Summary
On 26 June 2026, Team Ireland claimed gold in the Print category at the Cannes Young Lions competition when TBWA\Ireland creatives Hannah Murphy and Kate Dempsey took first place. The brief, supplied by the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation, asked teams to reconceive how people recognise danger around water — an urgent public safety theme delivered with commercial-grade creativity. The result is a welcome moment for Irish creative industry talent and for the organisations that have backed them. Source: AdWorld. (See the original report on AdWorld).https://www.adworld.ie/2026/06/26/tbwaireland-print-duo-strike-gold-at-cannes-young-lions/
The win and the brief
The Young Lions festival sits inside the larger Cannes Lions ecosystem and has become a bellwether for emerging creative talent. This year’s Print challenge focused on water safety, pushing teams to produce a single, arresting print piece that reframes how danger is recognised at the waterline. TBWA\Ireland’s Murphy and Dempsey answered that brief decisively, earning international recognition for a discipline many wrote off as “dead” in the digital age. See Cannes Lions for background on the competition.https://www.canneslions.com/
Reaction from home
Industry groups and sponsors were quick to praise the pair. Siobhán Masterson, CEO of the Institute of Advertising Practitioners in Ireland, highlighted the role of IAPI’s Young Lions programme in developing talent, saying the initiative “plays a pivotal role” in helping young professionals find their feet. Smurfit Westrock, which sponsors the Irish Cannes Young Lions selection, also congratulated the winners and underlined its belief in design and innovation as drivers of commercial success. The full coverage and quotes are available on AdWorld.https://www.adworld.ie/2026/06/26/tbwaireland-print-duo-strike-gold-at-cannes-young-lions/
Why this matters to Irish business
1. Talent pipeline has commercial value – The win is not merely a trophy for an agency. It is a signal to brands and investors that Irish creative education and agency training produce work competitive on a global stage. For businesses that sell services internationally, creative excellence is exportable intellectual property. Supporting young creatives is an investment in a sector with clear commercial upside.
2. Print still packs a punch – That a Print entry triumphed should be a wake-up call for marketers who prematurely declared print obsolete. Strong, single-image communications remain highly effective for certain behavioural briefs — in this case, shifting perceptions about risk at water’s edge.
3. Sponsorship and industry leadership matter – The success underlines the pragmatic value of corporate sponsorships and industry bodies. When organisations such as IAPI and corporate sponsors back talent development, the returns are tangible. This model — industry-led investment rather than state subsidy alone — is one that Irish business should both recognise and replicate.
A pragmatic note for policymakers and brands
Irish creative success on the global stage is welcome, but it is fragile. Training, mentorship, and opportunities to work on briefs that matter are costly. The market should step up: brands can convert marketing budgets into developmental pipelines by commissioning pro bono briefs, internships, and placements. Government can play a targeted role by matching industry-led programmes rather than attempting top-down interventions that risk being divorced from commercial realities.
What agencies and clients should do next
– Recruit the winners and give them client-facing responsibility quickly – exposure to real commercial briefs accelerates development.
– Treat festival success as a business opportunity – convert PR into new business pitches, international partnerships, and case studies that sell.
– Commission safety and public-interest briefs from time to time – competing on meaningful briefs not only does social good but sharpens strategic thinking.
Conclusion
Hannah Murphy and Kate Dempsey’s victory on 26 June 2026 is a useful, concrete reminder that Irish creativity can win on the world stage when industry and sponsors invest intelligently. The challenge now is to translate festival glory into sustainable careers, stronger agencies, and measurable commercial returns for Irish business. For more detail and the original coverage, see AdWorld.https://www.adworld.ie/2026/06/26/tbwaireland-print-duo-strike-gold-at-cannes-young-lions/ and the Institute of Advertising Practitioners in Ireland.https://iapi.ie/
