Dubai Lynx announces its 2026 Award winners as Creativity Week draws to a close

8 October 2026

Kuwait secures its first-ever Grand Prix


Dubai Lynx, MENA’s leading platform for creative excellence and effectiveness, has announced the winners of the 2026 Awards at this evening’s Awards Ceremony, at the Emirates Golf Club, Dubai. The ceremony marks the culmination of Dubai Lynx Creativity Week, celebrating the ideas, talent and creative work shaping the future of the industry across the region. Throughout the week, creative leaders, emerging talent and industry changemakers came together for a programme of thought-provoking content sessions, conversations and initiatives designed to inspire.

Among tonight’s results, Kuwait made history by winning its first-ever Grand Prix at the Awards, for ‘WABA Ramadhan’, for WABA, by Shareet Studios, Kuwait City, in Film Craft. This marks a significant milestone for the market’s creative industry and reflects the growing breadth of creativity emerging across MENA.

Philip Thomas, Chair, Dubai Lynx, said: "The work awarded at Dubai Lynx this year demonstrates the extraordinary creative momentum we are seeing across MENA. What is particularly exciting is the breadth of creativity coming from across the region, with new markets breaking through alongside its established creative centres. Kuwait winning its first Grand Prix is a brilliant example of that progress. Congratulations to all of this year’s winners for work that raises the creative bar and strengthens MENA’s influence on the global stage."

Ian Fairservice, Vice Chairman, Dubai Lynx, commented: "The 2026 winners reflect a region full of ambition, confidence and creative talent. Across the Awards, we have seen ideas rooted in local culture and insight that have the power to resonate far beyond MENA. It is encouraging to see both established and emerging creative communities being recognised, and we congratulate every winner on their achievement."

This year’s Grand Prix winners are:

Audio & Radio

From 39 entries received, 4 were awarded: 1 Gold, 1 Silver and 1 Bronze Lynx Award and the Grand Prix that went to ‘Speak My Language’, for stc, by VML, Riyadh

Brand Experience & Activation

From 166 entries received, 15 were awarded: 2 Gold, 4 Silver and 8 Bronze Lynx Awards and the Grand Prix that went to ‘Recipe for Change’, for Arla, by FP7 McCann Dubai

Creative Commerce

From 60 entries received, 5 were awarded: 2 Silver and 2 Bronze Lynx Awards and the Grand Prix that went to ‘Recipe for Change’, for Arla, by FP7 McCann Dubai

Creative Effectiveness

From 7 entries received, 2 were awarded: 1 Bronze Lynx Award and the Grand Prix that went to ‘Lunar Treats’, for Oreo, by Saatchi & Saatchi ME, Dubai

Creative Strategy

From 92 entries received, 9 were awarded: 1 Gold, 3 Silver and 4 Bronze Lynx Awards and the Grand Prix that went to ‘Recipe for Change’, for Arla, by FP7 McCann Dubai

Design

From 85 entries received, 8 were awarded: 1 Gold, 2 Silver and 4 Bronze Lynx Awards and the Grand Prix that went to ‘The Coolest Ihram’, for Saudia, by Landor, Dubai

Digital Craft

From 31 entries received, 3 were awarded: 1 Gold and 1 Bronze Lynx Award and the Grand Prix that went to ‘Seat With a View’, for flynas, by VML, Riyadh

Direct

From 108 entries received, 10 were awarded: 1 Gold, 3 Silver and 5 Bronze Lynx Awards and the Grand Prix that went to ‘Breastmilk Money’, for Herconomy, by Serviceplan Germany, Munich

Entertainment

From 90 entries received, 8 were awarded: 2 Gold, 1 Silver and 4 Bronze Lynx Awards and the Grand Prix that went to ‘Rescue Squad’, for Jeep, by Publicis Middle East, Dubai

Film

From 108 entries received, 9 were awarded: 2 Gold, 2 Silver and 4 Bronze Lynx Awards and the Grand Prix that went to ‘City of Fury’, for The Ring, by BigTime Creative Shop, Riyadh

Film Craft

From 104 entries received, 12 were awarded: 1 Gold, 3 Silver and 7 Bronze Lynx Awards and the Grand Prix that went to ‘WABA Ramadhan’, for WABA, by Shareet Studios, Kuwait City

About the Film Craft Grand Prix, Jury President Zia Mandviwalla, Director, FINCH, Aotearoa New Zealand and Australia, commented: “This is filmmaking at its most exhilarating. Every frame is crafted with extraordinary precision, from the impeccable rhythm and exquisite shot-making to the meticulous attention to detail. But its real triumph lies in how that craft transforms familiar cultural rituals into something fresh, dynamic and unmistakably contemporary. Rooted in the region and told from an insider’s perspective, it's a bold, joyful celebration of culture through the power of film."

