The LIONS Scholarship
Supporting the next generation of creative talent
For Cannes Lions 2025, we’re once again offering 10 fully funded scholarships to underrepresented talent within the creative industry.
What’s the LIONS Scholarship?
The LIONS Scholarship is designed to support the next generation of talent, placing an emphasis on diversity of location, gender, race, class, preference and perspective. With five places available in the Brand Marketing Academy and five in the Creative Academy, a total of 10 people aged 30 or under from 10 countries will be accepted for the Scholarship.
The LIONS Academies
Five places available on each of the following academies.
Creative Academy
We encourage all creatives to apply including, but not limited to, Art Directors, Copywriters, Graphic/UX Designers, Directors, Journalists, PR, Creative Technologists, Engineers, Freelancers, etc.
Brand Marketing Academy
We encourage brand/client-side marketers to apply including, but not limited to Brand and Marketing Managers, Digital Marketers, Marketing Directors, Social Media Managers, Campaign Directors, Global Digital Marketing Managers, Campaign Co-ordinators and Communications Consultants.
What's included?
If you’re selected, you’ll get a fully funded trip to Cannes Lions 2025, including accommodation, travel and allowance. You’ll also get a Young Lions Festival pass, which will give you access to inspiring classroom sessions with world-class speakers, hands-on learning and coaching from industry legends.
Who can apply?
Applications are open to people born on or after 20 June 1994. The minimum age for applying is 18 years old, and proof of age will be required. You’ll also need to have a minimum of two years’ work experience in a role to be eligible. The LIONS Academies are presented in English.
Please note, applications are now closed.
How do you select who gets to join the programme?
Every year, we receive hundreds of applications for the LIONS Scholarship – and we judge every application through a two-stage process. After your initial application, we use a jury of over 40 creatives to create a shortlist. Our jurors are creative directors, art directors, creative partners and copywriters from around the world, so they know exactly what creative excellence looks like and who has the potential to reach it.
Adetutu Laditan, Creative Director, Woof Studios, Africa Adenike Odutola, Managing Director, X3M Ideas, Zambia Alejandro Gowland, Head of Creative Works (SPLA), Google, México Ana Roma Torres, Managing and Creative Partner, Havas Play, Portugal Andisa Ntsubane, Managing Executive: Brand, Marketing and Communications, Vodacom Group, Africa George “Benson” Acohamo, CEO & Chief Creative Officer, BSN Creatives, Brazil Bhaskar Choudhuri, Chief Marketing Officer, Lenovo, Asia Pacific Camila Venegas Gomez, Creative Director, Big Time, Saudi Arabia Christian Sánchez, Chief Creative Officer, VML, Peru Delna Sethna, Chief Creative Officer, Ogilvy, Sub-Saharan Africa Diana Maranhão, Communication & Image Director, Rolex, Brazil Estelle Blemand-Zaïre, Diversity & Inclusion Strategist, Netflix, EMEA Frank Hahn, Chief Creative Officer, TEAMBBDO, Germany Hui Kang Yea, SVP, Head of Brand Division, SK Telecom and SK Broadband, South Korea Jerzy Holub, VP, Marketing & Communications, Mastercard, Poland, Czech Republic & Slovakia Kelly Pon, Chief Creative Officer, BBH China Ltd, Mainland China Khaled AlShehhi, Executive Director of Marketing & Communication, Government Media Office, UAE Maria Lashari, Founder & Creative Director, 1000WORLDS, Sweden Mike Dubrick, Partner, Chief Creative Officer, Rethink Toronto Mike Solomon, Chief Executive Officer, PHD Media, US Nnenna Onyewuchi, Innovation & Strategy Director, Yellow Brick Road, Nigeria Noelia Merejo, Core Brands Manager, AB InBev, Dominican Republic Oriane A. Canfrin, Head of Marketing & Communications, Ecobank, Ivory Coast Pierre Loo, Executive Creative Director, McCann Health, Greater China, an IPG Health Company Prerna Mehrotra, Chief Client Officer & CEO Media, Dentsu, APAC Priya Sarma Mathur, Head of Sustainability & Corporate Affairs, Unilever, UAE Rana Hamarneh, Group Executive Director, Adpro & OMD, Jordan Rankin Carroll, Chief Brand Officer, Mars Snacking, Global Raymond Otene McKay, Chief Creative Officer, RUN Aotearoa, New Zealand Samantha Hernández Díaz, Chief Strategy Officer, GUT Mexico City Sebastien Boutebel, Chief Creative Officer, Saatchi & Saatchi ME, UAE Susan Credle, Global Chair of FCB and Creative Advisor to IPG, US Susan Irving, Chief Marketing Officer, Kruger Products Inc, Canada Tseliso Rangaka, Chief Creative Officer, WPP Studio X, Africa Viktor Shkurba, Founder & Creative Director, KA.KA.HA [isdgroup], Ukraine Yusuf Chuku, EVP, Client Advisory, NBCUniversal, US
Important dates
Applications open: 3 October 2024
Applications close: 5 December 2024
Applicants notified: 22 January 2025
From learning from industry giants like Fernando Machado and other inspiring speakers, to the incredible camaraderie with my classmates, every moment was filled with inspiration and growth. The insights and knowledge I gained have broadened my professional perspective and fueled my passion for marketing even more.
Tina Gagua
Marketing Lead
Applications for LIONS Scholarship 2025 are now closed.
If you have any queries, please contact talentprogrammes@canneslions.com.