Entertainment Lions for Sport

Branded film, audio and radio content, including documentaries and series, with sports at its core that aims to amplify a sports organisation’s or brand’s message.

If you are submitting a series of films, please upload all executions in a single video file with slates denoting the start of the next execution.

Brand or sponsor integration into live sport or esport coverage across broadcast and streaming platforms, where a brand contributes a unique narrative, utility or expertise that clearly elevates the live content.

Please provide a sample film file of up to 30 minutes.

Sport initiatives/campaigns that demonstrate brand narratives to drive meaningful fan/consumer engagement across relevant platforms.

Brand or sponsor integration into live sport or esport events, in physical venues or virtual worlds, where the brand meaningfully augments the in-moment experience through shows, stunts, installations or interactive layers.

Immersive experiences that creatively push the boundaries of technology within sport entertainment. This could include, but not be limited to, AI, AR, VR, XR, wearable tech and mobile devices, voice technology, blockchain technology, gamification, virtual worlds, the metaverse and all other emerging platforms. Does not include prototypes of early-stage technology.

Esports, games and gaming initiatives created to communicate a brand, teams or sports organisation through the creative production, promotion and distribution of content with sport-related gaming at the core. This includes but is not limited to the use of brand integration within existing gaming platforms.

Experiences that successfully carry a brand’s message across multiple platforms/channels, both online and offline. The work should demonstrate how content featuring a brand’s message, product or service has been seamlessly implemented on various platforms to continue and amplify meaningful consumers’ experience and engagement.

Audience engagement and distribution strategies designed to build and engage a sports-related fanbase, enhancing community activity and brand affinity.

The creative and innovative use of content creators who build their personal brands through original social content, distinct from traditional sports sponsorship or endorsement deals. This may include, but is not limited to, collaborations, sponsored content and user-generated content to connect with sports audiences through authentic, platform-native content. ​

Strategic brand partnerships and collaborations that leverage sports, content platforms and entertainment properties to meet specific business goals and create mutual value across parties. This includes but is not limited to league-wide deals, broadcaster or streaming collaborations, event and venue partnerships and cross-industry brand collaborations.

Strategic partnerships anchored in a sports personality or a specific team or sports organisation. This includes ambassador programmes, co-created capsules, signature products and team-level sponsorships where team IP and fandom are central.

Brand-led creative work that leverages sport to tackle and confront disparities based on sex, sexuality, disability, age, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or other status within a sport or sports-related community.

The innovative use of new or existing technology, platforms, media or channels to create branded products and content that enhance the sports experience, comfort, performance, safety of athletes and fans.

Brands that have creatively adapted their approach in response to competitor pressure by challenging the status quo to create game-changing work that uses progressive thinking and innovative creativity.

Work inspired by a specific audience or community, relying on identifiable social behaviour. The work should demonstrate how leveraging insights into consumer behaviour can create a powerful connection with a brand.

Work that celebrates the art of humour in branded communications, infusing wit, satire, and cleverness into campaigns that provide amusement and create memorable, laughter-inducing connections with audiences.

Creative use of modest budgets and/or resources in relation to the market and/or industry to create maximum impact. The work should demonstrate how fresh insight, smart spending and compelling strategic thinking solved a business problem despite limited resources.

Work that honours brands that craft strategic solutions rooted in the lived experiences of culturally grounded communities. This approach reflects and translates the nuances of customs, behaviours, and traditions that shape foundational perspectives on identity (e.g. disability, gender, race, orientation, age). Such insights reveal how diverse audiences choose brands and media experiences, driving growth and impact.

The word limit for this section is 100 words.

This question is compulsory.

Please provide any brand and cultural context that would help the jury understand any cultural, national or regional nuances applicable to this work.

You should outline why this piece of work was created for this particular brand, in this market, at this particular moment in time, with all of the cultural and market conditions.

The word limit for this section is 250 words.

This question is compulsory.

Please select the objective(s) that were most important when creating this work – what the work set out to achieve.

For the jury to accurately assess the work, it must first establish its objectives. As you progress through the entry system, you must link your results back to each objective selected.

• Overachieve on brand metrics (e.g. awareness, engagement)
• Change consumer behaviour (e.g. attitudes, frequency, penetration)
• Create short-term sales growth (e.g. sales, promotions, discounts)
• Improve brand health (e.g. consideration, preference)
• Create sustained sales success (e.g. profit, sales)
• Create long-term brand and sales growth (e.g. shareholder value, retention, loyalty)

There is no word limit for this section.

This question is compulsory.

