AKQA’s Future Lions 2022 Winners and Grand Prix

Now in its 16th year, Future Lions, AKQA’s annual Cannes Lions competition to unearth the next generation of creative talent, has announced the winners and Grand Prix. The awards ceremony is taking place during the iconic Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. This year’s Grand Prix winner is Ten Week Tee, the team will now work with Gymshark and AKQA to bring their idea to life. Miami Ad School has been named School of the Year for most shortlisted submissions.

The year’s competition, together with partners Gymshark and TikTok encourages young people aged 18 – 25 to go Further Together. Entrants were tasked to showcase how we can empower people to unite the conditioning community and overcome any barriers they face, to create a healthier life for themselves.

This year’s winners presented the following concepts:

• Ten Week Tee
Ten Week Tee, is an analogue product for a digital world with fitness instructions printed onto your clothing that fade over time the more you use and wash your gym kit, allowing users to feel more confident working out for the first time.
Team: Nicolas Lindberg, Anna Zetterlund, Claes Holm, Fabian Luthander
School: Berghs School of Communication

• SharkShare
SharkShare is an app that allows you to share your gym membership with those priced out of traditional subscription models, democratising access to fitness for everyone.
Team: Álvaro Jiménez Rodríguez, Laura Esther Conesa Fernández
School: Brother Madrid

• The Tank by Gymshark
The Tank is a TikTok smart filter that matches you to a virtual trainer with a similar body type to you that improves as you do without being faced with unrealistic body image ideals.
Team: Jimmy Marcheso, Tony Wong, Ted Masterson
School: Miami Ad School – San Francisco

• Shark Waves
Sharkwaves is connected apparel that allows deaf individuals to experience music-driven workouts through vibrations in their clothing in real-time.
Team: Seth Low, Keith Samson, Athena Tan Jiaxin
School: Nanyang Technological University

The Future Lions exclusive seminar is free to view from 22 June, 11am CET, and will take place live on The WPP Beach on Wednesday 22 June at 11:00am CET

Danielle Petesic, Chief Product Officer at Gymshark said: “Congratulations to all the finalists! It was so difficult to only select one grand prix winner this year, as I was blown away by the forward-thinking, innovative, and creative ideas put forward. Gymshark can’t wait to bring the Ten Week Tee concept to life and we are grateful to be part of the process to deliver this idea! It gives me such joy and inspires me to work with the future generations’ creative minds who will set the standard for tomorrow. This years’ competition and entry underscored the importance of inclusivity and the clear desire for more companies to come forward and make efforts to support communities who feel underserved. Gymshark are proud and humbled to participate, as well as become part of the changemaker initiatives for years to come!

Trevor Johnson, Head of Marketing, Global Business Solutions EU at TikTok, said: “The winning entries speak to the power of community and what it feels like to become part of one, no matter who you are. This really resonates with us, as TikTok has made it easier than ever for people to turn their passions into real-life communities that everyone can participate in, no matter who they are or where they are from. It’s particularly inspiring to see how certain campaigns have used TikTok to unlock joy and build a real connection with the community. The quality of the winners is evidence of the incredible talent and commitment of the entrants and we’re really proud to have been a part of recognising and celebrating the future talent of the industry.”

Ahmed, CEO of AKQA said: “Future Lions provides young people with a platform of discovery to design influential solutions to many of the most pressing issues. The quality and inspiration evident in this year’s exhilarating entries set the stage for themes and perspectives that matter most to a new generation. Thank you, Gymshark, TikTok and all the schools worldwide for encouraging more people into our profession and helping transform ideas into action.”

As the Cannes Festival of Creativity did not take place last June, AKQA also recognised last year’s winners.

2021 winners:

Invented by Kids
The power of a kid’s imagination is often undermined by parents. They simply do not see the need for imaginative play. To prove a point, Invented by Kids would use LEGO® bricks to turn kids’ imagination into reality.
Team: Faith Low, Lydon Ong
School: Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts and Singapore Management University

Let’s Go
Let’s Go would use LEGO® bricks fitted with solar panels to harness the power of the sun as a source of energy, using LEGO bricks as an eco-friendly alternative to standard power sources.
Team: Daniel Rosero
School: Brother Barcelona

Digital Assistance
Digital Assistance would involve the creation of adaptive computer aided design software which uses eye tracker technology allowing children to build their own creations without the use of fine motor skills and hand strength.
Team: Hannah Hargreaves
School: Leeds Arts University

ToDo
ToDo would allow the creation of a digital to-do list designed to assist children with lowered executive skills such as ADHD, by reimagining their routines as LEGO building instructions.
Team: Zackarias Lindskog, Hedda Hyland, Henric Gustavsson, Lovisa Zeiloth, Henrik Billing
School: Berghs School of Communication

The Grand Prix winner
Invented by Kids
Team: Faith Low, Lydon Ong
School: Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts and Singapore Management University