Hope&Glory duo wins 2026 UK Young Lions Competition
The Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) has today announced the winners of the UK Young Lions Competition 2026, with Jenni David and Jack Ashton from Hope&Glory taking home Gold for their campaign ‘Lost for Words’. The duo will go on to represent the UK at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in June.
Responding to a brief set by Alzheimer’s Society, the UK’s leading dementia charity, Jenni and Jack triumphed over 53 teams with their campaign. Entrants were given 24 hours to develop a campaign designed to inspire action and raise awareness of dementia across the UK.
Silver was awarded to Jadine Rice and Charlie Castle from Burson for their campaign ‘Directions for Use’, while Bronze went to Charlotte Minett and Conor Pharo from 72Point for ‘Two Lions’.
Reflecting on their win, Jack Ashton said, "We’re incredibly chuffed to have been selected as part of the winning team of the PRCA Young Lions 2026. From the first day I stepped into the Hope&Glory offices, ‘ideas that earn attention’ has always been the benchmark. It's a career high to be able to put that benchmark into practice on the Young Lions stage, and there's no one I'd rather have done it with than Jenni."
Jenni David added: “Surviving the 24-hour competition with our friendship intact was a win in itself, but taking the overall top spot makes us beyond proud. Hope&Glory empowers us to be boldly curious and push creative boundaries, making it a huge honour to now represent the agency globally. Since our campaign focused on finding the right words, here’s to realising my 900-day French language streak with a green owl still won’t enable me to order a coffee in Cannes.”
Judge Sarah Firth, Strategy and Creative Director, Speed Communications and Chair of the PRCA Creative Group, said:
“The standard in the competition, as it is every year, was incredibly high. The entries gave us plenty to think about, talk about and dare I say it, shed a tear over. But once we wiped away the tears, we could see our winner in the team who brought to life a brilliant idea, with passion, perception and personality”
The brief challenged teams to create a campaign to amplify Alzheimer’s Society’s ‘It will take a society to beat dementia’ narrative - encouraging the public to donate, volunteer or campaign, while increasing awareness of the scale and impact of dementia across the UK.
