MENA Agencies Win 19 Clios, Signal Growing Creative Power

The Middle East and North Africa just had a strong showing on one of advertising's biggest stages.

Agencies from the MENA region claimed 19 awards (Gold, Silver, and Bronze) at the Clio Awards 2026, before the main ceremony even takes place. The full winners list for Grand Clios will be announced at the New York gala on May 12, 2026.

The Clios have been recognizing the best in global advertising, marketing, and communications for 66 years. Winning one signals that your work is world-class, judged on originality, craft, and the ability to genuinely connect with people.

MENA's Two Frontrunners

Two agencies stood out above the rest.

IMPACT BBDO walked away with the most trophies from the region: five total, including one Silver Clio and four Bronze Clios. Its win for "The Untaught History Edition," a campaign for Lebanese newspaper AnNahar, was among the recognized work.

Saatchi & Saatchi UAE claimed the region's only Gold Clio, the highest honor awarded before the Grand Clio announcement. The agency also picked up two Bronze Clios, for a total of three awards. Its campaign "Let It Fly" for Saudia Airlines was part of that haul.

A Broad Sweep Across Seven Agencies

MENA's success was not concentrated in a single shop. Seven different agencies across the region won awards, which points to a healthy and competitive creative ecosystem rather than one outlier performance.

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Memac Ogilvy UAE took four Bronze Clios, including two for "Honda Everywhere," a campaign for Al-Futtaim Honda. VML Riyadh earned three awards (two Silver, one Bronze) for work including "Speak My Language" for STC and "Seat With a View" for budget airline Flynas.

TBWA/RAAD won a Silver Clio for "Mechanic's Perfect Pitch," a Nissan campaign. Publicis Middle East and Mullenlowe MENA each added a Bronze Clio to the regional tally.

Saudi Arabia and UAE Carry the Region

Breaking down the 19 wins by country, Saudi Arabia and the UAE each secured eight awards. That's 84% of MENA's total between two markets. Pakistan added two wins and Lebanon claimed one.

The concentration of wins in the Gulf reflects years of investment in creative talent, agency infrastructure, and ambitious client briefs. Government-backed initiatives, major airline and telecoms clients, and expanding media budgets have all contributed to building agencies capable of competing at this level globally.

What This Means for the Industry

The spread of work across airlines, automotive, telecom, media, and retail suggests something broader is happening. MENA agencies are not winning in a single niche. They are demonstrating creative depth across industries.

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For marketing and communications leaders watching global creative trends, the question worth asking is what these agencies are doing differently. The winning campaigns share a focus on cultural specificity, bold storytelling, and execution that holds up against international scrutiny.

The Grand Clio winners will be announced in New York on May 12. Whether any MENA agency takes home that top honor remains to be seen. But with 19 pre-ceremony wins already confirmed, the region is clearly no longer playing catch-up on the world stage.