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Young Lions Competition

Aotearoa Young Lions is the ultimate creative challenge.

Open to professionals under the age of 30 from across our industry, we are offering two categories of competition in 2026.

Winners of each category will be announced in front of a sell-out crowd at AXIS Speaks in March. But the real prize is the opportunity to travel to Cannes in June to compete in the global competition, attend the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity and have the experience of a lifetime.

Categories

Unleash your creativity in one of the two unique categories for 2026.

Each category is designed to test your skills, strategic thinking, and creativity. Choose the category that best matches your strengths and passions—whether it's crafting a compelling story through film or designing an innovative media strategy. Dive in to explore the opportunities and prepare to make your mark on the global stage.

FilmTeal chevron pointing down

The Film Category challenges participants to craft a 60 second film that solves the brief. The idea is more important than the craft, so don't worry if your cinematography isn't perfect.

Participants will have limited time to conceptualise, produce and deliver their film based on the brief provided. The winning entry will be judged on the strength of the idea, response to the brief, and ability for the judges to visualise the final product.

Deliverables
+ A 60 Second Film
+ The written explanation (300 words)
+ A short synopsis of the film

MediaTeal chevron pointing down

The Media Category challenges participants to create a standout media strategy with a creative media idea at its heart.

Participants will be tasked with developing a media strategy, a clear idea that drives the media choices, and convincing evidence that the plan will reach the right audience, at the right time, in the most impactful way.

 

Deliverables
+ 10 slide Powerpoint
+ The written explanation (450 words)
+ Describe the idea/insights, research, and data gathering (150 words)
+ Describe the strategy (150 words)
+ Describe the execution (150 words)
+ A presentation board summarising the idea

How It Works

Competition Launch

—
Google Auckland

Join us at Google Auckland to learn about this year's brief. We'll run you through potential insights, judging criteria and entry requirements.

Teams not based in Tāmaki Makaurau can join the session remotely.

Entries Close

Entry Form

Submit your entry before the deadline.

Finalists Announced

Online
Finalists will be invited to the next phase of the competition: in-person presentations.

In-Person Presentations

—
Google Auckland

Finalists get the chance to present their idea to the judges; it's your final chance to stand-out before the winners are determined.

Winners Announced

—
AXIS Speaks

Winners are announced at AXIS Speaks 2026.

Finalists get tickets on us.

Eligibility Criteria

+ The Young Lions competition is open to teams of 2 advertising professionals.

+ Both participants must be aged 30 or under, born on or after June 20 1994.

+ Teams (or individuals within a team) may only enter one category.

+ Past winners may enter again if they meet the above criteria.

+ Entrants must be New Zealand citizens or hold a valid New Zealand work permit.

+ Entrants must be available to travel in June 2026 and hold valid passports at the time of entry.

Who is the film category for?Teal chevron pointing down
To be eligible to compete in the film category the team must be made up of two young professionals who are:

  • + Working in creative communications/advertising/digital agencies,
  • + Freelancers working in the communications/advertising space, or
  • + In-house creative teams from brands
Who is the media category for?Teal chevron pointing down
To be eligible to compete in the film category the team must be made up of two young professionals who are:
 
  • + Working in media agencies,
  • + Working as in-house media specialists within a brand, or
  • + Freelance media specialists

Rules of Entry

By submitting an entry, the entrant agrees to be bound by and comply with the terms set out on this webpage, including the following rules of entry (collectively, the Rules). The Comms Council reserves the right to vary these Rules from time to time. Notice of the change will be provided by uploading the updated Rules on the Young Lions Competition webpage.

 

Entries
  1. The Comms Council and the judging panel reserves the right, at its sole discretion:
    • to move an entry to another category if it is deemed to have been entered into the wrong one; and
    • to withdraw an entry from the competition if the entrant’s conduct and / or the content of the entry is contrary to the spirit or intention of the competition, or the entrant otherwise fails to comply with the Rules.
  2. The decision of the judging panel is final and under no circumstances will debate or correspondence be entered into.
  3. By submitting an entry, the entrant confirms they are eligible to do so. The Comms Council may require the entrant to provide proof that they are eligible to enter the Young Lions competition.

Intellectual Property
  1. While entrants may use artificial intelligence (AI) as a tool in creating their entry, the Comms Council encourages entrants not to overuse AI so the entrant’s own creativity and originality is demonstrated in their entry.
  2. The entrant confirms and warrants that:
    • they are the sole legal and beneficial owner of the copyright and any other intellectual property rights within the entry, including in relation to images, video, music, and other media contained within their entry; or  
    • if their entry contains copyrighted works or other intellectual property that is owned by a third party, the entrant has been granted all relevant licences to reproduce and use that work in their entry. The Comms Council reserves the right to require the entrant to provide proof they hold such licences; and
    • if their entry contains content created using AI, they have disclosed which AI system has been used and how AI has been used within their entry; and
    • use of the entrant’s entry on the Comms Council website, partner websites, hype videos, and other public domains will not infringe any third party rights.
  3. The Comms Council reserves the right to withdraw an entry from the competition if it considers, at its sole discretion, that an entry contains material that is owned by a third party and the entrant does not have the rights to use that material.

Announcements and Publication
  1. The names of the winners and other identifying information relating to winning entries will be at AXIS Speaks and published on the Comms Council website and other public domains.
  2. The entrant grants the Comms Council, sponsors of the competition, and the third party who has provided the brief for the competition a perpetual, non-exclusive, irrevocable, royalty-free licence to show the entry at AXIS Speaks, publish the entry on their websites, use it in promotional material, articles and for historical reference, and at any other times as they deem appropriate in their sole discretion. The entrant acknowledges and agrees that for the purposes of the Contract and Commercial Law Act 2017, this clause is fully intended to confer a benefit on, and be legally enforceable by, sponsors of the competition and the third party who has provided the brief for the competition.

Prize
  1. The prize for the winning entry in each category includes an entry to the Young Lions International competition and an opportunity to attend the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity.
  2. The Comms Council will:
    • pay for and book airline tickets for the members of each winning team to travel to Cannes;
    • provide a daily allowance for each winner for their time in Cannes;
    • pay for and book accommodation in Cannes; and
    • pay for and book airport transfers in Cannes.
  3. Any amendments to the travel itinerary and coverage of expenses or upgrades beyond those that the Comms Council have booked and paid for will be the entrant’s responsibility. The prize does not include travel insurance, which the entrant must arrange at their own cost. Any other costs incurred by the entrant in travelling to Cannes, entering the Young Lions International competition and attending the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity, are the entrant’s responsibility.

Liability and Indemnity
  1. The entrant indemnifies the Comms Council against all liabilities, costs (including legal costs calculated on a full indemnity basis) expenses, damages, and losses suffered or incurred by the Comms Council arising out of or in connection with any claim relating to the Rules, including, but not limited to any breach of a third party’s intellectual property rights associated with the entrant’s entry.
  2. The Comms Council will not be liable for entries that are corrupted, not successfully completed or transmitted, lost, mislaid, damaged or delayed in sending, regardless of cause, including, for example, as a result of equipment failure, technical malfunction, or website, systems or software failure of any kind.
  3. The Comms Council will not be responsible or liable:
    • if the winners are not able to take up the prize; and
    • for any loss, damage or claim arising as a result of the winners taking up the prize.
  4. To the extent that the Comms Council’s liability cannot be excluded, the Comms Council’s liability to the entrant is limited to $500.

New Zealand Law
  1. The Rules, and any claims arising out of or in connection with them or the Young Lions competition, will be governed by New Zealand law and the New Zealand courts have exclusive jurisdiction in relation to any matter arising under or relating to the Rules.