How did the Middle East do in the 2025 WARC rankings?
WARC has revealed its latest Creative 100 and Media 100 rankings, highlighting the performance of Middle East agencies, brands and markets in creative and media for the year 2025.
The UAE and Saudi Arabia maintained their presence in the WARC Creative 100, with a total three campaigns securing spots in the rankings. Saudia's 'ProtecTasbih' (ranked 36) and Coca-Cola's 'I See Coke' (ranked 54) from Saudi Arabia were among the region's highest-ranked campaigns, while IKEA's 'Proudly Second Best' from the UAE placed at 71.
Among the agencies, Impact BBDO/ UAE ranked as the 25th top creative agency worldwide, while Saatchi & Saatchi/ Dubai placed 47th.
On the advertiser front, the Government of Saudi Arabia secured the 28th position globally, augmenting its investment in large-scale brand-building initiatives.
Among the ranked countries, the UAE (18th), Saudi Arabia (21st), and Lebanon (38th) were the only Middle Eastern markets represented in the top 50.
In the WARC Media 100, the UAE and Saudi Arabia again featured among the top-ranked countries, with the UAE placing 13th and Saudi Arabia 15th. The highest-ranked campaigns from the region included Almarai's 'The Non-Sponsored Sponsorship of Ramadan' (ranked 44), Aramco's 'Drones versus Desertification' (75) and Bridgestone's 'Highway Illusion' (84).
Initiative UAE ranked 33rd among global media agencies, followed by Zenith/ Dubai (47th), Leo Burnett Dubai (49th) and Spark Foundry Riyadh (50th). Brands such as The Government of Saudi Arabia and Landmark Group made the list of the top advertisers, ranking at 39 and 48 respectively.
The WARC rankings are based on performance in major global and regional award shows, including Cannes Lions, D&AD, The One Show and Dubai Lynx, among others. The WARC 2025 rankings reflect results from award shows held in 2024.
Agencies and brands from the region continue their performance, showcasing the growing influence of Middle East countries in the global advertising landscape.
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