The 73rd edition of the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, will be held from Monday, 22 June to Friday, 26 June 2026, with winners of the Cannes Lions metals to be announced through the week.
The week will culminate with the gala Cannes Lions Awards at the Lumière Theatre, where the coveted Titanium Lions, Grand Prix Awards and the Grand Prix for Good will be handed over to worthy winners.
At the time of writing, only three Cannes Lions categories have announced their shortlists – including Titanium, Innovation, and Glass: The Lion For Change – while most other shortlists will be revealed from Saturday, 20 June 2026.
Before all the shortlists are announced and the celebrations begin, the excitement and anticipation is already building up among brands and agencies in the Middle East.
Last year, out of the 828 Lions winners from 48 countries, the MENA region claimed a total of 32 wins awarded across agencies and markets – up from 22 in 2024 – including a win at the Young Lions Competitions.
Top Cannes Lions 2026 MENA contenders:
In total, eight agencies from the MENA region are represented among the Cannes Lions 2026 contenders, with a total of 18 campaigns represented across multiple award categories from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Lebanon.
Recipe for Change for PUCK, Arla Foods – by FP7 McCANN MENAT
The Recipe for Change for Puck by FP7 McCANN MENAT has been shortlisted twice in Glass: The Lion for Change at Cannes Lions 2026.
In the midst of a prolonged conflict that caused countless families to flee their homes in Lebanon, Puck launched its Recipe for Change campaign to empower and support Lebanese mothers and families by offering a sustainable source of financial support while celebrating Lebanon’s rich culinary heritage during Ramadan.
Puck took recipes of traditional home-cooked dishes, crafted by Lebanese mothers, to the menus of Lebanese restaurants across the UAE and KSA, pledging 50 per cent of the proceeds from each dish sold to Lebanese families.
The Birdwatcher for SPOOR – by FP7 McCANN MENAT
Spoor, in collaboration with FP7 McCANN MENAT, came up with The Birdwatcher: an initiative that transforms complex wildlife monitoring data into an open, accessible experience, making previously invisible bird activity around wind farms visible to policymakers, industry and the public.
The challenge: Yes, wind energy is built to protect the future, but for too long, one part of that future has remained harder to see. Every year, birds and bats, including endangered and protected species, face real risks around wind farms: collisions, habitat disruption and the buffer zones that slow development in response.
At a time when renewable energy must scale faster than ever, what if the answer is not less wind, but better intelligence? To address this, Spoor’s technology, a patent-protected system combining AI-powered computer vision, geometric flight analysis, and ecological domain knowledge, continuously detects, tracks and classifies birds and enables curtailment at wind energy sites to prevent fatalities.
Saudi Arabia’s IKEA Alsulaiman launched Step Buy Step, its largest wellness-led, in-store initiative to date, created in collaboration with FP7 McCANN, turning one of the brand’s most relatable truths into a purposeful customer experience.
Launching on World Health Day 2026, the campaign tapped into a wider national movement in Saudi Arabia to make everyday life more active, healthier and more rewarding. IKEA Alsulaiman’s Step Buy Step turned a familiar shopping behaviour into an effective driver of change, encouraging customers to move more, engage with IKEA deeply, and build a more active, health-conscious society.
Known globally for its vast showrooms and famously maze-like layout, IKEA has long been the subject of a familiar cultural meme: no one ever really “quickly pops into” the store. What begins as a simple shopping trip often turns into an extended walk filled with unexpected turns, extra laps, and inspired detours. With Step Buy Step, IKEA Alsulaiman embraced that behaviour and giving it new meaning.
Missing Letters of Worth for L’Oréal – by FP7 McCANN MENAT
One year after its launch, Sit Al Bait ست البيت – the campaign launched by L’Oréal Paris in 2025 under its Women of Worth platform – transformed a familiar Arabic term and reframed how women’s roles are perceived across the region.
Developed in collaboration with FP7 McCANN Dubai, McCANN Paris, and Current Global MENAT, Sit Al Bait reimagined a familiar Arabic phrase – evolving “Sit Bait” (housewife) into “Sit Al Bait” (Woman of the House).
The addition of just two letters – “Al” – shifted the meaning entirely: from a label of limitation to a title of leadership. In doing so, the campaign recognised the often-invisible contributions of millions of women across the Middle East – proving how two letters can reshape how women are seen and perceived. A small shift in language – yet one that struck a powerful cultural nerve.
