New York and Dubai – March 15, 2018 – TBWA Worldwide was named Network of the Year at the Dubai Lynx International Festival of Creativity and TBWA\Raad was crowned Agency of the Year, winning an unprecedented, record-breaking eight Grand Prix and a host of other awards during the culmination of this year’s festival.
It is the first time that the Dubai-headquartered agency has won the title, taking home Grand Prix awards in Creative Effectiveness, Direct, Innovation, Interactive, Mobile, PR, Promo & Activation and Radio for clients such as Nissan, McDonald’s, Henkel and Louvre Abu Dhabi. It is also TBWA\Worldwide’s first time awarded Dubai Lynx Network of the Year.
“I am extraordinarily proud of our people and clients who contributed to this outstanding performance at Dubai Lynx,” said Troy Ruhanen, President and CEO, TBWA Worldwide. “TBWA\Raad is an agency at the top of its game, but what I found most satisfying were the notes I received from our clients who celebrated the result equally. Brilliant collaboration across a region that comes to innovate and astound. Congratulations to everyone.”
“TBWA\Raad has created fresh, culturally relevant work and is pioneering the way for some of our biggest brands to join impactful, cultural conversations,” added Chris Garbutt, Chief Creative Officer, TBWA Worldwide. “Congratulations to our entire Middle Eastern TBWA team. The Nissan work is making strides in gender equality and has placed it in a Category of One.”
Two of the evening’s biggest winners were ‘#SheDrives’ for Nissan Saudi Arabia, which sought to empower women and effect change in attitude and behavior from men in Saudi Arabia following the decision to allow women to drive – winning the Interactive Grand Prix, and the first-ever radio-guided ‘Highway Gallery’ for the Louvre Abu Dhabi. The latter saw special FM transmitters powered by solar panels intercept drivers’ car radios, triggering the Louvre Abu Dhabi museum audio guide when they approached any of 10 masterpieces placed along Abu Dhabi’s highways. ‘Highway Gallery’ was the Innovation Grand Prix.
Also winning big was McDonald’s’ ‘Promoticon,’ which redefined delivery apps by turning the McDelivery app icon into a promotional medium, awarded the Direct Grand Prix.
“I am extremely proud of the team, which has consistently produced great work that is both disruptive and innovative,” said Reda Raad, CEO of TBWA\Raad. “These wins are confirmation that we are providing our clients with a truly competitive edge, producing real work for real brands that is at the cutting edge of creativity. We’ve created something to be proud of at TBWA\Raad, which is a creative culture capable of consistently producing exceptional work. I would like to thank all of the people and clients who have helped to make this possible.”
TBWA\Raad Chief Creative Officer Walid Kanaan added: “It was magnificent to see clients and agency standing together proudly on stage. This is as real as it gets, one team of creative believers, who share the same passion, the same vision, and the same glory.”
Earlier in the year TBWA\Raad was named one of the top 10 ‘Bravest and Best Agencies on the Planet’ by Contagious magazine.
About Dubai Lynx
Dubai Lynx (https://www.dubailynx.com/) celebrates the brilliant creativity that comes from the MENA region. It’s a four-day event that brings together top creatives, the world’s best brands, fledgling start-ups and everyone in between to learn, network and celebrate creative excellence in communications. As sister festival to the globally renowned Cannes Lion International Festival of Creativity, Dubai Lynx is part of a highly influential network. Our premium global standards mean we are respected as the most credible awards and festival in the creative sphere in the region.
About TBWA Worldwide
TBWA Worldwide (http://www.tbwa.com) is a top-ten ranked global advertising agency collective that uses Disruption® methodologies to develop business-changing ideas for brands. TBWA has 11,300 employees across 305 offices in 98 countries and also includes brands such as Auditoire, Digital Arts Network (DAN), eg+ worldwide, The Integer Group®, TBWA\Media Arts Lab and TBWA\WorldHealth. TBWA’s global clients include adidas, Apple, Gatorade, Henkel, Hilton Hotels, McDonald’s, Michelin, Nissan, Pernod Ricard, Standard Chartered Bank, Singapore Airlines, and Sotheby’s. Follow TBWA on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and like us on Facebook.
About Omnicom Group Inc.
Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC) (www.omnicomgroup.com) is a leading global marketing and corporate communications company. Omnicom’s branded networks and numerous specialty firms provide advertising, strategic media planning and buying, digital and interactive marketing, direct and promotional marketing, public relations and other specialty communications services to over 5,000 clients in more than 100 countries.