This morning the Young Lions laureates were announced at the world’s most prestigious advertising industry festival, the Cannes Lions. In the Cyber category, a bronze was awarded to DDB Latvia copywriter Raimonds Platacis and Cube animator Marcis Mikelsons. The Young Lions competition is open to advertising professionals who are younger than 28 years and who have first won a selection competition in their own country.

DDB copywriter and Bronze Lion winner Raimonds Platacis explained: “We were given 28 hours to think up a concept and create an advertising banner for the UNICEF Tap project programme which supplies drinking water to children. The banner we made was defined by a moment of interactivity — moving the cursor onto the banner, a cup of water appears. By shifting the mouse to the left or right hands appear from below that reach for this cup. By clicking on the hands and “giving them water”, a text appears explaining that even one click can save a child’s life. We provide children with drinking water. Click to donate. We hope that in light of the success of our efforts, Latvia will also be granted the chance to participate in other Young Lions categories in years to come”.

The award in this category was won in the face of competition from teams from 28 countries whose members were required to prepare an interactive ad for the UNICEF Tap project which collects money to ensure the supply of drinking water to children in developing nations.

DDB Creative Director Vairis Strazds said: “This represents a breakthrough for the Latvian advertising industry which has reached a sufficient level of maturity to create competitive ideas at the highest level. I’m extremely proud of this achievement by DDB’s young talent Raimonds and even more so given his comment after receiving the award: “It could have been better. I’m not completely satisfied”. I’m quite convinced that a bright future awaits both DDB and Latvian advertising as a whole”.

This is the first year in the history of the Latvian advertising industry when Latvia has received the highest and most important international recognition simultaneously in two categories. We offer our sincerest congratulations to our colleagues from MOOZ! who won a Silver Lion in the Direct Lions category!

Click here to see the work of both Young Lions Raimonds and Marcis.