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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 here 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.”

About Gymshark
Gymshark are the conditioning* brand. We create the tools that help everyone become their personal best, whether it’s the clothing we sweat in, the content we find inspiration in or the community we find belonging in. Our legacy was built in the weight room in Birmingham, UK in 2012, but these days our family stands at over 17 million people across over 180 countries, driven by our purpose to unite the entire conditioning community. Because in a world of faster, stronger, fitter, better, we’re the first to ask, what about together?

*Conditioning is everything we do today to prepare for tomorrow.

About TikTok
TikTok is the leading destination for short-form mobile video. Our mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy. TikTok has global offices including Los Angeles, New York, London, Paris, Berlin, Dubai, Mumbai, Singapore, Jakarta, Seoul, and Tokyo.

About Future Lions
The Future Lions competition was founded by AKQA in partnership with Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. Now in its 16th year the program shines a spotlight on emerging talent, diversifying and improving access to the creative industry for young people.

About AKQA
AKQA is a design and innovation company that employs over 6,500 professionals across 20 countries. Awarded the Cannes Lions Grand Prix for Design in 2021 and named by Gartner as one of the world’s leading marketing agencies in 2021. Winner of Fast Company’s World Changing Ideas in 2022, and recognised as a Fast Company Best Workplace for Innovators in 2020.

For more information please visit: https://www.akqa.com/