30 or under and ready to prove your creative mettle? The Young Lions competition is the ultimate challenge for emerging talent across advertising, media, marketing, Earned/PR, digital and film.
OFFICIAL AUSTRALIAN PROGRAM PAGE
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Young Lions Australia Competition
WIN IN AUSTRALIA,
GET TO THE GLOBAL STAGE
We’re on the hunt for the brightest minds in Australia’s advertising, media and marketing industries. Think you have what it takes to compete on the world stage? The Australian Young Lions Competition is your chance to prove your talent, flex your skills, and earn a spot at the prestigious Global Young Lions Competition, held as part of 2027’s Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.
KEY INFO
Presenting Partner: Accenture Song
Competition categories:
ACA is running five competitions: Marketing (client-side marketers only), Media, Digital, Film and Earned/PR.
Competition timeframe:
To mimic the global competition conditions and timeframe, the competition brief will be issued on Thursday, March 4 2027, and teams will have 4 days to respond. Blind judging will determine the top three entries in each competition.
The finalists will be invited to Sydney to present their solution live to the Executive Jury on Friday, April 9 2027.
The prize: Ten Aussie winners (five teams) will receive a full week’s festival pass, flights, transfers and hotel accommodation in Cannes to represent Australia in the global competition.
Industry support:
From industry bodies: AANA, MFA, IAB Australia & ACA
Inspiration and mentoring:
Entrants, finalists and winners will be inspired and mentored throughout the competition.
Entry Fees:
Earlybird registration (until 5 pm December 18 2026) = $200 + GST per team
Regular registration (until 6 pm March 1 2027 ) = $300 + GST per team
Download the competition guide below for all the details!
ELIGIBILITY
To be eligible to enter in 2027, you must be:
- a team of two professionals
- Aged 30 or under, born on or after 25th June 1996
- a current employee within the advertising, media or marketing industry (certain categories welcome freelancers, please see categories and criteria below)
- an Australian resident or have a valid Australian work permit
- available to participate in the Global Young Lions Competition during the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, held from 21–25 June 2027 in France.
See ‘2027 Categories’ and download the entry kits below for all the information you need. Additionally, please refer to the FAQ section at the top of the page for answers to some commonly asked questions.
KEY DATES
Early Bird Registrations Close: 18 December 2026
Registrations Close: 1 March 2027
Competition brief issued: 4 March 2027
Webinar w/ charity briefing partner: 4 March 2027
Entries due: 11.59 pm AEDT, Sunday 7 March 2027
Online judging: Fri 12 March – Sun 21 March 2027
Exec juries review: 23 March – 31 March 2027
Finalists announced: 1 April 2027
Live judging in Sydney & winners announced: Friday 9 April 12-5 pm AEST
Winners compete in Cannes: 21 – 26 June 2027
How to enter
Make sure your team has:
- read and agreed to the 2027 Official Young Lions Terms & Conditions
- downloaded the entry kit and checked the eligibility criteria for your chosen competition
- completed and submitted a registration form (one form per team of two)
- paid the non-refundable registration fee
What are you waiting for? Take a look at the categories, download the kit and register below!
2027 CATEGORY &
entry information
Registrations will open in November. Email cannes@adcouncil.org.au
MEDIA
Teams will be asked to create an innovative media strategy that answers a brief given by the Competition Partner. Teams must demonstrate how they intend on using selected media channels, how they will encourage engagement, how they will make use of emerging media, and how they will unearth consumer insights to drive the most compelling communication strategy.
Register for Media
MARKETERS
Open to client-side marketers only. Create a product/service that answers the brief given by the Competition Partner. Competitors will be representing the organisation they currently work for, and they must create a product/service that
is relevant to their industry.
Register for Marketers Competition
DIGITAL
Create a digital-led campaign. The objective is to show how the power of digital technology can answer the Competition Partner’s brief and provide a creative solution aligned with online audiences and behaviours.
Register for Digital
FILM
Teams of two are required to create a 60-second film ad in response to a brief given by the Competition Partner. Teams may use their own footage; however, stock footage cannot be used during this competition.
Register for Film
EARNED/PR
Deliver an Earned PR campaign in response to a communication challenge set by the Competition Partner. The work should showcase how earned media is effectively used to engage audiences and encourage positive change. Teams will be asked to think boldly and bravely.
Register for EARNED/PR
YOUNG LIONS MASTERCLASS RECORDING
Curious about the Young Lions competition? Check out our Masterclass recording from 2025. Hosted by past champions who’ve cracked the code to winning gold in Australia, this session is packed with insider advice to help you land your spot at Cannes. Want the recording? Hit the button below.
CONTACT US
Email us at canneslions@adcouncil.org.au
May the best Young Lions win!
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