Beirut, March 16, 2015: Leo Burnettteams almost cleaned up the stage during the Dubai Lynx Awards galaceremonyon Wednesday, March 11, collecting 2 Grand Prix, 12 Golds, 23 Silvers, and 18 Bronzes, as well as 124 shortlists, setting the highest record of awards ever won by an agency network in the prestigious regional festival operated by the Cannes Lions.
Leo Burnett Beirutclaimed the “Agency of the Year” crown,making it the first ever agency outside the UAE to win that title since the inception of the Dubai Lynx. The results of this win propelled the whole Leo Burnett Network to win the prestigious title of Network of the Yearfor the third time.This is a sweeping win for an agency that believes in creative innovationthroughintegration and social engagement,based on enduring creative ideas that change the way people think and feel.
The “Keep the Flame Alive” integrated campaign for Johnnie Walker was a true example of creative innovation and social engagement and was awarded 2 Grand Prix, 3 Golds, 6 Silvers and 3 Bronzes. Two other integrated and insightful campaigns helped propel Beirut to Agency of the Year as well, each one garnering 10 prizes: the Sakker El Dekkene (Stop the Shop) “Lebanon4Sale” Anti- Corruption campaign, and Kafa “Vote for us, we’ll vote for you,” a movement against domestic violence. Virgin Radio Lebanon’s “Say No to Piracy” added more gold awards to the tally, and other campaigns for Wella/P&G and Picon/Bel also won several silver and bronze awards, contributing to the grand total of 39 trophies for Leo Burnett Beirut in one single ceremony.
“We are proud that Leo Burnett managed to make history at this year’s Dubai Lynx,” said Raja Trad, CEO of Leo Burnett/Publicis Groupe MENA. “Leo Burnett’s slew of awards is a testament to our people’s unflinching commitment to delivering innovative, creative ideas designed to build brands and bring them to life. At Leo Burnett, we place our clients at the center of everything we do; without their trust, support, and loyalty, these awards would not have been possible.”
On the other hand, Bechara Mouzannar, CCO of Leo Burnett MENA, commented that,“Not only is Leo Burnett Beirut the first non UAE-based agency to officially win the crown of Agency of the Year at the Lynx – doing so mainly with integrated and innovative creative campaigns that inspired a massive engagement in the nation before winning 39 awards in one single festival –but it also set a regional recordon its first crown.”
To add, Nada Abisaleh, Managing Director of Leo Burnett Beirut stated,“All the winning campaigns are the result of a long-standing creative legacy fueled by our quest for excellence, solid strategic thinking, and our drive to connect and engage through integrated and interactive campaigns that resonate in people’s hearts.”
Kamil Kuran, Regional Managing Director of Leo Burnett concluded, “This is more than a win for Leo Burnett Beirut; it underscores the fact that this country is fertile ground for talented creative people and a world-class hub for innovative and creative communication ideas that leave their mark on the local, regional, and global scene.”