Glass: The Award for Change

From 16 entries received, 4 were awarded: 1 Gold, 1 Silver and 1 Bronze Lynx Award and the Grand Prix that went to ‘Breastmilk Money’, for Herconomy, by Serviceplan Germany, Munich

Grand Prix for Good

The Grand Prix for Good was awarded to ‘The Eweeha Protest | Mirror’, for KAFA, by VML, Riyadh

Healthcare

From 68 entries received, 8 were awarded: 1 Gold, 2 Silver and 4 Bronze Lynx Awards and the Grand Prix that went to ‘Ruby Blooms’, for Nana, by Saatchi & Saatchi ME, Dubai

Industry Craft

From 64 entries received, 4 were awarded: 1 Gold, 1 Silver and 1 Bronze Lynx Award and the Grand Prix that went to ‘Ruby Blooms’, for Nana, by Saatchi & Saatchi ME, Dubai

Integrated

From 17 entries received, 2 were awarded: 1 Bronze Lynx Award and the Grand Prix that went to 'The Leave of Absence’, for ItsHerWay, by Saatchi & Saatchi ME, Dubai

Media

From 122 entries received, 12 were awarded: 3 Gold, 3 Silver and 5 Bronze Lynx Awards and the Grand Prix that went to ‘Let It Fly’, for Saudia, by Publicis KSA, Riyadh / Saatchi & Saatchi ME, Dubai

Outdoor

From 103 entries received, 8 were awarded: 1 Gold, 2 Silver and 4 Bronze Lynx Award and the Grand Prix that went to ‘Let It Fly’, for Saudia, by Publicis KSA, Riyadh / Saatchi & Saatchi ME, Dubai

PR

From 91 entries received, 5 were awarded: 1 Gold, 1 Silver and 2 Bronze Lynx Awards and the Grand Prix that went to ‘Recipe for Change’, for Arla, by FP7 McCann Dubai

Print & Publishing

From 59 entries received, 5 were awarded: 1 Gold, 1 Silver and 2 Bronze Lynx Award and the Grand Prix that went to ‘Ruby Blooms’, for Nana, by Saatchi & Saatchi ME, Dubai

Social & Creator

From 99 entries received, 9 were awarded: 2 Gold, 3 Silver and 3 Bronze Lynx Award and the Grand Prix that went to ‘Never Cover Your Mouth’, for Mentos, by VML, Riyadh


This year’s Special Awards winners are:

Network of the Year

  1. Saatchi & Saatchi
  2. McCann
  3. VML

Media Network of the Year

  1. Zenith
  2. OMD Worldwide
  3. Starcom

MENA Agency of the Year

  1. Saatchi & Saatchi ME, Dubai
  2. FP7 McCann Dubai
  3. VML, Riyadh

Independent Agency of the Year

  1. BigTime Creative Shop, Riyadh
  2. Edelman, Dubai
  3. Shareet Studios, Kuwait City

Lynx Palm Award

  1. Truffle Films, Saudi Arabia
  2. Shareet Studios, Kuwait
  3. Kurve Studios, Lebanon


This year’s Young Lynx Competition winners are:

Gold ‘Shade, Delivered’ Ananya Talwar, Senior Graphic Designer & Alaa Yasseen, Senior Copywriter VML

Silver ‘Who’s in Charge?’ Mohammed ElAmin, Creative Designer & Yazan Jamal, Senior Account Executive Burson

Bronze ‘We Grow Together’ Amina Hussein Khan, Senior Digital Designer & Elita Godinho, Senior Digital Designer Cheil MEA


All winners are available to view on The Work.