It all began with our win in the Polish edition of Young Creatives in the PR category. That victory earned us the opportunity to represent our country as #TeamPoland at the international finals during the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. The global competition leaves no room for error: you have just 24 hours to develop a PR strategy, and then you stand before an international jury to defend your idea. When we walked into the briefing room and discovered that the brief had been set by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) – with UN officials and an astronaut presenting the challenge – we knew the bar had quite literally been raised to the stars.
At first glance, the challenge seemed completely detached from everyday reality. Our task was to demonstrate that space is not some distant, Hollywood-style abstraction straight out of Armageddon movie, but an invisible infrastructure that quietly sustains modern life. Competing against 33 of the world’s best young PR teams, we quickly realized that success would not come from explaining the technology itself, but from helping people understand everything they would lose without it.
A Briefing with an Orbital Perspective
Standing face to face with representatives from UNOOSA and hearing firsthand about the challenges of governing outer space from global experts – and an astronaut – was an unforgettable experience. The issue is becoming increasingly urgent. Activity in orbit is growing at an unprecedented pace. By 2030, the number of satellites in space is expected to rise from around 15,000 today to as many as 100,000.
Yet most people have no idea that without a safe, well-regulated space environment, everyday life – from cashless payments and GPS navigation to weather forecasting and staying connected with loved ones – would simply grind to a halt. Our challenge was both complex and fascinating: how do you translate an invisible, highly technical infrastructure into a cultural narrative that resonates with a global audience?
Creativity Within the Boundaries of Trust
The creative process in a PR competition at this level is a constant balancing act. On one hand, you’re competing for the jury’s attention and trying to develop an idea that stands out among more than thirty exceptionally talented teams from around the world. On the other, you’re creating a campaign for an institution that embodies diplomacy, credibility, and public trust.
In communications, it’s easy to resort to sensationalism, controversy, or exaggerated sci-fi aesthetics. But the framework here was clear: the United Nations cannot behave like a commercial brand or rely on dystopian fear to capture attention. Our task was to uncover an authentic human insight rooted in everyday life. That’s how our competition concept was born – built around the idea of everything society would MISS if peaceful governance of outer space were no longer possible. The concept deliberately played on the multiple meaning of the word miss: the things we would no longer have, and the things we would deeply long for. We wanted to show that protecting order above our heads is not a concern for some distant future – it’s essential to preserving the everyday conveniences we currently take for granted.
Ambition, Not Pressure
Our journey to the global Young Lions Competitions in Cannes would not have been possible without the environment we work in every day. Competing at the highest level of the communications industry is inevitably demanding, but what makes the real difference is an organizational culture that replaces pressure for immediate results with the freedom to pursue genuine ambition. Having the opportunity to test ourselves on the international stage, being supported by our colleagues, and knowing that our agency truly believes in the potential of young professionals gave us the confidence to aim higher.
We returned from Cannes not only inspired, but convinced that Polish PR is operating at the very highest international level – both strategically and creatively. Having learned how to translate complex, global challenges into stories people immediately understand, we’re ready for whatever comes next, whether it’s firmly grounded on Earth or requires a truly cosmic perspective.
