Gambit Communications was named the Best Agency – UAE at the Campaign Agency of the Year Awards 2025.
According to the judges, the agency showcased, “Consistent high growth, elite retention and win rates, significant industry investment, and standout culture backed by campaigns that travel and deliver scale.”
Jamal Almawed, Founder & CEO, Gambit Communications shares his reflections on winning the award, adding to the agency’s total tally of 40 awards in 2025.
How does this award reflect the culmination of your efforts in 2025?
It was the perfect ending to a record-breaking year for Gambit. We won major tenders like Samsung and PropertyFinder, grew our team to 50 Gambiteers, and won 40 industry trophies including PRCA MENA’s Very Large Agency of the Year and The ICCO’s Global Large Consultancy of the Year.
What industry shift most influenced how you operated in the last year?
The entire premise that Gambit is based on is ‘make the first move’, so we try not to be influenced by industry shifts – on the contrary we try to initiate those shifts ourselves. This year our Gambit 3.0 strategy of creating four branded subdivisions – Pulse, Sage, Atelier and FWD – that represent four different types of storytelling, rather than sectors, was a gamechanger and we saw the impact on clients and RFPs. What we didn’t see coming was how popular it would be in recruitment. The amount of top tier talent applying to us and requesting a specific team has been a joy to see.
What market-specific insight has most shaped your approach over the past year?
An MIT study earlier this year using actual Electroencephalogram (EEG) scans proved that the use of Chat GPT results in lower brain activity, reduced recall, reduced engagement and an overall drastically detrimental impact on intellectual performance. We didn’t need to worry about that as we banned it in the office from day one, except for researching or monitoring. We aren’t looking for cost efficiencies – we’re looking for the most active minds in the industry so we can inspire and engage them. Clients seem to like that approach.
How do you balance global best practices with local nuance and relevance?
I think the phrase ‘global best practices’ in itself is a self-defeating expression. Why do best practices have to come from outside? We’ve seen what the globe has to offer and the Middle East region, and the UAE in particular, is surpassing it on multiple fronts, and winning on every stage. In two of the past three years, the winners of the Gold PR Young Lions at the Cannes International Festival of Creativity have been the UAE team. We have best practices here based on principles, ethics, culture and ambition, and it’s time for the globe to come and learn from us.
What shifts are you seeing in client expectations within the UAE market?
The past two years have seen industry-shaking mergers followed by layoffs and efficiencies. Clients bore the brunt of this, and many had to deal with new teams and structures that they didn’t ask for. We’ve seen a clear preference forming for non-networked agencies that can offer stability and long-term relationships.
What do you think the industry needs to change or fix on priority in the months ahead?
Smaller retainers and lower budgets coupled with salary inflation and rising cost of operations are making margins too tight. Many smaller operators will get squeezed out of the market and many of the bigger ones won’t have the agility to cope. This could be a cliff-edge for the industry and needs to be remedied with rational procurement approaches to suppliers. It’s the classic Monty Hall theory – the win-win solution is always the best in the long-term for everybody.
In your opinion, what do consumers really want, and how can agencies help brands meet this need?
In a fragmented world, consumers want to know that the brands they spend with match their values. Agencies need to help their clients fulfil that promise.
What will matter most as the industry moves into 2026?
Authenticity. Our most commonly used phrase in 2025 was ‘Is it AI or real?’ and already people are getting fatigued by not knowing what to believe – even their own eyes. Brands that try to communicate in an authentic and purposeful way will see the best returns.
