Spikes Asia Rebrands as LIONS Asia, Returns to September From 2027
Spikes Asia, the Asia-Pacific creative marketing festival run in partnership with Haymarket Asia for nearly 40 years, is evolving into LIONS Asia from 2027, LIONS announced this week. The move folds the region’s best-known creative awards into the global LIONS network alongside WARC, Effie and Contagious.
The change also resets the calendar. LIONS Asia returns to September, the festival’s original slot, after several recent years running in March. The company said the shift followed direct feedback from marketers, agencies and industry leaders across the region who wanted a clearer, more relevant moment in the calendar for Asia-Pacific’s creative community to convene.
The rebrand centres on two components. The LIONS Asia Festival of Creativity will bring together marketers, creative agencies, technology platforms, entertainment companies and business leaders for content, executive forums and networking, drawing on LIONS’ existing brands. Alongside it, the new Asia Lions Awards will recognise creative work and talent from across the region.
Simon Cook, CEO of LIONS, called Asia-Pacific "one of the most innovative, dynamic and influential regions in the world" and said its importance to the global creative marketing agenda "continues to grow."
Atifa Silk, Managing Director of Haymarket Asia, framed the rebrand as continuity rather than a break from Spikes Asia’s legacy, saying it "builds on everything that has made Spikes Asia special."
Melanie Speet, Director of LIONS Asia, said the platform was designed around what the industry told LIONS it actually wanted: not just inspiration, but "practical insights, meaningful connections and evidence of what drives growth." The comment points to a broader ambition beyond a single annual event — LIONS Asia is positioned to give the region year-round access to LIONS’ intelligence, benchmarks and global network, rather than a once-a-year touchpoint.
The first LIONS Asia Festival of Creativity and Asia Lions Awards will be held in Singapore in September 2027. LIONS has not yet detailed whether judging criteria, categories or entry mechanics will change from the Spikes Asia format; further programming and partnership details are expected to follow.
For Indian agencies, the practical near-term impact is a scheduling one: entries and travel planning built around a March festival will need to shift back to a September cycle from 2027.
Source: LIONS / Haymarket Asia, press release.
