• Championing the development of Saudi Arabia’s creative talent on a global stage
• SRMG is back with the second edition of the Saudi Young Lions design competition, highlighting its role as the official Saudi representative at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity
• Registration is now open to graphic designers, illustrators and creatives aged 30 or under currently working in Saudi Arabia
• The winning team will compete in the Global Young Lions competition at Cannes Lions

8 May 2024 | Riyadh: SRMG, the largest integrated media group from the MENA region, today launched the second edition of the Saudi Young Lions design competition. The competition provides young and up-and-coming creators from Saudi Arabia a platform to showcase their creativity and ingenuity. It also represents a key aspect of SRMG’s transformation and growth strategy to champion the next generation of local creators and innovators.

Registration for the Saudi Young Lions competition is now open. To participate, graphic designers, illustrators and creatives aged 30 or under and currently working in Saudi Arabia’s marketing and advertising industry must register by 13 May 2024 in a team of two. The brief will be live on 16 May 2024 and registered participants will be given 48 hours to answer a creative brief. Entrants will be judged by a jury of leaders from renowned global advertising agencies in the region.

The winners of the Saudi Young Lions will advance to compete in the prestigious Global Young Lions competition against top creative teams from around the world in Cannes, France in June. This will also provide the winning team an opportunity to network with the brightest minds in the global media industry, learn from the leading global creative directors, and attend inspiring talks and workshops.

Fadi Mroue, Chief Creative Officer of SRMG, commented: “The future of the creative industry depends on the next generation continuing to push boundaries through thought-provoking and innovative work. At SRMG, we aim to provide a platform for these young creators and storytellers to excel and think big. This is why we have prioritised empowering emerging local and regional talent by giving them the necessary tools, training and support. Partnering with Cannes Lions for the second edition of the Saudi Young Lions competition aligns with this goal. The success of the first edition of the Saudi Young Lions competition sets the stage for increased participation in the second year. We look forward to seeing the Saudi winners compete against the best and brightest young creators at this year’s Cannes Lions Festival in June.”

This announcement builds on SRMG’s partnership with the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. In 2023, SRMG became the official representative of Cannes Lions in Saudi Arabia. As part of this partnership, SRMG launched the first Saudi Young Lions competition and facilitated Saudi representation at the Cannes’ Creative Academy.

The inaugural Saudi Young Lions competition attracted top rising stars and emerging talents from across the Kingdom. Reema Ibrahim and Shoug Abdullah, two young Saudi women designers and creators, made history by winning the first Saudi Young Lions. They competed at the Global Young Lions competition in Cannes, finishing in the top seven out of over 450 participants.

In 2023, the Cannes Lions Festival also saw increased participation from the MENA region, highlighted by Hungerstation Riyadh’s ‘Subconscious Order’ campaign clinching the Grand Prix in Creative Commerce. This represented the first time Saudi Arabia won the prestigious Grand Prix, serving as another example of the growing creativity and innovation coming from the region.