Spots for Shops for PARKIN – by FP7 McCANN MENAT
Parkin, a provider of paid public parking facilities and services in Dubai, in collaboration with FP7 McCANN MENAT launched ‘Spots for Shops’: a community-driven initiative that enables drivers to validate their Parkin parking fees simply by supporting small businesses in neighbourhoods across Dubai.
The initiative supported small businesses, which have Parkin-managed parking nearby. Customers could offset their parking fees by qualifying purchases at participating shops and validating it on the Parkin app, which then credits the value directly to their Parkin wallet.
The idea behind the supporting campaign was to transform routine parking into a practical incentive to stop, discover and support the hidden gems tucked between the city’s better-known destinations.
Additech for e& by Etisalat – by Initiative MENAT
At the GITEX Global 2025 held in Dubai, e& unveiled a conceptual campaign that challenged convention and sparked critical conversations about people’s relationships with technology. Addictech, a collection of conceptual health devices, served as both a showcase and a mirror — highlighting the very real problem of screen addiction while asking a profound question: what if technology could evolve beyond screens altogether?
Every year, GITEX brings together the brightest minds and boldest innovations shaping the future. But among the 2025 lineup of AI breakthroughs and autonomous machines, one showcase at the e& pavilion challenged visitors to stop and think — not about what’s next, but about what’s necessary.
Addictech was conceived not as a product line, but as a mirror. Each device — sleek, packaged and branded — addresses the physical effects of overexposure to screens. From SpineAlign (for posture damage) to NeuroGrip (for hand fatigue) and Dopamine Regulator (for lost concentration), every prototype felt tangible, believable — until visitors realised they don’t exist. But the problem they warn about does. The idea was to take innovation and turn it inward. As such, Addictech was not about what’s next to buy. It was about what’s next to change.
Arab Easy for e& by Etisalat – by Initiative MENAT
Arab-easy was a digital keyboard launched by e& (formerly Etisalat) in the UAE and MENA region, designed to bridge the gap between “Arabizi” (Arabic written with English letters and numbers) and the native Arabic script.
Developed in collaboration with creative agency Initiative MENA, the smart keyboard solved everyday communication hurdles for those comfortable with English typing layouts by placing Arabic letters in the exact same positions as their phonetic English counterparts.
The initiative was part of e&’s broader goal to preserve and protect Arabic cultural identity in the digital age. Instead of forcing users to abandon how they normally text, the keyboard encouraged a seamless, behavioral transition back to authentic Arabic.
The Untaught History Edition for AnNahar – by IMPACT BBDO
It may seem strange, but few Lebanese students have ever been taught a complete, unified history of the country’s period following independence. To mitigate this gap in knowledge and education, and to mark the occasion of Independence Day, An-Nahar a leading Arabic-language daily newspaper published in Lebanon, in partnership with IMPACT BBDO, launched the ‘Untaught History Edition’, another serious Cannes Lions contender.
This was a documented presentation of pivotal events in modern Lebanese history, chapters that never made it into school textbooks. The daily issue hit newsstands unlike any previous edition, its pages compiling the missing events, conflicts, turning points and major transformations that generations of Lebanese students have not studied since 1943.
The launch of the issue was not limited to the newsroom, but extended to the public sphere: in the streets of Beirut and inside schools, copies were distributed and messages were sent emphasising the need to protect history from being obscured, while social media platforms buzzed with calls to restore a national narrative that belongs to all Lebanese. The Prime Minister of Lebanon also welcomed the initiative and considered it to be of national importance, while ministers expressed their support for the publication of a unified history volume.
Playboards for Pepsi – by IMPACT BBDO
Pepsi, a long-time supporter of cricket and the Pakistan women’s national team, in partnership with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and IMPACT BBDO, unveiled Playboards – the world’s first billboards embedded with professional-grade cricket gear, created specifically for women.
The challenge: Cricket is the most popular sport in Pakistan, but mostly led by men. For many aspiring female cricketers, the game often poses severe hurdles such as access to proper cricket gear , especially for young girls training in informal spaces, with no support system and no equipment available that is specifically made for women.
Installed in public spaces, the billboards appeared with images of cricket stars, but a closer revealed that all the cricket equipment on the billboard were not photographs, but actual cricket gear. The Playboards invitedyoung girls and women to pull equipment off the board, use it to train, and place it back for the next player. It was a powerful message made tangible: every woman who dreams of playing should have the means to do it.
No Dishcrimination Dinner Set for VIM – by IMPACT BBDO
Vim, a leading dishwashing brand by Unilever, redefined brand activism with its ‘No Dishcrimination Dinner Set‘ campaign, developed in partnership with IMPACT BBDO and BBDO Pakistan. The campaign directly addressed a deeply embedded social behaviour in Pakistani households while delivering substantial commercial results.
