AKQA: Future Lions

Insight

Big things have humble beginnings. Future Lions is the first student competition where winners are celebrated on stage at the Palais des Festivals, Cannes.

This year’s theme, ‘Start Something’, is a call for students in any discipline to put their ideas into practice. A reminder of the leap of faith required and a celebration of the innovation that results.

Idea

Future Lions is AKQA’s annual initiative that celebrates bold and progressive ideas from students all over the world. The brief is simple: connect an audience of your choosing to a product or service from a global brand in a way that wasn’t possible three years ago.

Five winning teams are granted full access to the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, and honoured with a limited edition Future Lions trophy. Alongside the individual awards, the school with the most number of shortlisted submissions is recognised as the Future Lions School of the Year.

Impact

Since its inception in 2005, Future Lions continues to grow its global reach and influence. In 2016, Future Lions attracted more than 1,900 participants from 69 countries, making it the most successful competition to date.

99% of winners have gone on to work for some of the world’s top advertising and design agencies around the world. Now in it’s eleventh year, this incubator for talent has become one of the most highly anticipated seminars at Cannes.