Cannes Lions announces 2023 Young Lions winners

This year’s competition sees the highest number of countries represented at a total of 70

Australia, Canada, Dominican Republic, MENA, South Africa, South Korea and the United Kingdom win Gold

Following seven competitions over four days, the Cannes Lions International Festival for Creativity has announced its 2023 Young Lions winners. 

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 have been judged by members of the Cannes Lions Juries live in Cannes, and the Gold, Silver and Bronze winners have now been announced. 

For the first time, the competitions answered briefs from two Top Innovators from the uplink programme with Deloitte.

Young Lions Competition winners are as follows:

Design:

The Young Lions Design competition focuses on creating 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.

Gold

Katherine Yuen, Creative Director, Ogilvy, Dominican Republic

Gabriella Sánchez, Creative, Ogilvy, Dominican Republic

‘Rocket Learning Redesign’

Silver

Camila Cabra, Art Director, Sancho BBDO, Colombia

Alejandro Orjuela, Copywriter, Sancho BBDO, Colombia

‘YouRockEt!’

Bronze

Robin Winchester, Junior Designer, In The Company Of Huskies, Ireland

James Stedmond, Junior Designer, In The Company Of Huskies, Ireland

‘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.

Gold

Casey Clarke, Copywriter, Dig, Australia,

Zac Nairn, Art Director, Dig, Australia

‘Little Learners League’

Silver

Raaj Hussain Ali Kheraj, Sr. Manager - Digital & User Experience, Adcom Leo Burnett, Pakistan

Ezza Syed, Creative Manager, Adcom Leo Burnett, Pakistan

‘MaAI’

Bronze

Lucia Presencio Ortiz, Art Director, SAMY Alliance, Spain

Ricardo Hontañón Pombo, Head of Brand & Campaign Strategy for Europe, SAMY Alliance, Spain

‘Gamemeficated Learning’

Film:

The 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.  

Gold

Raphael Janan Kuppasamy, Integrated Art Director, Joe Public, South Africa

Bernice Puleng Mosala, Copywriter, Joe Public, South Africa

‘Your Home A Classroom’

Silver

Cory Hansen, Copywriter, Milestone Integrated Marketing, Canada

Anthony Curran, Motion Designer, Milestone Integrated Marketing, Canada

‘Piece it together’

Bronze

Palak Kapadia, Copywriter, Amazon Brand Innovation Lab, USA

Catarina Barcala Gosende, Art Director, MullenLowe, USA

‘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 New Zero World, a non-profit organisation that focuses on mobilising young people to take action across 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.

Gold

Hyune Kim, Art Director, Daehong Communications, South Korea

Seoyul Song, Art Director, Daehong Communications, South Korea

‘The Lower, The Better’

Silver

Nicolás Téllez Cárdenas, Copywriter, DAVID, Colombia

Jonnathan Rodríguez López, Copywriter, DAVID, Colombia

‘The Stone Movement’

Bronze

Sophia-Maria Kramer, Copywriter, Jung von Matt, Switzerland

Ana Gabriela Oetliker, Digital Marketing Manager, Jung von Matt, Switzerland

‘Adivism’

Marketers:

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 New Zero World, and challenged the Young Lions to create a campaign that transforms the narrative around climate change to inspire individuals to take action.

Gold

Mike Miura, Manager, Commercial Marketing Strategy, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, Canada

Ryan Grippo, Associate, Commercial Strategy, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, Canada

‘Score for the planet’

Silver

Konrad Skogen, Brand Manager, Orkla Confectionery & Snacks Norway, Norway

Katrine Engja Stake, Brand Manager, Orkla Confectionery & Snacks Norway, Norway

‘Not all Superheros wear capes’

Bronze

Sharon Ryu, Assistant Manager, SK telecom, South Korea

Haeun Park, Assistant Manager, SK telecom, South Korea

‘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, a 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

Judy Bakieh, Integrated Communications Manager, Gambit Communications, MENA

Sarah Alsalem, Account Manager, Gambit Communications, MENA

‘#Bestbadinvestment’

Silver

Millie Clout, PR Manager, Howatson+Company, Australia,

Bella Hayes, PR Executive, Howatson+Company, Australia

‘Pay Zero Sale’

Bronze

Rowan El-Goweiny, Copywriter, Innocean Berlin, Germany

Odile Brefa, Senior Strategist, Innocean Berlin, Germany

‘Nature’s Monthly Allowance’

Print:

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.

Gold

Joe Sayer, Art Director, The Leith Agency, United Kingdom

Marion Miranda, Copywriter, The Leith Agency, United Kingdom

‘The Growing Graph’

Silver

Juan Andrés Kebork, Copywriter, Innocean Berlin, Germany

Alejandro Gabarda, Art Director, Jung von Matt Spree, Germany

‘Banknote Trees’

Bronze

Maria Branco, Copywriter, JUDAS, Portugal

Carlota Real, Art Director, JUDAS, Portugal

‘Hack The Game - Plant a Tree IRL’

More about the Young Lions Competitions can be found here: www.canneslions.com/initiatives/competitions.