Rules and Eligibility

This guide is a helpful summary of key information. It's not a substitute for reading the full entry rules, terms and conditions, which can be found here.

1. The entry has launched/aired/run within the relevant eligibility dates for the Lynx Award it is entered into.
2. The entry has been created within the context of a normal paying contract and genuine brief from a brand OR if it's a case of self-promotion or a non-profit organisation, the brand has approved all of the media/production/implementation.
3. You have permission to enter this work from the commissioning brand/brand-owning company (we will request proof of this permission directly from the brand or brand-owning company.
4. You have included the commissioning brand contact details in the entry including name, position and full contact details.
5. The entry has been submitted exactly as published/aired/released and has not been modified for entry into Dubai Lynx.
6. The entry is not speculative or conceptual advertising, and has not been banned or withdrawn from the market.
7. A duly authorised senior officer (CD, CEO or Chairperson) from your company has given permission for this work to be entered.
8. The entry was not entered into the same Lynx Award last year. You may be able to enter the work into an alternative Lynx, provided it meets the relevant entry requirements, including the eligibility period requirements.
9. There is no reference to your company or any contributing creative companies in any digital or physical materials, except in the case of self-promotion.
10. The entry, and/or digital or physical materials can be understood in English. For further information please click here.
11. You understand that, if you withdraw your entry after 11 December 2025, you will not receive a refund or credit.
    Please see Part A of the Rules for more information on cancellations, refunds and withdrawals.
12. If new results are collected after the entry has been paid for, we will only accept additional written information in the results section of the entry form on or before 5 February 2026.
13. All media included in your entry must be the final version at the point that you complete and pay for them. No replacement or additional media can be accepted after an entry has been finalised and received by the festival without exception.
14. By submitting an entry you confirm that you own all applicable legal rights for all media included in your entry.
15. By submitting an entry you agree to pay the relevant entry fee. 
16. Entries will be accepted on the basis that:

• They are designed specifically for and to run in the MENA* region and are created or produced by companies in the MENA* region
• They are designed specifically for and to run in the MENA* region and are created or produced by companies outside the MENA* region
• They are designed to run globally as long as they are created or produced by companies in the MENA* region.

For the purpose of Dubai Lynx, the MENA region is classed as: Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Chad, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Iraq, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Tunisia, UAE, Westbank & Gaza, Western Sahara, Yemen.

If you're unable to meet all the requirements on this list, your entry may be ineligible for Dubai Lynx 2026. Failure to meet all these requirements could see your entry being disqualified or withdrawn without a refund.

Is your work eligible for Dubai Lynx 2025?

To ensure that work judged at Dubai Lynx is fresh and reflective of the work that drives the industry forward, it's important that we structure the competition with eligibility dates. Where your work should be entered is dependent on when and how the work was implemented and the Lynx that is being entered. Please see further down this page for full details for each Lynx and for each year.

If you're unsure if your work is eligible for Dubai Lynx 2026, please get in touch. We strongly recommend checking eligibility before you start to create your entry submissions.

The eligibility period for Dubai Lynx is 1 January 2025 - 22 January 2026

For the following Awards the eligibility dates are 1 January 2025 to 22 January 2026. If the work ran before the start of the eligibility period but a minimum of 50% of the implementation ran within the eligibility period, then it can still be entered into the following Dubai Lynx Awards:

• Brand Experience & Activation
• Creative Commerce
• Design
• Digital Craft
• Direct
• Entertainment
• Glass: The Award for Change
• Healthcare
• Integrated
• Luxury
• Media
• PR
• Social & Creator

For the following Awards the eligibility dates are 1 January 2025 - 22 January 2026. All element(s)/executions being entered/judged must have been implemented for the first time within these dates.

• Audio & Radio
• Film
• Film Craft
• Industry Craft
• Outdoor
• Print & Publishing

For Creative Strategy Lynx, the strategy must have been first implemented between 1 January 2023 - 22 January 2026.

For Creative Effectiveness your work must have won or been shortlisted at Dubai Lynx 2025, 2024 or 2023.

Can I re-enter my work if I entered in Dubai Lynx 2025?

The same piece of work cannot be submitted into the same Lynx in consecutive years. However, providing the eligibility dates are met, you may enter the work into an alternative Lynx Awards.

We understand that some campaigns span several years In these cases you’ll need to demonstrate a significant evolution in order to be considered.

Dubai Lynx has the right to decide if the work has evolved sufficiently and can be deemed as a new, eligible entry.

If you’re unsure if your work is eligible for Dubai Lynx 2026, please get in touch. We strongly recommend checking eligibility before you start to create your entry submissions.