Bold Idea Shines in First-Ever Young Lions PR Category

For the first-ever PR category – sponsored by Edelman – at the Canadian Young Lions Competition, Patricia Vuckovic and Sara Zivkovic of Rethink PR came with a bold idea, a well-balanced approach, and the backing of a supportive team. In this interview, they break down what led to their success, how they tackled the brief, and the lessons they’re taking with them into future creative challenges. 

Give us a quick intro – who you are, where you work, and what you do. 

PV: Hi! My name is Patricia Vuckovic, and I’m a PR Manager at Rethink PR.  

SZ: Hello! My name is Sara Zivkovic, and I’m a PR Coordinator at Rethink PR.  

This was the first year for the PR Category at Young Lions. How did you hear about the competition, and what led you to enter?  

PV: Even before PR was officially announced as a category this year, there was already chatter at Rethink about who might enter in their respective categories, so the competition was definitely on our radar. When we found out PR was going to be included, it was a no-brainer. We’re lucky to be surrounded by a few past winners at Rethink, and the agency puts a big emphasis on supporting young talent, so we felt super backed from the start.  

SZ: The energy around Young Lions is always super high at Rethink, and once the PR category was announced, we knew we had to enter. All the Rethinkers who had competed before would rave about their experiences and how much it had taught them and pushed their creativity, so when the chance to enter came up, I was ready! Having a partner like Patricia and a supportive team made it feel less intimidating and like a one-of-a-kind experience, regardless of the outcome.  

What was your approach going into the competition? What inspired your entry?  

PV: As much as we tried to strategize going in, we knew this was going to be unlike anything we’d experienced before, so we kept an open mind! We did chat with a few colleagues who had competed in the past and got some great advice, like never going with your first idea (which we didn’t!). At the end of the day, we knew whatever we did had to be bold, stand out from anything the chosen foundation had done before, and most importantly – be fun.  

SZ: We went in knowing we’d have to find a balance between speed and clarity. With just 24 hours, you can’t really overthink – but you also can’t settle. We explored a few different ideas before landing on one that felt risky, but in the best way. What inspired our ideas was the challenge itself; we really had to stretch our thinking, trust each other and find an insight that felt both urgent and unexpected.  

Reflecting on the experience, what’s one piece of advice you’d give yourselves before entering the competition? 

PV: Drink less coffee, and trust your gut. When we thought about our submitted idea, we knew deep down it was the one, so as soon as we leaned into what felt bold and true to our voice, everything clicked. So back yourselves early, and don’t be afraid to go all in on the unexpected.  

SZ: Don’t aim for perfect, aim for impact. There’s not really time to fine-tune every detail, so focus on the core of your idea and make sure it’s eye-catching but clear enough to speak for itself. Also, remember that the pressure and stress are part of the fun – once we stopped trying to predict what the judges might want to see (spoiler alert: you can’t!), and just owned our perspective, things just clicked, and we felt so confident in our work. 

The Globe and Mail’s 2025 Cannes Young Lions Qualifying Competitions saw a record-breaking 784 individuals compete – an increase of 5% from last year – across seven categories: Marketers, Media, PR, Design, Print, Film and Digital.  Notably, this year’s shortlist features participants from coast to coast, marking one of the most regionally diverse cohorts the competition has seen to date. Both the Design and PR categories are new to Canada this year, with PR proudly sponsored by Edelman Canada. 

Each year, the Competition jury chairs select a non-profit charity as the subject of the competition briefs. This year’s selected charity was Baycrest Foundation, and the primary goal was to drive awareness and support for Baycrest’s groundbreaking work in aging and brain health, with a focus on encouraging key lifestyle changes that can help prevent cognitive decline 

Check out Patricia and Sara’s 2025 winning work here.