Emerging talent, make yourself a Cannes Lions judge

A team of UAE-based young creatives has created The Loudest Roar, an interactive Cannes Lions open-to-all platform that allows emerging talents worldwide to step into a Cannes Lions jury member role and predict which campaigns will roar the loudest this year.

Participants compete for leaderboard positions and exciting prizes, including cash rewards of up to $500 in Amazon gift cards and a portfolio revamp by Pimp My Portfolio. As a memento of their participation, each player will receive a personalised juror badge, to amp up their roaring (bragging) rights and be featured on the platform’ social channels. The Loudest Roar is also hoping to partner with more industry veterans and initiatives that champion young talent and can offer additional rewards such as scholarships, mentorship, recognition and educational programs.

The Loudest Roar was founded by Chirag Khushalani, Tobbi Vu, Teena Mathew, and Jack Rogers. The fantasy league aims to become the fantasy league for awards festivals, fostering a vibrant global community of creatives. Along the way it is inspiring, educating and rewarding the next generation of industry talent.

“If the world can have a say on who can win the Superbowl or Premier League, why can’t they cast an iron on the Cannes Lions too? The Loudest Roar was born from my love for creativity and desire to geek out with other ad nerds. It’s a space where everyone has a say on what’s great, and can feel inspired to create more great work,” explained The Loudest Roar’s ideator, Chirag Khushalani.

The platform breaks free from age-based initiatives, catering to emerging talents that are united by their passion for creativity, and desire to grow by learning and sharing. It is also the first real-time platform where participants learn from Cannes Lions jury members. Industry experts like Rob Schwartz, former Titanium jury president; Tracey Follows, former Innovation Lion juror; Akhilesh Bagri, former Brand experience and activation juror; and other global veterans will share invaluable tips on judging and creating impactful work. Social channels will continue the conversation by becoming a space to discuss predictions and share insights about the creative process and inspiration behind the winning campaigns.

After the awards festival, The Loudest Roar will invite this year’s jury members to share revelations about the official Grand Prix selections. During these sessions, the gamified platform will also reveal what the emerging talents’ chose as their winners and foster discussions on differences in perspectives. For future dialogue, clients and non-industry individuals will be invited to talk about the work they value the most.

The Loudest Roar will also introduce private leagues for agencies and universities to gather insights on how their employees and students think and how they can improve their entries to be more successful in the awards circuit. The platform will add interactive elements such as a simulated Cannes Lions virtual jury room for young talents to collaboratively pick their Grand Prix winners. Ultimately, The Loudest Roar aims to be a year-round community that inspires, educates and provides networking opportunities.

Sign-up for the mailing list on www.TheLoudestRoar.io and be notified when voting goes live.

**The Loudest Roar is not affiliated with Cannes Lions or the team’s employed agencies. It is a personal project driven by a deep admiration and respect for the festival. Its primary goal is to benefit young talents by providing them with a unique opportunity to engage with Cannes Lions and enhance their understanding of what makes excellent work truly outstanding.

The Loudest Roar founders:

Chirag Khushalani, Ideator, The Loudest Roar

Chirag, an account manager turned strategist, thrives on blending process with chaos. His entrepreneurial drive emerged from leading a 75-person student agency at the University of Illinois to found two COVID stigma-fighting initiatives. www.MyTrustedCircle.org empowered patients in the United States to anonymously notify others about their exposure and inspired a research paper published by George Washington University. CareBox UAE, the region’s first mindful gifting service for COVID patients, uplifted 200 people in quarantine. As a creative strategist at AKQA MENA, Chirag has won competitions like BBH’s Beautiful Minds, and Dubai Lynx’s Young Lynx academy. Recognised as a Creative Face To Watch by Campaign ME, he has mentored students in ANA MADE, shared learnings on Sweatheads and Breaking and Entering podcasts, and co-founded Aliens In Advertising, a community that advocates for international students.

Tobbi Vu, UI designer, The Loudest Roar

Tobbi Vu is a jack-of-all-trades multimedia designer. She has extensive knowledge and practice in UX/UI design, motion, and graphic design, with a knack for enhancing experiences across various digital platforms. She has successfully launched numerous products with outstanding results for a roster of clients across EMEA like Zero Petroleum, Aramco Ventures, and V3 Gourmet. Tobbi has also illustrated children’s books and animated short films and is an avid painter and creative mentor. You may have heard her good advice on succeeding in design fields and the ups and downs of agency life on several creative career podcasts.

Teena Mathew, Art Director, The Loudest Roar

Teena’s artistic journey started at the age of 3 with a love for dance. With a background in interior design, she brings a fresh perspective to graphic design, blending aesthetics and spatial awareness. She was chosen as one of the top 20 participants in the region for Dubai Lynx’s Young Lynx academy. She has also been honoured as a Future 50 emerging creative by The Drum and earned her first metals at AdForum’s PHNX awards recently. Her campaign, Journeys of Mindfulness, tapped into the calming power of Islamic art, helping drivers find peace and focus during the rush hour of Ramadan.

Jack Rogers, Copywriter, The Loudest Roar

Jack is a senior copywriter who has been based out of Dubai for the past nine years, most of which have been spent ideating ad campaigns for some of the region’s best-loved brands. From automotive to real estate, renewable energy, fast food and FMCG… Jack has been there, seen it, and spent many late nights in the office writing it. His passion for gaming and esports has made him a must-have on any gaming campaign, creating the kind of work that contributed to him being recognised as the 9th best copywriter in the MENA region in the Loeries Official Rankings 2022.