The United Arab Emirates has claimed its spot among the Top 10 nations featured in the Cannes Lions annual definitive rankings revealed with the Lions Creativity Report, which has become the global benchmark for impactful creativity and creative effectiveness.
The UAE ranked eighth worldwide, climbing three spots from its 11th ranking in 2023. Based on the performance from Cannes Lions 2024, the report shows benchmarked work of creative excellence, along with the insights and impact of the results it delivered, demonstrating how the world’s most creative businesses are using creativity as a lever for growth and progress. Here are all the MENA winners from Cannes Lions 2024.
In terms of global agencies, Ogilvy claimed the top spot on the podium, followed by Leo Burnett and Dentsu, which claimed the second and third spots respectively. TBWA Worldwide, McCann Worldwide, VML, AKQA, FCB, and Edelman also claimed their spots within the Top 10 networks on the Cannes Lions ranking.
From a regional perspective, Impact BBDO – Dubai led the rankings, with FP7 McCann – Dubai, and Saatchi & Saatchi ME – Dubai claiming the second and third sports respectively. Leo Burnett – Dubai & Jeddah, Impact BBDO – Cairo, ADPRO OMD – Amman, Serviceplan Middle East – Dubai, and SRMG Labs – Riyadh closed out the Top 10 agencies in the region.
Other highlights from the rankings include Coca-Cola taking Creative Brand of the Year for the first time, with its brands receiving 17 Lions.
Manolo Arroyo, EVP and Global Chief Marketing Officer, The Coca‑Cola Company, said, “The Coca-Cola Company believes creativity is a superpower that drives growth, inspires people and – most importantly – ignites change.”
WPP was named Creative Company of the Year, with its collaboration with Coca-Cola helping to secure three Gold Lions for ‘Thanks for Coke-Creating’, along with 14 more Lions across four pieces of work.
Elsewhere in the rankings, the United States took the leading spot in the location rankings, followed by Brazil in second place, moving up a place from 2023.
Simon Cook, CEO, Lions, said, “The Lions Creativity Rankings shows creatives and marketers – agencies and brands – the creative marketing that matters, so that they can fuel their pursuit to create better, drive business growth and shift culture. The official rankings are a celebration and a powerful tool for future success, while the report is impact-led and built with analysis from the Lions Awards, to deliver tangible examples of how creativity can drive progress.”
“Congratulations to all those who have ranked this year and have contributed to setting the global creative benchmark. We look forward to releasing the 2024 people rankings, as part of the Talent Report, in November,” Cook added.
The LIONS Creativity Report features seven Regional Network of the Year awards and 12 global awards, including Creative Company, Network, Agency, Independent Network, Independent Agency, Creative Brand and Palme d’Or, as well as Health Network, Healthcare Agency and Media Network.
Five subsequent reports will be released based on the 2024 core Festival streams: The Creativity Toolbox, Creative Impact, Innovation Unwrapped, Talent and Culture and Insights and Trends.
Each report, available to all through LIONS’ insights and intelligence platform The Work on 17 October 2024, will showcase awarded work, insights from Jurors and winners and highlights from the Cannes Lions stages.
