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Awards

Young Lions Competition

Winners represent New Zealand at Cannes Lions.

View 2026 winners

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.

How it works

Register your team

Entry details are published when the competition opens each year. Sign up to be notified.

Sign up
Get the brief

Attend the competition launch to receive the brief and start your response.

Submit your entry

Submit your response to the brief before the deadline.

Finalists

Shortlisted teams present their idea in person.

Winners announced

Winners are announced at AXIS Speaks.

View the winners

See the teams selected to represent New Zealand at Cannes Lions.

View results

Categories

Unleash your creativity in one of the two unique categories

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.

Film category

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

Media category

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

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 26 1995.

  • 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.

Film eligibility

To be eligible to compete in the film category the team must be made up of two young professionals who are either:

  1. Working in creative communications/advertising/digital agencies

  2. Freelancers working in the communications/advertising space

  3. In-house creative teams from brands

 

Media eligibility

To be eligible to compete in the film category the team must be made up of two young professionals who are either:

  1. Working in media agencies

  2. Working as in-house media specialists within a brand

  3. Freelance media specialists

 

Rules of entry

By submitting an entry, the entrant agrees to be bound by and comply with the terms and conditions. 

Read the terms and conditions