Hannah Hargreaves, a final year BA (Hons) Creative Advertising student has won a prestigious Cannes Future Lion Award for her LEGO Digital Assistance concept.
The AKQA’s Future Lions Competition is a global student competition that challenges young creatives to produce innovative ideas that will impact the future. This year more than 2,100 students from 69 counties took part, responding to a brief set by LEGO to combine existing technology, imagination and LEGO’s brand message to come up with an idea for creative play.
After being shortlisted, along with five other teams from Leeds Arts University, Hannah was announced as one of four winners. She was given full virtual access to the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity and the opportunity to pitch her idea to Julia Goldin, Chief Product & Marketing Officer at the LEGO Group, live on a virtual stage at the AKQA’s Future Lions seminar.
Hannah’s concept, LEGO Digital Assistance, is an adaptive computer-aided design software that allows children with limited fine motor skills to explore their creativity. Using eye tracker technology, the programme enables children to build their own world with Lego, without the use of fine motor skills and hand strength.
Hannah said: “As soon as I read the brief, I knew I wanted to create something that could really enrich the lives of children. I put so much heart into this project and feel incredibly humbled by the entire process; from initial concept development, all the way to winning the Future Lions and being able to present during the seminar! I'm truly grateful for everybody who believed in Digital Assistance as much as I did - it is an honour to receive such a prestigious award!”
Nick Young, Senior Lecturer, BA (Hons) Creative Advertising said: “What Hannah achieved at Cannes Future Lions is fantastic. She is the only student who worked by herself and submitted two fantastic concepts. Her pitch was sensational and a great way for her to finish her university experience. I couldn’t be more proud.”
