National CineMedia Launches 2026 US Young Lions Competition
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Celebrates 11th year as US Representative for Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity
Introduces PMCI (Publicis Media Content Innovation) as first-ever title sponsor
Competition registration open until January 26, 2026
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
National CineMedia (NASDAQ: NCMI) (“NCM”), the largest cinema advertising platform in the US, and the US Representative of the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, today announced the official launch of the 2026 Young Lions competition and its new partnership lineup. The 2026 competition marks the 11th year of NCM’s role as US Representative and the third year since NCM’s launch of the US Lions Community, comprised of 5,000+ past and present Young Lions competitors, jurors, supporters, and mentors.
Registration for this year’s competition is now open to advertising, marketing, and communications industry professionals born on or after June 20, 1995. Information on how to register can be found here.
The 2026 Young Lions competition gives rising stars in the advertising industry an opportunity to grow their careers and develop their skills with the help of established industry leaders. Applicants will compete across five categories – Digital, Film, Media, PR, and Print – and the winners of each category will form TEAM USA and head to Cannes, France to compete on a global stage at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. For the first time, TEAM USA will be guided by advisors who have all previously served as Global Young Lions jurors, offering unparalleled insight to ensure that TEAM USA is well prepared for the global competition.
This year’s competition introduces the first ever title sponsor for the Young Lions competition, PMCI (Publicis Media Content Innovation).
The competition will be judged by an exclusive group of jurors comprised of influential executives from industry-leading brands and agencies. For the full list of jurors, click here.
"The Young Lions competition celebrates and honors the next generation of creative marketing talent, and NCM is proud to amplify these fresh and exciting voices as we once again will showcase the winning work from Team USA in NCM theaters nationwide,” said Mike Rosen, Chief Revenue Officer at NCM. “For over a decade, NCM has served as the US Representative for this prestigious global competition and worked to increase opportunities and engagement for young creative talent by connecting them with leading agencies and brands. This year, we are proud to welcome PMCI (Publicis Media Content Innovation) as the title sponsor, and we can’t wait to see what exciting new ideas make their mark this year.”
FleishmanHillard joins the competition this year as the Digital competition category sponsor, and Johannes Leonardo joins as the new TEAM USA Announcement Event partner. Weber Shandwick is returning as the PR sponsor, and Pereira O’Dell is returning as the Film sponsor.
Registration for the 2026 US Young Lions competition is currently open, and the deadline to register is January 26, 2026, 7:59:59 p.m. ET. Other key dates for the competition include:
January 28, 2026: Young Lions competition begins
February 11, 2026: Young Lions competition entry deadline, 8:00 p.m. ET
March 23, 2026: Young Lions Finalists announced
April 23, 2026: TEAM USA Announced
June 22 – 26, 2026: Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity
National CineMedia, Inc. (NCM, NASDAQ:NCMI) is the largest cinema advertising platform in the U.S. With unparalleled reach and scale, NCM connects brands to sought-after young, diverse audiences through the power of movies and pop culture. A premium video, full-funnel marketing solution for advertisers, NCM enhances marketers' ability to measure and drive results. NCM’s Noovie® Show is presented exclusively in 42 leading national and regional theater circuits including the only three national chains, AMC Entertainment Inc. (NYSE:AMC), Cinemark Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:CNK) and Regal Entertainment Group (a subsidiary of Cineworld Group PLC). NCM’s cinema advertising platform consists of more than 17,500 screens in over 1,350 theaters in 184 Designated Market Areas® (all of the top 50). NCM is the managing member and owner of 100% of National CineMedia, LLC (NCM LLC). For more information, visit www.ncm.com.
