At a time when the creative industry is increasingly questioning its relevance, initiatives that create space for new generations are becoming more important than ever. This is the context in which this year’s Young Lions Serbia should be viewed, not only as a competition, but as a reflection of how young creatives interpret socially relevant topics.
UEPS and the UEPS Foundation have been building a platform for years that enables professionals under 30 to test their ideas in real conditions and compare them with global standards through participation at the Cannes Lions Festival.
This year’s brief came from a real social context. It was defined by the Center for Youth Integration through the Drop-in Center initiative, with support from partners including Mercator Center, Plazma, NLB Commercial Bank, Imlek, and others. What set this challenge apart was not only its topic, but the emotion and responsibility behind it.
The competition was held in the Digital category, but the work presented clearly went beyond format. It reflected an effort to find a relevant insight, simplify the message without losing meaning, and develop ideas that can live across multiple channels.
The jury, composed of agency, client, and organizational representatives, had no dilemma when selecting the winner. The project Unseen Legends, created by Haris Ličina and Dušan Antonijević from McCann, stood out for its clarity, strength of insight, and ability to translate a complex topic into communication that is both understandable and applicable.
Second place went to Lola Agius and Pavle Kostić for Subscribe to Kindness, while third place was awarded to Milica Ostojić and Ana Krbanjević for Second Time Around. Notably, all three awarded teams come from the same agency, opening up questions about the role of mentorship and internal development processes in shaping new talent.
The winning team will represent Serbia at the Cannes Lions Festival, but perhaps more importantly, many of the ideas developed through this process are expected to evolve into real campaigns. This is where the true value of such initiatives lies, in moving from ideas to real-world application.
The awards ceremony took place at Marsh Open Space, in an atmosphere that reflected the industry’s ongoing need to recognize and support emerging voices. Without that continuity, every industry eventually risks speaking only to itself.
