Dubai Lynx, MENA’s leading platform for creative excellence and effectiveness, has revealed this year’s winners at the Awards Ceremony tonight.Saudi Arabia wins five Grands Prix, their highest ever received at Dubai Lynx, including four Grands Prix for ‘ProtectTasbih’, for Saudia, entered by Leo Burnett, Jeddah.‘Rumble’ for General Entertainment Authority entered by Accenture Song, Dubai, United Arab Emirates took home seven Lynx Awards, including Grands Prix in the Film and Film Craft Lynx. Notable winners also include VML, Casablanca, which was awarded Morocco’s first ever Grand Prix, taking home the Grand Prix for Good.Simon Cook, CEO, LIONS & Dubai Lynx, said: “Congratulations to our 2024 winners for setting the creative benchmark in MENA for another year. Yesterday’s Festival was a fantastic day bringing MENA’s creative community together to network, learn and be inspired by the rich mix of speakers and champions for creativity in the region. I’d like to thank our Jurors for all their hard work and dedication in setting the benchmark for creative excellence across the region.”Ian Fairservice, Vice Chairman, Dubai Lynx, added, “This year’s winners really showcase the level of excellence coming from the region. A huge congratulations to all our winners, Special Award winners and Young Lynx Competition winners. The insights and trends from this year’s work will be explored in the Dubai Lynx Creativity Report, providing the official rankings for this year’s top performing Networks, Agencies and Companies from across the region, published on 20 March.”This year’s Grand Prix winners are:Brand Experience & ActivationFrom 166 entries received, 15 were awarded: 2 Gold, 5 Silver & 7 Bronze Lynx Awards and the Grand Prix that went to ‘ProtectTasbih’, for Saudia, by Leo Burnett, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia / Saatchi & Saatchi Middle East, Dubai, United Arab EmiratesCreative CommerceFrom 51 entries received, 5 were awarded: 1 Gold, 2 Silver & 1 Bronze Lynx Awards and the Grand Prix that went to ‘I See Coke’, for The Coca-Cola Company, by VML, Dubai, United Arab Emirates / VML, New York City, United States of AmericaCreative EffectivenessFrom 35 entries received, 5 were awarded: 1 Gold, 1 Silver & 2 Bronze Lynx Awards and the Grand Prix that went to ‘The Hidden Room’, for Home Box, by Leo Burnett, Dubai, United Arab EmiratesCreative StrategyFrom 59 entries received, 6 were awarded: 1 Gold, 2 Silver & 2 Bronze Lynx Awards and the Grand Prix that went to ‘Superstar Ravi’, for Adidas, by Havas Middle East / Red Havas Middle East, Dubai, United Arab EmiratesDesignFrom 69 entries received, 8 were awarded: 1 Gold, 2 Silver & 4 Bronze Lynx Awards and the Grand Prix that went to ‘ProtectTasbih’, for Saudia, by Leo Burnett, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia / Saatchi & Saatchi Middle East, Dubai, United Arab EmiratesDigitalFrom 84 entries received, 7 were awarded: 1 Gold, 2 Silver & 3 Bronze Lynx Awards and the Grand Prix that went to ‘I See Coke’, for The Coca-Cola Company, by VML, Dubai, United Arab Emirates / VML, New York City, United States of AmericaDirectFrom 130 entries received, 14 were awarded: 2 Gold, 4 Silver & 7 Bronze Lynx Awards and the Grand Prix that went to ‘ProtectTasbih’, for Saudia, by Leo Burnett, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia / Saatchi & Saatchi Middle East, Dubai, United Arab EmiratesEntertainmentFrom 87 entries received, 9 were awarded: 1 Gold, 3 Silver & 4 Bronze Lynx Awards and the Grand Prix that went to ‘Unauthorized Trip’, for Saudi Tourism Authority, by ? AND US, Dubai, United Arab EmiratesFilmFrom 139 entries received, 10 were awarded: 2 Gold, 3 Silver & 4 Bronze Lynx Awards and the Grand Prix that went to ‘Rumble’, for General Entertainment Authority, by Accenture Song, Dubai, United Arab Emirates / Droga5, Part of Accenture Song, New York City, United States of AmericaFilm CraftFrom 157 entries received, 14 were awarded: 2 Gold, 5 Silver & 6 Bronze Lynx Awards and the Grand Prix that went to ‘Rumble’, for General Entertainment Authority, by Accenture Song, Dubai, United Arab Emirates / Droga5, Part of Accenture