Amplify with Spotify

Streaming the creative power of young innovators.

Celebrating its 19th year, Future Lions, in association with the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, has partnered with Spotify and The Wall Street Journal to encourage young innovators to spread positivity by leveraging technology to bring listeners closer to the creators and communities they love. Over 602 million Spotify users explore a range of streaming services, from mood-boosting music to community-based podcasts. The digital platform has become an invaluable mental health sanctuary for Millennials and Gen Z users to seek creative inspiration and spark meaningful conversations.

When we signed on to sponsor this year’s Future Lions, we had high expectations of the work. They totally knocked it out of the park. Every single honouree raised the bar for innovation in our industry and set a new standard for our ability to connect with the world. We are so excited to collaborate with these brilliant minds and AKQA to explore new ways to use Spotify’s rich platform to inspire impactful creativity and rewrite the playbook together.

Grace Kao, Global Head of Business Marketing at Spotify

A record-breaking year.

Since introducing the client brief, this year’s entries have tripled with visionary ideas from around the world. Over 240 schools submitted projects with unique stories to share and challenges to solve.

The four winning team’s ideas were revealed at Spotify Beach at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity with each team receiving the prestigious Future Lions trophy.

Winners

Grand Prix

Break the Sound Barrier

In a world with 7,000 spoken languages and 300 visual sign languages, the one universal language which connects us all is music. The initiative features deaf performances that can be added to songs by leveraging deep fake technology for social good, making music more accessible for all.

Marlana Bianchi and Molly Egan.
Syracuse University, New York.

Winner

EarSafe

Studies have found that more young people risk hearing loss from listening to loud music. EarSafe overcomes the inaccessibility and costly traditional hearing tests by turning Spotify into a free hearing measure. By combining most listened songs into interactive hearing tests, users are able to personalise their Spotify audio settings to suit their needs.

Ana Gabunia and João Parreira.
Miami Ad School, Berlin.

Winner

The Good Loop

Stimming allows people with neurodiversity to overcome sensory overload and channel their inner emotions. The Good Loop enables users to create auditory stims by cutting and looping their favourite tracks, separating the instrumentals into multiple layers. It also features generative AI to find similar songs, enhancing the modern listening experience.

Andrea Debernardi, Emma Ceramelli, Enrico Monacelli, Giulia Ciapparella and Loris Ghidini.
Accademia di Comunicazione, Milan.

Winner

Beats in Motion

Beats in Motion combats motion sickness and allows users to fully enjoy all streaming services on Spotify. The feature is layered with a frequency of white noise which can be turned on when travelling and adjusted to the user’s personal preference. When on the move, fonts can also be changed to reduce nausea when scrolling, improving readability and concentration.

Maia Johnston and Tate Lampi.
Leeds Arts University, Leeds.

Tom Bedecarré School of the Year Award.

In recognition of AKQA’s Chairman Emeritus Tom Bedecarré and his profound influence young people through mentorship during his four-decade career in the creative industry, this award acknowledges institutions leading the way in expanding access and utilising technology for positive impact.

OpenLearn Academy has been named the inaugural Tom Bedecarré School of the Year. The institution is an online education platform that overcomes financial barriers and the challenges the educational status quo in South Korea to create a thriving environment for graduates.

“We are inspired and invigorated by the limitless creativity of a rising generation. The Future Lions competition honours the pioneers, and elevates their ideas that rethink the potential of technology and design to set the stage for a new wave of innovation.”

Ajaz Ahmed, CEO and Founder of AKQA

Embarking on an adventure through sound.

The creative theme for the Amplify: Be Heard brief explores how audio allows users to transcend through various emotional and mental states. The Future Lions Cub is brought to life through the power of sound as it travels into a different dimension, embodying the insight that Gen Z and Millennials use audio streaming to boost positivity and productivity.

From the Classroom to Cannes

Take Centre Stage

Hear the insights from the Future Lions Jury Room, why the winners chose their ideas and see the reveal of the Grand Prix, with Sam Kelly, CMO AKQA; Gemma Redgrave, Marketing Director AKQA; Tye Comer, Creative Director Advertising and Creative Spotify; and Chloe Wix Global Director Advertising and Product Marketing Spotify.