Latest news with #MarianBrannelly
Arab News
11-04-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Saudi brands and agencies win seven Grand Prix trophies at Dubai Lynx Awards 2025
Dubai Lynx, a prominent creative festival and awards program organized by Cannes Lions, announced its annual winners at an awards ceremony on Wednesday in Dubai. WPP-owned VML was crowned Network of the Year followed by BBDO Worldwide and McCann Worldgroup. Omnicom-owned Hearts & Science was awarded Media Network of the Year followed by other Omnicom agencies OMD and PHD in second and third. Other special awards included MENA Agency of the Year, which went to creative firm Impact BBDO Dubai followed by FP7 McCann Dubai and BigTime Creative Shop Riyadh. The latter was also named Independent Agency of the Year. Serviceplan Middle East in Dubai and Abdullah & Shokri in Cairo ranked second and third respectively. Saudi Arabian brands and agencies bagged a total of seven Grand Prix trophies in several categories. Some of the winning campaigns included 'Birthmark Stories' for HungerStation by VML; '5 vs 5' for Riyadh Season by BigTime Creative Shop; and 'The Second Release' for Billboard magazine by SRMG Labs. 'This year, we've seen a compelling shift towards content that not only engages and entertains but also effectively drives business results,' Marian Brannelly, Lions' global director of awards, told Arab News. New sub-categories such as Use of Humor received 3 percent of all entries while the creator-focused categories within the Social & Influencer category received 14 percent of all entries. Brannelly said that 'humor played a big role' this year, 'tackling even sensitive topics and giving campaigns a fresh and relatable feel.' She added: 'It's also commendable to see work that not only evokes emotions but also clearly communicates the brand's message and product value through compelling storytelling. 'Balancing purpose with commercial impact is crucial, and this year's winners have showcased how to do it.'
Campaign ME
07-04-2025
- Business
- Campaign ME
Dubai Lynx reveals The Work shortlists for 2025 awards
Dubai Lynx, MENA's leading platform for creative excellence and effectiveness, has revealed its first round of shortlists for the 2025 Awards. The Work shortlists recognise outstanding creativity and innovation across multiple categories. All shortlisted pieces of work will now compete to be awarded MENA's most prestigious creative communications accolade. View the: The Film shortlist will be announced Tuesday, 8 April at 9am (GST, while the Entertainment, Glass: The Award for Change, Healthcare and Integrated shortlists will be announced Wednesday, 9 April at 9am (GST). Winners will be announced at the Dubai Lynx Awards Ceremony taking place at the Emirates Golf Club on Wednesday, 9 April, bringing together the industry to celebrate the region's outstanding achievements. Ian Fairservice, Vice Chairman, Dubai Lynx, said, 'Every year, Dubai Lynx celebrates the extraordinary talent driving the creative economy in the region. The first wave of shortlists sets the stage for what promises to be an exceptional awards season, spotlighting work that challenges conventions and redefines brand storytelling.' The 2025 Awards has seen a remarkable surge in brand participation, with entries from brands up by 122 per cent year-on-year, reflecting the region's growing creative ambitions. The newly introduced 'Use of Humour' category saw 3 per cent of all entries submitted, highlighting a renewed appetite for humour and levity across the region. Marian Brannelly, Global Director of Awards, LIONS, said, 'The Dubai Lynx Awards continue to be a benchmark for creative brilliance in the MENA region. This year we've seen a remarkable 122% year-on-year increase in brand entries, reflecting the growing creative ambitions of marketers in MENA. It's also exciting to see humour making a comeback, with 3% of all submissions entered into the new 'Use of Humour' category. We congratulate all those who have been shortlisted so far and look forward to unveiling the rest of the shortlists.' Majed Al Suwaidi, Senior Vice President of Dubai Media City part of TECOM Group PJSC, said, 'This year's Dubai Lynx Awards shortlists represents an exceptional calibre of work that captures the innovation driving the region's thriving creative economy.' Suwaidi added, 'Our strategic partnership with Dubai Lynx cements the vital role of Dubai Media City's vibrant ecosystem in nurturing such talent and strengthening Dubai's position as a global centre of excellence, in line with the Dubai Economic Agenda 'D33'. We look forward to recognising the region's most creative minds at the Dubai Lynx Awards Ceremony.' The Dubai Lynx Debrief, taking place tomorrow Tuesday 8 April, 9am GST at Dubai Knowledge Park, will offer a comprehensive analysis of the key trends, insights and award-winning creativity emerging from this year's entries from Dubai Lynx Jurors. The Debrief brings together leading industry experts to examine the region's most impactful work, providing valuable takeaways for brands, agencies and marketers looking to navigate the evolving MENA communications landscape. Further information on registering for the event is available here.