Song, New York City, United States of AmericaGlass: The Award for ChangeFrom 11 entries received, 3 were awarded: 2 Gold and the Grand Prix that went to ‘The Female Field’, for Adidas, by Havas Middle East, Dubai, United Arab EmiratesGrand Prix for GoodThe Grand Prix for Good was awarded to ‘Out of Home’, for Jood, by VML / Wunderman Thompson, Casablanca, MoroccoHealthcareFrom 68 entries received, 6 were awarded: 1 Gold, 2 Silver & 2 Bronze Lynx Awards and the Grand Prix that went to ‘The Protective Rhymes’, for Anghami, by Leo Burnett, Dubai, United Arab EmiratesIndustry CraftFrom 87 entries received, 7 were awarded: 3 Silver & 3 Bronze Lynx Awards and the Grand Prix that went to ‘Maqroo - The First Arabic Dyslexic Font’, for Omantel, by Leo Burnett, Dubai, United Arab EmiratesIntegratedFrom 27 entries received, 3 were awarded: 1 Gold & 1 Bronze Lynx Awards and the Grand Prix that went to ‘Battle of the Baddest - Integrated’, for General Entertainment Authority, by Accenture Song, Dubai, United Arab Emirates / Droga5, Part of Accenture Song, New York City, United States of America / Droga5, Part of Accenture Song, Tokyo, JapanMediaFrom 127 entries received, 12 were awarded: 2 Gold, 4 Silver & 5 Bronze Lynx Awards and the Grand Prix that went to ‘Frequencies of Peace’, for Babyshop, by FP7 McCann, Dubai, United Arab EmiratesOutdoorFrom 116 entries received, 8 were awarded: 2 Gold, 2 Silver & 3 Bronze Lynx Awards and the Grand Prix that went to ‘The Lost Camel’, for Emirates Development Bank, by LivingRoom Communication, Dubai, United Arab EmiratesPRFrom 82 entries received, 7 were awarded: 1 Gold, 2 Silver & 3 Bronze Lynx Awards and the Grand Prix that went to ‘ProtectTasbih’, for Saudia, by Leo Burnett, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia / Saatchi & Saatchi Middle East, Dubai, United Arab EmiratesPrint & PublishingFrom 43 entries received, 4 were awarded: 1 Gold, 1 Silver & 1 Bronze Lynx Awards and the Grand Prix that went to ‘Plant Espresso’, ‘Planet Roast’, ‘Planet Ethiopia’, for Boon, by Grey, Dubai, United Arab EmiratesRadio & AudioFrom 50 entries received, 5 were awarded: 2 Gold, 1 Silver & 1 Bronze Lynx Awards and the Grand Prix that went to ‘I See Coke’, for The Coca-Cola Company, by VML, Dubai, United Arab Emirates / VML, New York City, United States of AmericaSocial & InfluencerFrom 88 entries received, 7 were awarded: 1 Gold, 1 Silver & 4 Bronze Lynx Awards and the Grand Prix that went to ‘Birthmark Stories’, for Hungerstation, by VML / Wunderman Thompson, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaDubai Lynx Special Awards were given as follows:Network of the Year1. Leo Burnett2. Saatchi & Saatchi3. BBDO WorldwideMedia Network of the Year1. Initiative2. Mediacom3. StarcomMENA Agency of the Year1. Leo Burnett, Dubai, United Arab Emirates2. Impact BBDO, Dubai, United Arab Emirates3. Saatchi & Saatchi, Dubai, United Arab EmiratesIndependent Agency of the Year1. Serviceplan Middle East, Dubai, United Arab Emirates2. ? AND US, Dubai, United Arab Emirates3. Bigtime Creative Shop, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaLynx Palm Award1. Good People Films, Egypt2. Prodigious, United Arab Emirates3. Dejavu, United Arab EmiratesYoung Lynx Integrated Competition winners are as follows:Gold‘Waste No Words’Ananya Talwar & Benjamin KirbyVML DubaiSilver‘Learn Greenwash-en-ese’Mahmoud Gahallah & Zainab YasseenM&C SaatchiBronze‘Free The Green’Daniela Romero Aguirre & Ayman ShehadeTBWA/RAADThe Dubai Lynx Creativity Report will be released on Wednesday 20 March, which shines a light on the best creativity across MENA, as selected by Dubai Lynx Juries. The Report will feature interviews with winners about how the work was created, exclusive insights from the Jury room, trends and themes that have emerged from the 2024 Awards, along with the annual rankings for this year’s top performing Networks, Agencies and Companies in the region. All results can be found at https://www.lovethework.com/work-awards/awards/dubai-lynx.Contacts:Camilla LambertPR DirectorDubai LynxCamillal@canneslions.comTash NaidooSenior PR ManagerDubai LynxTashn@canneslions.comKamille MarchantFestival DirectorDubai LynxKamillem@dubailynx.comPress Portal:Press.canneslions.comAwards enquiries:awards@dubailynx.com