The campaign tackled a normalised practice in many Pakistani homes: domestic workers being served on separate plates or utensils from family members, often justified under the guise of hygiene. Recognising this contradiction at the heart of its brand values and brand promise, Vim designed a creative intervention that transcended traditional activism messaging.
Rather than a preachy statement, Vim created a redesigned dinner set of 6+1 identical plates that removed the visual cue of exclusion from the dining table. The ‘No Dishcrimination Dinner Set’ delivered a 57 per cent sales uplift versus the same period last year, while registering 377 million social media views, and leading to a 3.8 per cent advocacy lift, significantly above the 0.2 per cent regional benchmark.
Tourism Campaigns Made By Client for RAKTDA – by IMPACT BBDO
Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) took a different approach for its RAK: Summer Unscripted campaign in an effort to differentiate the city from other emirates in the UAE and promote year-round tourism.
Developed in partnership with Impact BBDO, the campaign was a quirky take on summer travel in RAK. Its narrative follows the creative team abandoning their posts to enjoy RAK’s summer offerings, therefore leaving the ‘real tourists’ in charge to showcase the destination’s allure.
Rather than showing idealised, overly curated tourism moments, the campaign leaned into humour, imperfection and relatability. It succeeded in its effort to deeply resonate with its audience, including UAE residents, young families, couples and groups of friends looking for spontaneous, nearby getaways.
Side Effects for Jordan’s BeatFM – by AdPro& Group
Adpro& Group launched ‘Side Effects’, a bold campaign for Jordan’s Seagulls Broadcast’s BeatFM 102.5, marking the relaunch of the station as the home of some of the best music in the region. The campaign shifted the focus from what music is to what music does, celebrating the emotional and behavioral side effects of the songs shaping culture today.
At the heart of the idea was a simple but powerful truth: today’s music does not just play in the background; it actively influences how people feel, think and behave. From overthinking eye contact to sending paragraphs instead of “ok,” music has become a trigger for everyday, often unspoken behaviours. That thinking became the creative springboard for ‘Side Effects’.
Rolling out across outdoor, social and digital platforms, the campaign featured a series of executions tied to globally recognised tracks, turning song titles into triggers and behaviours into proof. It positioned BeatFM not just as a station that plays hits, but as one that understands how those hits show up in people’s lives.
The Eweeha Protest for KAFA – by VML Riyadh
At every Lebanese wedding, a bride is promised a bright future filled with joy. But in reality, many women enter a system that systematically disadvantages them. With ‘The Eweeha Protest’, KAFA in partnership with VML Riyadh turned a centuries-old wedding chant into a national call for change, which has now become a strong Cannes Lions 2026 contender.
By rewriting its familiar verses with real stories of discrimination, forced obedience and unjust custody, a recognised sound of celebration became a collective call for justice, heard across radio, film and the streets. Launched during peak wedding season, KAFA released radio spots and films starring renowned Lebanese actresses performing the new Eweehas. The brand then took the Eweeha to the streets through a moving convoy, chanting at the doors of religious courts blocking the new law.
The campaign raised awareness around gender inequality, exposing how religious personal status laws discriminate against women. Women adopted the rewritten Eweehas as a rallying cry, chanting them during an impromptu protest outside Parliament. What was once a symbol of celebration became a tool of protest, helping build momentum around KAFA’s proposed unified civil law.
A post-campaign survey conducted by KAFA confirmed a clear shift in public perception, with 84 per cent supporting a unified civil law, 85 per cent supporting joint custody, 69 per cent supporting registering children under both parents, and 72 per cent favouring shared financial responsibility.
The Blind Seats for STC – by VML Riyadh
For millions of visually impaired fans, football has always been something they hear, but never fully experience. With ‘The Blind Seats’, stc and VML Riyadh reimagined the matchday experience altogether.
Developed in collaboration with the Saudi Ministry of Sport, the system translated live match data into a real-time sensory experience, allowing fans to follow every pass, shot and goal from the stands. Rolled out across stadiums in Saudi Arabia, the experience turned matchday into something that can finally be felt, not just heard, for visually impaired fans.
One seat at a time, stc opened up live football to more fans, bringing them closer to the game.
WingSentry – by HORIZON FCB MENA
For decades, Colombia’s extraordinary biodiversity remained largely inaccessible. Prolonged internal conflict and the presence of cartels and armed groups limited access to vast natural areas, keeping local and international tourism away. Following the 2016 country’s peace agreement, those landscapes have gradually reopened. What was once off-limits is now drawing increasing numbers of visitors, positioning Colombia as one of the world’s leading ecotourism destinations.
