Ster-Kinekor, the official South African Representative of Cannes Lions, and Heineken Beverages celebrate Cannes Young Lions South Africa 2026 winners
Ster-Kinekor, the official South African representative of the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, in partnership with Heineken® Beverages is proud to announce the winners of the Cannes Young Lions South Africa 2026 competition.
This year’s competition reached a new high, attracting over 150 teams. The volume and calibre of submissions reflect the growing ambition and strength of South Africa’s young creative community.
Following an intense 48-hour challenge of strategy, creativity and storytelling, two standout teams have earned their place at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in France.
A panel of leading industry judges reviewed the work to select the winning teams.
Film Category Winners
Work Title: Return to Cinema
Winners: Peter Maluleke & Rosemary Mabasa
Agency: TBWA
In the film category, participants were tasked with creating a 45–60 second commercial showing why cinema still matters in the lives of young South Africans.
“Return to Cinema” builds on a simple truth: streaming is convenient, but constantly interrupted. Notifications, ads and distractions break the experience. The winning idea reminds audiences why cinema remains the one place where stories can truly be experienced without interruption.
Digital Category Winners
Work Title: Inner Circle
Winners: Jessica Babsy & Pippa Browning
Agency: VML
Participants in the digital category were challenged to develop a digital and out-of-home idea that reimagines Johannesburg’s inner city, creating something aspirational, locally relevant, and worth sharing.
“Inner Circle” taps into the familiar ‘Close Friends’ social media feature to create a city-wide invitation to exclusive Joburg experiences. As stories go live, OOH screens and venue facades mirror the same visual cue with a single signal connecting online and real-world moments, unlocking Heineken experiences along the way.
Selecting the final winners proved highly competitive, with judges noting the exceptional standard of work across both categories. The winning teams will now go on to compete against the world’s best young creatives at Cannes Lions in June.
“We are confident that Peter Maluleke and Rosemary Mabasa will be outstanding ambassadors for Ster-Kinekor, South Africa, and the film category when they compete on the global stage in Cannes,” says Lynne Wylie, chief marketing officer of Ster-Kinekor Theatres.
“Cannes Young Lions is a powerful platform for unlocking talent and celebrating creativity as a force that shapes culture and drives commercial success. This year’s winners represent the kind of bold, future-facing thinking our industry needs, and we’re incredibly proud to see them carry South Africa’s creative voice onto the global stage,” says Andrea Quaye, marketing director at Heineken Beverages.
The Cannes Young Lions South Africa competition exists to showcase local talent on a global stage, offering international recognition and career-defining opportunities for the next generation of creative leaders.
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Author: JANET DE KRETSER from aHead PR on behalf of Ster-Kinekor Theatres.
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