Media.Monks, a leading creative agency, and Qiddiya, the new entertainment, sports, and culture brand in Saudi Arabia, are joining forces at this year's Dubai Lynx International Festival of Creativity.Media.Monks and Qiddiya will share the story behind Qiddiya's social media-first launch strategy, highlighting their innovative approach to defining and promoting the brand.Laila Al Omran, Senior Marketing Manager at Qiddiya, and Mitch Williams, Head of Social Media MEA at Media.Monks, will present their collaboration, discussing the strategy, challenges overcome, and achievements attained during the launch. Their insights will be valuable for brands and government entities looking to connect with audiences through social media.Media.Monks is further amplifying its presence at Dubai Lynx:Pierre Nelwan, Managing Director of Media.Monks' Netherlands office, will serve as the President of the Film Craft Jury.Tomas Almuna, Group Creative Director at Media.Monks, will participate as a member of the Entertainment Jury.Omar Abou-Ezzeddine, Managing Director of Media.Monks MEA, said: "We're thrilled to be part of Dubai Lynx again," said Omar Abou-Ezzeddine, "We're excited to share our collaborative work with Qiddiya and contribute our expertise as jury members."Pierre Nelwan, Managing Director at Media.Monks and Jury President of the Film Craft Jury, said: "I'm honored to be part of Dubai Lynx 2024 as Jury President and recognize the game-changers who push the boundaries of creativity in our industry."

Dubai Lynx, MENA’s leading platform for creative excellence and effectiveness, has announced the first wave of speakers confirmed to take to the stages this March. The Festival will see a curated programme of talent and experts from across the spectrum of creativity, on two stages of content, featuring Mastercard, ESL FACEIT GROUP, HungerStation, Kraft Heinz and the Saudi Ministry of Culture. Ian Fairservice, Vice-Chairman, Dubai Lynx, said: “This year’s Dubai Lynx will see content that addresses the challenges facing the industry in MENA today. The key themes will look at creative effectiveness, talent and culture, creative risks and AI and innovation, with each session built to provide delegates with future-facing views as well as actionable advice that they can take away. We’re delighted to bring together some of the top talent from the region and beyond, and we look forward to the abundance of learning, knowledge and inspiration that these creative minds will bring to the Festival.”This year’s Dubai Lynx will host some of the region’s most creative leaders to give delegates the tools they need to create more impactful work that drives business results. Highlights include deep dives into the mind of a CMO, featuring Mustapha Kassem, Senior Vice-President, Marketing & Communications, Middle East and North Africa, Mastercard. Kassem said: “Dubai Lynx has set the industry benchmark for creativity and innovation. It is an incredible opportunity to connect with passionate minds, share insights and exchange ideas that can push the boundaries of creativity. For more than 25 years, Mastercard has differentiated itself as a brand, through our ever-evolving Priceless platform which remains at the heart of everything we do. I am excited to join this prestigious event and join the conversation with the region’s marketing leaders as we explore and nurture the region’s dynamic creative landscape.” Elsewhere, Fabio Tambosi, Senior Vice-President, Global Marketing, ESL FACEIT GROUP, will share the most challenging issues some of the top brand leaders in the MENA region are facing right now. Tambosi added: “I believe in the power of brands to open people’s perception of the world and I use marketing as a catalyst and platform to change the way fans emotionally connect with brands. This is exactly what we co-create with the gaming community every single day at ESL FACEIT GROUP, and something for which Dubai Lynx has long provided a platform, consistently unleashing limitless creativity for the marketing