘Score for the Planet’
Silver had Konrad Skogen, Brand Manager, Orkla Confectionery & Snacks Norway, Norway, and Katrine Engja Stake, Brand Manager, Orkla Confectionery & Snacks Norway, Norway in ‘Not all Superheros wear capes’ as winners.
Bronze winners include Sharon Ryu, Assistant Manager, SK Telecom, South Korea, and Haeun Park, Assistant Manager, SK Telecom, South Korea in ‘Make narrative win’
PR
The Young Lions PR competition asks its entrants to create an innovative PR strategy. The PR brief was supplied by EcoTree, an NGO that sustainably manages forests and ecosystems, in which it asked competitors to create a PR strategy that effectively communicates their offering of carbon credits.
Gold winners are Judy Bakieh, Integrated Communications Manager, Gambit Communications, MENA, and Sarah Alsalem, Account Manager, Gambit Communications, MENA of‘#Bestbadinvestment’
Silver winners are Millie Clout, PR Manager, Howatson+Company, Australia, and Bella Hayes, PR Executive, Howatson+Company, Australia in ‘Pay Zero Sale’
Bronze winners include Rowan El-Goweiny, Copywriter, Innocean Berlin, Germany, and Odile Brefa, Senior Strategist, Innocean Berlin, Germany in ‘Nature’s Monthly Allowance’
The Young Lions Print competition challenges young creatives to produce a stand-out, captivating and unique print ad. This year’s brief was also provided by EcoTree, in which the Lions were challenged to explain the premise of EcoTree in one key visual.
The Gold winners have Joe Sayer, Art Director, The Leith Agency, United Kingdom, and Marion Miranda, Copywriter, The Leith Agency, United Kingdom in ‘The Growing Graph’ while the Silver winners include Juan Andrés Kebork, Copywriter, Innocean Berlin, Germany and Alejandro Gabarda, Art Director, Jung von Matt Spree, Germany in ‘Banknote Trees’
The Bronze had Maria Branco, Copywriter, JUDAS, Portugal, and Carlota Real, Art Director, JUDAS, Portugal in ‘Hack The Game – Plant a Tree IRL’