Our agency took the lead on this year’s Young Lions Cyprus with a two-fold challenge. First, we had to create a bold new brand identity for the 2024 edition of the competition. Second, we had to do it in just 1.5 months—a process that typically spans 5 to 7 months.

From the visual direction to the briefing materials, from shaping the four thematic categories to managing the awards ceremony, every step was creatively demanding and tightly timed. We built a core team dedicated to coordination and brought in talent from across the industry, ensuring seamless collaboration between other fellow agencies, for the promotion and execution of the initiative.

A key part of the challenge was to break away from last year’s creative language. This meant building something fresh—something bold enough to capture attention and spark interest across the creative community.

We rooted the concept in the Cypriot dialect to create something truly local and unapologetically bold. That freedom gave us room to play—not just with the visuals, but with language too. The outcome? The powerful and evocative tagline: «Είσαι Φωθκιά»—You Are the Fire.

This wasn’t just a line. It became a campaignable platform. We expanded the idea through expressions like:

• «Βάλε Φωθκιά» / Set everything on fire
• «Μεν κρούσεις την ευκαιρία σου» / Don’t burn your chances
• «Είσαι το σπίρτο στη φωθκιά μας» / You’re the match that lights our fire

The identity was bold, campaignable and full of attitude. Each competition category, FILM, DESIGN, PR, DIGITAL, was color-coded to create a distinctive look and feel while maintaining a cohesive brand universe.

Beyond aesthetics, we designed the campaign to serve a higher purpose. We partnered with two NGOs—Friends of the Earth and the Cyprus Alliance for Rare Disorders—and engaged the Commissioner for Gender Equality, Mrs. Josie Christodoulou, to co-develop four powerful themes grounded in societal impact:

1. FILM – Gender Bias in AI Systems
2. DIGITAL – Climate Change & Food Waste
3. DESIGN – “Share Your Colours” campaign for Rare Disease Day
4. PR – A crowdfunding initiative to support individuals with rare diseases

Each theme was designed to spark conversation, drive awareness and connect local relevance with global urgency.

The 2024 Young Lions CY brought together 11 talented teams. Four teams took home Gold, with Silver and Bronze awards distributed across all categories.

We successfully secured €16,000 in sponsorships, fully covering the Cannes Lions delegate passes for the winners. Media coverage was extensive, with strong visibility before, during and after the competition.

Most notably, our Platinum Sponsor, the John Christodoulou Foundation, has committed to long-term support of the Young Lions initiative—helping us open more doors for young talent and shape the next generation of creative leaders