community. I’m excited to take to the stage to talk about how esports is rising as the new global sport, and changing people’s relationships with premium sport entertainment to a point where marketers can no longer afford to ignore or fear.”Industry legend Josy Paul, Chairman and Chief Creative Officer at BBDO India, Gabriel Schmitt, Global Chief Creative Officer at Grey, and Marie-Claire Maalouf, Chief Creative Officer at Edelman, will discuss why proving the effectiveness of your creative work is important for both creatives and marketers. Donya Abdulhadi, Director of Marketing and Communications, Saudi Ministry of Culture, and Mohammed Jefri, Chief Marketing Officer, HungerStation, will take to the stage to look at best practices for working with Saudi brands and agencies and how to engage consumers. Dubai Lynx will also focus on how AI is allowing brands and agencies to make more creative work, featuring speakers Rebecca Bezzina, CEO EMEA, R/GA, and Nick Pringle, Chief Creative Officer EMEA, R/GA. Philip Thomas, Chairman, Dubai Lynx, commented: "This year’s programme features an exceptional line-up of regional and international talent. We’re looking forward to taking a deep dive into the region’s trends and challenges with these experts and leaving with tangible learnings that can be applied day to day to drive growth and progress.” The full content programme will be announced on Monday 29 January, with Festival Registration, including Press Accreditation and the Awards Ceremony & Dinner, opening on Thursday 18 January. Further information on the Festival programme can be found at www.dubailynx.com.

The prestigious Dubai Lynx, MENA's foremost platform for creative excellence and effectiveness, has revealed its jury president lineup for the 2024 edition. Comprising 11 industry experts from nine distinct markets, carefully selected by Lynx, this lineup promises a rich diversity of perspectives and experiences to enrich the judging process.The focus on acknowledging and rewarding creative excellence in the MENA region underscores the significance of recognizing unique ideas that shape the local landscape. Philip Thomas, Chairman of LIONS and Dubai Lynx, expressed gratitude for the talented panel of experts, recognizing their individual perspectives, expertise, and experience that will contribute to the crucial judging task.Ian Fairservice, Vice Chairman of Dubai Lynx, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the excitement of having a diverse array of voices and perspectives in the jury rooms. This celebration of creative leaders and their contributions to the MENA region's creative landscape reflects a commitment to fostering and showcasing innovative ideas.The Dubai Lynx 2024 Jury Presidents include:  Brand Experience & Activation and Creative Commerce: Rafael Rizuto, Chief Creative Officer, Dentsu Creative, US and Hispanic LATAM  Creative Effectiveness and Creative Strategy: Bertille Toledano, President, BETC Paris, France  Design and Industry Craft: Rajdeepak Das, CEO and Chief Creative Officer of Leo Burnett and Chairman, Creative Council, Publicis Groupe, South Asia  Digital and Social & Influencer: Anna Qvennerstedt, Global Chief Creative Officer, Forsman & Bodenfors, Global  Direct and Outdoor: Nkgabiseng Motau, Co-Founder / Chief Creative Officer, Think Creative Africa, Africa  Entertainment: Ana Balarin, Chief Creative Officer, Wieden+Kennedy, UK  Film Craft: Pierre Nelwan, Managing Director, Media.Monks, the Netherlands  Film, Print & Publishing, Radio & Audio, Integrated, Glass: The Award for Change and Grand Prix for Good: Gabriel Schmitt, Global Chief Creative Officer, Grey, Global  Healthcare: Rohini Miglani, Vice President, Procter & Gamble International Operational SA SG, Asia/India/MEA  Media: Enyi Nwosu, Chief Strategy Officer, UM London, UK  PR: Anthony Chelvanathan, Chief Creative Officer, Edelman, CanadaThe festival is scheduled for Tuesday, 5 March 2024, followed by the Awards Ceremony & Dinner on Wednesday, 6 March 2024, at the Emirates Golf Club. The deadline for submitting entries to Dubai Lynx is 25 January 2024, with festival registration opening on 18 January 2024.

