Art Directors Jordan Bloom and Ben Nusca won Gold in the Print Category in the 2024 Canadian Young Lions Competitions and competed globally in France. We asked them to break down their experience at the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity.
Give us a quick intro – who you are, where you work, and what you do.
JB: My name is Jordan Bloom. I’m a Junior Art Director living in Toronto. I work at the creative agency, john st. on some incredible clients, including Home Hardware, Canada Post, the Canadian Stuttering Association (CSA) and Fit4Less. Most recently, I worked on the internationally recognized “stutter.ca” campaign for the CSA, which involved creating 410,000 versions of the CSA’s website URL, one for every Canadian who stutters.
BN: Hello hello, my name is Ben Nusca and I’m an Art Director. I worked at john st. during the competition dates but I’ve recently jumped over to Anomaly.
What would you say to someone who was on the fence about competing in Young Lions 2024?
JB: For creatives working in advertising especially, the Young Lions Competitions truly capture the best parts of our job and pack it into one fun (and maybe a little exhausting) day of work. Being given a single day to ideate and execute against a creative brief really encourages you to just go with ideas and explore them with as little judgment as possible. Entering the brief (and even after submitting), I had the attitude that it was just a fun day of exploring and creating.
To those who are on the fence, I would say it’s an incredible way to practice rapid-fire ideation and, for those who are starting out, to refine your critical thinking skills when it comes to approaching a brief. Above all else, I would say try it. You never know if an idea will stick unless you put it out there. And that idea may just land you with a trip to Cannes, France!
BN: I don’t see a reason not to compete in Young Lions – I know some people that simply didn’t want to give up a Saturday to “work”, but I’ve worked many Saturdays that didn’t result in an all-expenses-paid trip to France. The competition, like NAC (National Advertising Challenge), is a great way to hunker down and think of something outside the box. Not every brief gives you that freedom. It’s also a refreshing reminder of what it feels like to ideate and execute something without creative director opinions or interference (unless you’re one of those all-agency-on-deck competitors).
Tell us about the global competitions, how did the experience compare to the Canadian qualifiers?
JB: The global competition differed from the Canadian qualifiers in one measurable way: the energy! For the Canadian qualifying brief, Ben and I worked at each of our homes on a day-long Teams call. Other than my pet bird chirping away, it was the two of us, our laptops, and a lot of ideating. When you get to Cannes and start working away at a new brief alongside Young Lions from around the world, you instantly feel an exhilarating energy. The creativity, excitement, and passion in the Young Lions workspace was unparalleled.
BN: The Canadian competition was a fun exercise. You and your partner get to waffle around and think of a fun idea to put up against your industry friends – but the global competition is fierce. You’re up against some of the best young advertisers in the world and that became very apparent when the winners were displayed. I can only imagine what it must feel like to take home some gold in Cannes.
What was your most rewarding moment when competing globally?
JB: My most rewarding moment was being able to meet creatives from around the world. Specifically, I remember meeting two amazing young lions from Prague. Spending time with them over the week, looking at case boards, attending talks, and working through our briefs, reminded me that creativity truly knows no limits nor is it confined to any language or by any border. We all come from all over the world with one goal: to admire creativity and to take part in it!
BN: As cheesy as it sounds, the most rewarding part of the global competition is being there in the first place. We got to meet some amazingly talented people from around the world who are all there for the same reason.
Other than the competitions, break down some of your most exciting experiences at the festival.
JB: I mean, it’s the Cannes Lions — all of it was exciting! Just walking around the concourse and being around the best of the industry was really eye-opening. Running into industry legends that I follow on LinkedIn was a little surreal. And going to some incredible parties (including the very last party of the week) felt like a once-in-a-lifetime moment.
BN: Being sent to Cannes on someone else’s dime was exciting enough on its own, but the week was fantastic. We were surrounded by the most talented advertisers in the world (or their bosses) for 5 days. The work and craftsmanship were unmatched and peeking behind the curtain to hear their stories was a privilege. The parties and networking events were a highlight. I met some great friends and still see them often. We went on yachts, went out for boujee dinners, and saw more rosé than I needed to.
How has your experience at Cannes Lions influenced your approach to work back in Canada?
JB: It’s been about 6 months since my experience at Cannes, and I can say I definitely approach work with a more open mind. Seeing all of the award-winning advertising at Cannes showed me that a good idea can come from anywhere, so it’s important to trust your instinct and leave no stone unturned!
BN: Competing in the global competition and being surrounded by award-winning work gave me a new outlook on what advertising can look like. It opened the aperture and raised the bar. Ultimately, the trip made me want to get back there for real work produced through an agency and get my mitts on a Lion. I’m incredibly grateful to the Globe for sending us and being such amazing hosts leading up to and during the trip.
Interested in the competition? Registration for the
2025 Canadian
Young Lions Competition is now open until Sunday, February 9,
2025, at 11:59 pm EST. Register and show the world what you’re made of.
