Volvo and AKQA Open Life-Changing Young Person’s Creative Competition

Future Lions, AKQA and Cannes Lion’s annual global competition which celebrates young people’s bold and progressive ideas, is now open for entries.

This year’s Future Lions theme is a call for young people to protect what is most important about our home planet – life itself. Celebrating its 17th year, AKQA is proud to announce Volvo Cars as the official client partner and Forbes CMO Network as the media partner for Future Lions 2023.

Feeling safe is about much more than physical safety. The rise in awareness of mental health creates more need for psychological safety, and the climate crisis raises the focus on planetary safety. A physical manifestation of Volvo Cars’ Safety in Mind vision, the newly released Volvo EX90 displays new technologies designed to help keep you safe on the road, and makes you feel safe too.

To maintain the position as a pioneer of the protection of people and the planet, Volvo Cars is inviting young people to find new and innovative solutions to prove it beyond the car.

Working with Oscar-nominated animator and film director Thierry Marchand, his passion for visual storytelling has transformed this year’s theme into a beautifully hand-drawn animated campaign. Featuring the Future Lion Cubs on a mission to make lives safer, easier and happier in an intricate, dense world, each moment intends to inspire teams to interpret the brief to make a difference – whether to the world, a community or an individual.

Four winning teams will be selected to pitch their ideas live to Volvo Cars. The awards will take place at Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in June 2023, and each winning team will receive a prestigious Future Lions trophy, bespoke to this year’s theme.

One team will be awarded the Future Lions Grand Prix and will work with Volvo Cars and AKQA to bring their creative concept to life. Andreas Malm, Volvo Cars Head of Brand, said: “For Volvo Cars, safety goes beyond car safety. We aim to be the pioneers in the protection of people and the planet. Our mission to help people come to life and protect what matters most will continue. Young people are our future, therefore, we are excited to learn more about what protecting life means for them
alongside AKQA and Forbes CMO Network.”

Seth Matlins, Managing Director of the Forbes CMO Network, said: “This year’s brief, For Life, is all about promoting connection, inclusivity, and the creative application of technology to challenge – and better – the status quo. Each of which is fundamental to ensuring that the free-enterprise system Forbes has been championing for 105 years, continues evolving. We’re honoured to be part of the Future Lions journey alongside AKQA and Volvo Cars.”

Peter Lund, AKQA Chief Creative Officer, said: “To trust and empower young people – this is the value that Future Lions continues to embody. Their pragmatic ideas, naturally centred on social transformation, contribution and positive impact, are essential to building communities in which individuals can thrive, safely, as they are. It is a pleasure to be working alongside Volvo Cars and Forbes CMO Network to support the trailblazers of the future.”

Future Lions has been the catalyst for many career paths, propelling alumni to go on to be leading creatives, designers and Chief Creative Officers across the industry.

2022 saw 525 schools across 89 countries enter the competition. Last year’s Grand Prix winners Nicolas Lindberg, Claes Holm, Fabian Luthander and Anna Zetterlund from Berghs School of Communication are developing their idea ‘Ten Week Tee’, an analogue activewear clothing solution in a digital world, with Gymshark.

with the closing date for entries 23:59, 14th April 2023.