Please provide a summary of your entry. describe the background and context behind the work what creative challenges did the work face

This should be an overview of the work and an analysis of its effectiveness. You should describe how the objectives of the campaign have been successfully met.

The word limit for this section is 150 words.

This question is compulsory.

Consider the following when describing the creative idea of the work:

• Does the work cross boundaries/have the ability to think beyond conventional boundaries or categories?
• Does the work evoke surprise/have the power to continue captivating attention?
• Does the work transcend the original challenge?
• Does the work incorporate breakthrough thinking?
• How did the creative insight directly influence the amplification of the brand message?

The word limit for this section is 150 words.

This question is compulsory.

Consider the following when describing the strategy:

• Was the strategy based on consumer behaviour and/or cultural insight?
• Did the insight come from research and data?
• Did creativity play a key role in the interpretation of the business challenge?
• Was this piece of work relevant to the defined target audience?
• Does the work genuinely solve a real problem?

The word limit for this section is 150 words.

This question is compulsory.

Consider the following when describing the execution:

• How effectively was the concept brought to life?
• What specific implementation strategies were employed to ensure success?
• Was the execution timeline realistic and well-managed?
• Which channels were utilised for placement, and were they optimal for reaching the target audience?
• How extensive was the scale of the execution in relation to the defined objectives?
• Did the execution adapt to any unexpected challenges or changes in the environment?

The word limit for this section is 150 words.

This question is compulsory.

Please refer back to the objectives selected when answering this question. Consider:

• performance against brand metrics (e.g. awareness, engagement)
• change in consumer behaviour (e.g. attitudes, frequency, penetration)
• indications of short-, medium- or long-term sales success (e.g. shareholder value, profit, revenue, ROI, sales, share)
• brand health improvement (e.g. consideration, preference, quality of experience and interaction)
• potential changes in government regulations or societal/economic events (e.g. changes in economic, political, social factors)
• achievement against objectives

The word limit for this section is 150 words.

This question is compulsory.

If yes, you must disclose how it was used, considering the following:

• What AI tools were used?
• What was the extent of AI use in the final work?
• What were the data sources or inputs for any AI-generated elements, and where did they originate?

For guidance on acceptable AI usage please refer to the LIONS Integrity Handbook. Misrepresentation or wilful omission may result in your entry being withdrawn.

The word limit for this section is 150 words.

This question is compulsory.

As a member of AdNet Zero, we believe in the collective responsibility to reduce the carbon impact of developing, producing and running advertising to achieve real net zero. Please outline how this piece of work aligns with the brand's sustainability strategy and consider the following:

• Environmental cost: What steps were taken to measure, reduce and manage the environmental footprint of the work across its life cycle?
• Meaningful claims: What evidence can you provide to support any sustainability related claims made in the work, ensuring they are credible and meaningful?
• Long-term commitments: How do the sustainability-related claims reflect the brand's broader strategy and focus on relevant issues?

Please provide details of the benchmarks used to measure the success of this work's contribution to the overall strategy. This could include but is not limited to targets related to advertising business operations - advertising production - media planning and buying.

There is no word limit for this section.

This question is optional.

Based on the brief, what consideration was given to representation and diversity of the team(s) involved?

What consideration was given to accessibility in the work and what role did DEI thinking play throughout the development of the work?

There is no word limit for this section.

This question is optional.

If there are additional results you wish to disclose to the Jury but prefer to keep confidential, please enter them below.

The word limit for this section is 150 words.

This question is optional.

Please tell us how the work tackled and confronted disparities within a sport or sports-related community.

The word limit for this section is 150 words.

This question is compulsory for E01.

Please outline the innovative elements of the work.

The word limit for this section is 150 words.

This question is compulsory for E02.

Please tell us how the work challenged or was different from the brand's competitors.

The word limit for this section is 150 words.

This question is compulsory for E03.

Please tell us about the social behaviour that inspired the work.

The word limit for this section is 150 words.

This question is compulsory for E04.

Please tell us about the humour insight that inspired the work.

The word limit for this section is 150 words.

This question is compulsory for E05.

Budget Details

Please provide budget details that show how the campaign achieved breakthrough results on a limited budget. Consider:

• the overall budget
• the breakdown of costs
• how the campaign maximised reach vs expenditure
• the significant impact this adjustment had on the campaign's effectiveness.

We recommend providing as much context as possible to understand the budget spend. However, we understand that different cases will have different types of results.

• (Any confidential information should be entered in the confidential information field)

The word limit for this section is 150 words.

This question is compulsory for E06.

Please tell us about the specific cultural insight that drove the nuanced engagement behind this work.

The word limit for this section is 150 words.

This question is compulsory for E07.