Dubai Lynx, MENA’s Festival and Awards for creative excellence in branded communications, has tonight revealed this year’s winners at the live Awards Ceremony. Among the winners were some notable firsts, including Saudi Arabia's first Grand Prix within Mobile, alongside their first Gold in Radio & Audio. The United Arab Emirates received a Silver Lynx within Glass: The Award For Change for the first time. Jordan was awarded within Creative Effectiveness for the first time, taking home a Bronze Lynx.Ian Fairservice, Vice Chairman, Dubai Lynx, said, “After a successful return to a physical event yesterday, I’d like to congratulate our 2023 Dubai Lynx Award winners, for setting the creative benchmark in MENA for a 16th year. It has been fantastic to bring MENA’s creative community together to network, learn and be inspired by the rich mix of speakers and champions for creativity in the region. A huge thank you to all our Jurors for their hard work and expertise in selecting this body of work.”Simon Cook, CEO, LIONS, added, “We can see lots of exciting shifts taking place in the Middle East and North Africa and this year’s winners really showcase the level of excellence coming from the region and the new trends emerging from a ‘post pandemic’ body of work. The deep insights from this year’s work will be explored in the Dubai Lynx Creativity Report, providing the official rankings for this year’s top performing Networks, Agencies and Companies from across the region.”This year’s Grand Prix winners are:Brand Experience and ActivationFrom 177 entries received, 16 were awarded: 2 Gold, 5 Silver, 8 Bronze Lynx Awards and the Grand Prix that went to ‘The Unstainable Thobe’, Heinz, Wunderman Thompson, Dubai, United Arab EmiratesCreative CommerceFrom 44 entries received, 4 were awarded: 2 Silver, 1 Bronze Lynx Awards and the Grand Prix that went to ‘The Hidden Room’, Home Box, Leo Burnett, Dubai, United Arab EmiratesCreative EffectivenessFrom 19 entries received, 4 were awarded: 1 Gold, 1 Silver, 1 Bronze Lynx Awards and the Grand Prix that went to ‘The Elections Edition’, An Nahar Newspaper, Impact BBDO, Dubai, United Arab EmiratesCreative Strategy

Dubai Lynx, MENA’s Festival and Awards, has announced Khaled AlShehhi as Advertising Person of the Year, Outstanding Contribution. It is considered to be one of the most important awards that celebrates efforts and contribution of individuals to MENA’s advertising.Khaled AlShehhi is one of the leading leaders, known to make amendments in the way the UAE Government communicates, producing content that has witnessed huge impact locally, regionally, and globally. He is a renowned motivational speaker around the world as well.Khaled has gained leadership roles at the Global CMO Growth Council led by Cannes Lions and the ANA, Brand Advisory Board (BAB) for The World Media Group, New York Festival AME Advisory Council, Executive Board Member in The Public Relations & Communications Association and Strategy Board Member in the Middle East Public Relations Association (MEPRA). He has also won the World Media Award (WMA) for Content Leadership & Innovation for 2022 and the Honorary Award of the 2022 Effie MENA, and got featured in the Arabian Business’ 2021 Power List of individuals.After receiving this prestigious award, Khaled AlShehhi, executive director of marketing and communication at UAE Government Media Office, said: “Looking at the impressive pedigree of previous recipients, joining the exclusive club of Advertising Person of the Year at Dubai Lynx is an immense and amazing honour. In the marketing roles I have held in the last few years, I have been driven by the desire to innovate and achieve the best results possible for our humanitarian or nation-building campaigns. All I wanted was to serve my country to the best of my abilities and being awarded this title for me is the validation that I have met this ambition. This is the recognition of a lot of hard work by my team and the industry partners who inspire and support us, bound as we are by the same mission and dream. I not only thank them all but also dedicate this trophy to them as well. Advertising is the fruit of collaboration.”