The Riskers at Cannes Lions: How we back talents

Contests as a growth boost

Feeling like you’re stuck in the same old routine at work? Every specialist needs a breath of fresh air for inspiration now and then. At Risk.inc company, we believe in the power of industry contests.

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Local and international competitions offer a chance to step away from the usual projects and soak in new ideas. They often go hand in hand with industry festivals, packed with educational and networking events. 

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This time, we’ll dive into Cannes Lions – the international festival of creative communications and advertising through the stories of our Riskers!

First place in Kazakhstan

The Young Lions Competition holds a special place, challenging creatives under 30 to shine on a global stage. 

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Before making it to Cannes, participants need to win at the local level. Сountries sends one team for each category, like Digital, PR, Design, Media, and more. In 2023, our dynamic duo – copywriter Amina Altayeva and designer Dmitriy Tumanov – took on the Print category.

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Participants have only 24 hours to create a print ad based on a brief. Industry experts evaluate works by several criteria, including creativity, alignment with the brief, and message clarity for the potential audience. That year, the Print competition focused on the bullying problem and the work of the Antibullying Association.

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Amina and Dmitriy stocked up with energy drinks, brainstormed ideas, and designed three works.  Surprisingly, their work with minimum details (the association logo with a strong slogan) brought victory! They took first place in Kazakhstan, and our team sponsored their trip to Cannes.

Cannes and big plans

Touching down in France, our participants had another 24 hours to prepare for the international stage.

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At Cannes, Young Lions usually tackle a brief from an NGO, charity, or business with a noble cause. In 2023, the focus was on a company fighting deforestation: clients pay for planting trees and receive dividends when those are sold. 

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Compared to the local contest, where participants can send an unlimited number of works, at Young Lions in Cannes, teams have to choose one idea. Amina and Dmitriy admit that this is the main challenge. This time, they made a bid on originality strategy and, unfortunately, miscalculated.

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But that didn’t stop them from making the most of the festival: exploring exhibitions of various brands’ commercials, networking, and getting inspired by participants from different corners of the world. And they're already eyeing the 2024 Young Lions!

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The entire Risk team is cheering for Amina and Dmitriy.

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This is your sign to explore your industry contests and try your hand – our team has your back every step of the way!

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