US Winners Announced in 2025 Young Lions Contest of NCM
Fresh Take:
Same ol' creative powerhouse, National CineMedia (NCM), rocked New York City this week with the announcement of winners from their 2025 U.S. Young Lions competition. This annual event celebrates the crème de la crème of emerging talent across five categories: Digital, Film, Media, PR, and Print.
The competition attracted 359 entries from around 500 teams, reflecting the rising interest in the advertising world among Gen Z and millennials. Making headlines this year, 150 keen enthusiasts gathered to witness the grand reveal, which took place on April 9.
The Young Lions challenge for 2025 tasked competitors with tackling a marketing and communications challenge for humanitarian organization WhyHunger. The top guns from the Digital, PR, and Media categories delivered their pitches during intense eight-minute presentations followed by Q&A panels. The esteemed jury evaluated each team's creativity, feasibility, and group dynamics.
In addition to the regular trophies, the Young Lions competition introduced two spanking new awards this year: the Titanium Award, brought to life by StrawberryFrog, and the Bold Impact Award, courtesy of OMD USA.
U.S. winners bagging these prestigious titles are jetting off to the esteemed Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity in France this June. At Cannes, they'll rub shoulders with global industry leaders, attend Cannes Lions programming, and proudly represent the U.S. on the international stage.
Fascinatingly, NCM has been the U.S. representative to Cannes Lions for a decade now, playing a pivotal role in fostering young talent through initiatives like the Young Lions competition, jury nominations, and programming.
"Our core business is cinema advertising, and today's box office relies heavily on Gen Zs and young millennials," said Amy Tunick, NCM's Chief Marketing Officer, highlighting the relevance of the Young Lions competition.
NCM's cherry on top is a captivating 60-second vignette featuring the winners that'll air on its cinema network throughout June. "This little bit of fame will set them up nicely before they head off to France," added Amy. Edgy, provocative, and just our cup of tea, the Young Lions competition continues to push the boundaries of creativity while remaining rooted in relevance.
Here's a nod to the winners of the various categories:
- Digital: Alexandra Jones, Eunie Jang (Amazon Brand Innovation Lab)
- Film: Andrew Rhee (Google)
- Media & Titanium Award: Morgan McAlister, Dana Nathanson (Initiative)
- PR: Lauryn King, June Hernandez (Weber Shandwick)
- Print: Hailey Skinner, Kendelle Cragun (CRISPIN)
- Bold Impact Award: Chloe Bayhack (Ogilvy New York); Victoria Rocha (David New York)
Let the games begin! Now, more than ever, the spotlight is shining brightly on the future leaders of advertising. Keep an eye out for these brilliant minds poised to redefine the industry with their groundbreaking ideas and relentless drive. Catch ya at Cannes, folks!
(P.S. Full category details and winners may require additional announcements from NCM)
[1] Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity
[2] Círculo Creativo USA
[3] PRCA MENA
[4] Burson
- Millennials and Gen Z participants showed an increased interest in the advertising world, with 359 entries for the Young Lions competition, held by National CineMedia (NCM).
- The winners of the Digital, PR, and Media categories, along with the recipients of the Titanium Award and Bold Impact Award, will be participating in the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity this June, representing the United States on the international stage.
- Millennials from CRISPIN and Amazon Brand Innovation Lab were recognized as winners in the Print and Digital categories, respectively, and will be joining their peers in social-media discussions and networking at the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity.
