With just days to go for the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity 2025 expectations for the MENA region are riding high – especially given that agencies from the UAE and KSA picked up 22 Lions and a Grand Prix in 2024.
As a result of this success last year, the UAE climbed three spots to claim the eighth spot globally on the Lions Creativity Report 2024 – the Cannes Lions definitive rankings of countries – which has become the global benchmark for impactful creativity and creative effectiveness.
This year, Cannes Lions has also announced several updates in awards criteria for its 72nd edition. Among the most significant changes this year is an increased emphasis on representation and inclusivity, with new measures aimed at broadening access and updating award categories to better reflect the evolving creative industry.
A new sub-category dedicated to long-term brand platforms has been introduced across several Lions. The addition aims to spotlight campaigns that demonstrate long-term effectiveness, foster brand loyalty, and deliver measurable business outcomes through ongoing creative efforts. Additionally, the Social & Influencer Lions have been renamed Social & Creator Lions, reflecting the increasing prominence of the creator economy.
For 2025, Campaign Middle East has compiled a list of some campaigns that industry leaders have hailed as top contenders from the region. The list below comprises:
- Name of the campaigns,
- Name of the clients,
- Agency that made the submission,
- Links to the campaign hero videos or creatives
THE SECOND RELEASE
Client: Billboard Arabia, Riyadh
Agency: SRMG Labs, Riyadh
THE DARK CIRCLE SALE
Client: Home Centre
Agency: LEO Lebanon
THE DESERT’S GRAND STAGE
Client: Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi)
Agency: Serviceplan Group Middle East
BLIND FAITH
Client: Bank Al Etihad
Agency: VML Amman
THE LEAVE OF ABSENCE
Client: ItsHerWay
Agency: Saatchi and Saatchi Middle East
BEYOND TOURISM
Client: Qatar Tourism
Agency: Mindshare
THE ART OF STAINS
Client: OMO
Agency: Mullenlowe MENA
VOD-IA – (THE GAME CHANGER)
Tarek Nour Group
Agency: Tarek Nour Communications
SPEAK MY LANGUAGE
Client: stc (Saudi Telecom Company)
Agency: VML
DON’T LOOK DOWN
Client: Fixby
Agency: MullenLowe MENA
YOUR ADDRESS IN THE SAND
Client: Careem
In-house agency: Careem
AMATEUR ANTI-DOPING TEST
Client: Testicular Cancer Society
Agency: FP7 McCann MENAT
BRIBE BUCKET
Client: KFC
Agency: TBWA\RAAD
THE MID-LIFE CHECK
Client: Harley Davidson x Testicular Cancer Society
Agency: FP7 McCann MENAT
NEURAL MURALS
Client: Saadiyat Cultural District / Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi)
Agency: Serviceplan Group Middle East
LUMPDOLLS
Client: Carrefour
Agency: Saatchi and Saatchi ME
RUN YOUR WAY
Client: New Balance
Agency: UM UAE
TEST MY DACIA
Client: Dacia
Agency: VML Casablanca
SEE WHAT THEY SEE
Client: Babyshop
Agency: Publicis Middle East
URVENTURES
Client: Arabian Automobiles Company
Agency: TBWA\RAAD
INKVISIBLE
Client: UN WOMEN
Agency: Impact BBDO
HOUSE OF AI
Client: MediaMarkt
Agency: UM Turkey
JOURNEY INTO HERSTORY
Client: Al-Futtaim Toyota
Agency: Memac Ogilvy
SELFLESS SHELVES
Client: Arla Foods
Agency: FP7 McCANN
THE SIGN ON TOUR
Client: Louvre Abu Dhabi / Abu Dhabi Tourism
In-house execution: Louvre Abu Dhabi
EQUAL PLAY
Client: adidas
Agencies: FP7 McCann, Jack Morton
SAFE AT 3AM
Client: Dubai Tourism
Agency: VML Dubai
I SEE BALLS & SPONSORED BALLS
Client: Testicular Cancer Society
Agency: FP7 McCann MENAT
ORIGINAL FAKE GAMES
Client: KFC
Agency: TBWA\RAAD
NOT FOR FIRST DATES
Client: McDonald’s
Agency: FP7 McCann MENAT
RUBY BLOOMS
Client: Nana
Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi UAE
Sieh dir diesen Beitrag auf Instagram an
THE SOCIAL FEED
Client: HungerStation
Agency: VML Dubai
CASH WALLAH VISA
Client: Visa
Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi UAE
UNLICENSED PROTEST
Client: Transparency International Lebanon
Agency: TBWA\RAAD
POST POST CREDITS
Client: Kraft-Heinz
Agency: FP7 McCann MENAT
THE GREAT INDIAN DUNK
Client: NBA
Agency:LEO UAE
UNCENSORED PRESS: BREACHING THE ALGORITHM
Client: Al Joumhouria
Agency: TBWA\Raad
THE SUPER SUB
Client: Kudu
Agency: VML Riyadh
STRANGERS
Client: King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre
Agency: Publicis Middle East
(NOT) FROZEN PIZZA
Client: Pizza Hut
Agency: Publicis Middle East
THERE WE ARE
Client: Home Centre
Agency: Publicis Middle East
FOR THE LOVE OF KUDU
Client: Kudu
Agency: VML Riyadh