Yet, this resurgence has brought new challenges. As tourism has grown, so has its impact on delicate ecosystems. Increased human presence, noise, artificial lighting and habitat disruption have begun to affect bird populations, contributing to nest abandonment, altered flight patterns and reduced breeding success in certain areas.
In response, researchers from the Behavioural Ecology & Conservation Group, in collaboration with Universidad del Rosario in Colombia and Horizon FCB MENA, brought to life ‘WingSentry’, an AI-powered system designed to monitor and protect bird populations without disturbing their natural habitats.
WingSentry combined thermal imaging technology with bioacoustic sensors to observe wildlife with zero habitat disturbance. The value of the system lies not only in the data it collects, but in how that data is applied. It also translated complex ecological information into practical guidance for tourism operators, helping them design bio-corridors that avoid sensitive nesting areas and reduce human impact.
Women on Site for EGA – by Burson Dubai
In the UAE, 56 per cent of STEM graduates are women, yet only 15 per cent enter heavy industry. From workplace norms to imagery, heavy industry remains one of the most visibly male-coded sectors globally. Women are often absent from the environments they are being asked to join, which unconsciously reinforces who is expected to work there. Even safety signage depicts only male pictograms and language.
On the worksite, the campaign replaced male-only safety signs across all EGA facilities with a gender-inclusive design system. Through subtle but meaningful additions, including female hairstyles, facial features, workwear, and language, the signs encouraged belonging while still adhering to strict global safety and regulatory standards. Launched on Emirati Women’s Day, this signage system was made open-source to allow partners and companies across the UAE to adopt the designs on-ground.
At the university level, the campaign engaged women in STEM programs through panels featuring female role models, making the career path visible to future talent. Finally, to address societal bias, the campaign spotlighted familial support through social storytelling, knowing that 68% of Emirati women’s career choices are significantly influenced by family. This internal initiative scaled organically across the industry and society, generating lasting business impact.
By increasing visibility at all levels, more women saw themselves in heavy industry. The campaign positioned EGA as a leader in both industry and inclusivity, leading to an increase in career searches. Since launch, the number of women working at EGA has risen by 51 per cent, making this campaign another great Cannes Lions 2026 contender.
The Coolest Ihram for Saudi Airlines (Saudia) – by Landor
The campaign brought to life by Saudia, in partnership with Landor, introduced the world’s first high-tech cooling Ihram – a pilgrimage garment designed to enhance comfort during Hajj, when temperatures in Saudi Arabia are often quite high.
Engineered with advanced cooling fabric, it actively reduced heat on the skin by up to -2Co, ensuring comfort and safety even in harsher conditions. Lightweight, breathable, and moisture-wicking, the innovative Ihram also intended to protect against UV and supported pilgrims in focusing on their spiritual path without compromising comfort.
Fully compliant with religious attire requirements for men and women, it also provides UPF 50+ sun protection. The innovation debuted at Arabian Travel Market 2025 in Dubai, reflecting Saudia’s commitment to improving the pilgrim experience.
Najm Suhail: The Star that Brings You Home for TANK – by SOCIAL Clinic, Jeddah
In Saudi Arabia, the relationship with the desert is different. It is part of everyday life, part of how people explore, gather, and move. But this reality demands systems that can keep up. Because connectivity is not always there, and when it disappears, so does the sense of control.
GWM Tank entered Saudi Arabia’s SUV market with Najm Suhail, a utility-led platform designed to solve real desert navigation risks and build credibility through action. Developed in collaboration SOCIAL CLINIC, the campaign was rolled out primarily through social media and digital channels.
The idea was rooted in a clear and urgent problem. Every month, rescue teams respond to more than a hundred desert incidents, many involving young drivers and off-roaders who rely entirely on their phones. The issue was not about people being adventurous; it was dependency. A generation raised on instant access has never needed to think beyond it. The moment the signal drops, decision-making collapses. The instinct is to keep moving, often turning a manageable situation into a dangerous one.
Najm Suhail was not designed as a message about safety. It was a system designed for when safety becomes critical. A device and platform that prepares drivers before entering the desert, guides them when they lose direction and supports them when situations escalate. That makes this one of Saudi Arabia’s strong contenders at Cannes Lions 2026.
Campaign Middle East will continue to bring you updates of all the winning campaigns from the region at Cannes Lions, which announced on each day at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.
Stay tuned for daily wrap-ups and exclusive interviews, conducted live from Cannes, France.
